i have not seen one but knew they existed.....


is the w123 250 a good motor? typical problems with carburetor?


i'm interested in knowing the good and bad?

Its the older single cam motor. Are you sure its carburated? Seems unlikely to me.

If it has been well cared for it should deliver reasonable performance and reasonable ecomomy. Its not as good as the twin cam motor for total power but may give better economy and for normal driving you will probably not notice much difference.

If its in good condition I would not be afraid of buying it.

Tom W

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

It had the Solex 4A1 carb. it was a little different than teh US 4A1 used on M110 engines with a more elaborate idle air system.

The motor was the last of the worst motors MB ever made. They are probably the only motor that regularly had coolant related head gasket issues without overheating. They are very similar to the M130 engines used in the 280S and 250 cars in 108 and 114 bodies.

The 280E was a much better product.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

NOW I'm afraid!

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The local dealer imported a few 250s on the late 1970s. At the time, 300Ds were extremely popular so very few gasoline W123s were imported.

The price difference between a 280/280E and a 280S/280SE was minimal, so customers just preferred the S-class when ordering the 2.8 liter engine.

The 200 and the 230E were four cylinders, so they were grouped in a different league.

Hence, the 250 became popular price wise for customer who wanted a six cylinder Mercedes.

A classmate's mother from High School had one and I had the chance to ride in it quite often.

According to magazines articles I read at the time and the comments from the service department people at the dealer, it appeared that the 250 was quite appreciated by its owners and supposedly it was very reliable. Pick up was extremely better than the gas four cylinders and the diesels.

From production charts, the 250 was the model with the lowest numbers on the W123 line (making it special, maybe?). There was no W123 wagon or coupe, only the sedan.

I have the original brochures from 1977 and 1979.

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

Actually all my experience with a W123 came from a 250T we imported and then worked on for years for the person we sold it to.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician