Hopefully, I'm going to get to go look at a 560sel.
Other than crawling into the engine compartment with a flashlight and looking at the motor number stamped on the block, is there a quick and efficient way to tell a 560 from a 500?

I don't want to discover that the motors have been swapped. I'll only have the opportunity to look at the car, not touch it and take things apart, well except maybe the air cleaner.

Thx -CTH

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- cth350@gmail.com
http://www.111lakeside.com/

A couple of good pointers are that the 560 should have a rear electric bench seat and rear self levelling suspension as standard.

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A. Rosich
CL 500, 1998
S 500 L, 1998
E 320 T, 1995 [Sadly sold ]

Pre 1986 engines have silver valve covers ...so,if its silver when you pop the hood,its a 500.

Script on trunk lid.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

The body is definitely a 560. It's the engine that I'm suspecious of. Valve covers is a good clue. Anything more solid? Like the WUR part number or position of some of the gizmos at or about the intake?

Thx -CTH

__________________
- cth350@gmail.com
http://www.111lakeside.com/

560's have a distributor cover... while the 500's didn't. 560's also had dual snorkels on the airbox... while 500's only had one. Another good sign was mentioned... the valve covers. Starting 1986, the M117 recieved black valve covers. Earlier, they were silver. No 560 motor was made before 1986(well, some very late 1985's were made) and finding a 500 motor in the US thats from a 1986+ is like hens' teeth.

Anyone can put anything on the trunk lid.

Heck, on ebay there's gold SEC advertised as a 1985 560SEC AMG. The VIN # shows it as a 500SEC.

theres a few minor things, even my 380 has black valve covers, anyone can switch those.

Two quick check things, the 560/420 distributor is going to be much larger than the 380/500, and the 380/500 will have two fuel lines running to a silver "box" (cold start) just in front of the air box on the passenger side.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350