hi guys

just picked up this 97 e320 cheeeeeeaaaaaaaapppppp but with some issues:

• 184K miles
• blown head gasket
• has sound like noisy lifters
• stinks like cigarettes
• A/C compressor is fried

postitives:

• cheap
• perfect exterior and interior
• solid car

now my delema. Do I just replace the head gasket? Do I have the head gone through? Do I rebuild the engine? Do I just do an engine swap (cost of longblock $800 80K miles)? Or any combo of thse situations?

I think I will be giving this car to my daughter in 3 years when she gets her license!
What to do?>>>>>>

thanks in advance
Pedro

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Most likely unless the car was driven for a long time with a bad head gasket, you can just replace the gasket (and do any other necessary head reconditioning).....A/C Compressor would need replacement....

Not sure about the Cig smell, I'd never touch a smoker car.....unless there's some magic way to 100+ percent eliminate the smell.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

At least you have PLENTY of time to get it ready!
At 187k miles - I think you need to do more than just replace the head gasket - timing chain should be done too as well as valve seals and head gasket. If its running now try some Marvel Mystery Oil or BG Products MOA to free up sticking lifters.

I'd buy a NEW ac compressor and drier/expansion valve when I put the AC together - I am leery anymore of rebuilt AC compressors.

Cigarette smell? charcoal absorbs and eliminates it.
Here is a tip on this:
What makes charcoal an effective odor neutralizer is that it has a very broad surface area. A single gram of activated charcoal has a total surface area of 500 square meters.
Place a few damp saucers on the dashboard, the seats, and the floor of the car. Add a small amount of dampened activated carbon or wood charcoal on the saucers. Leave the saucers and the charcoal inside the car for at least 12 hours.
The damp charcoal will absorb much of the cigarette odor, without leaving any odd smell. The longer you leave the charcoal inside the car, the better it absorbs the cigarette smells. In 3 years you will smell like new.

Nice find!

John in San Antonio

__________________
John Hughes, was in Landstuhl, Germany but currently in San Antonio, TX


1978 280CE Astral Silver now 59,xxx miles and counting "Silber-Kugel"
1986 300E Black Pearl Metallic 143,xxx miles 5-spd daily driver w/ blk leather "Schwarz-Schönheit"
1989 190E 2.6 (euro) 5-spd Desert Taupe 112,xxx kms Had to leave behind in Germany!!! "Helga"
1983 300D Pastel Beige now 312,xxx + miles SOLD

OBK#24

charcoal as in Kingsford? or like in the charcoal in my aquarium filter? Where would I get it? I have already had the carpet shampooed and ash tray sanitized however death still abounds!! This lady's house must smell of death as well!! No offense to you smokers (I was a smoker) but the stentch oozing out of this car is bad, really bad. this might explain the $500 price??
Marvelous Mystery Oil? Not Mobil 1?
Do they sell an overhaul kit for this engine? Is it worth sending out the head for a rebuild since it will be off anyway?
I never thought about the timing chain! Nice save

I smoke. and yes, I know we're outnumbered now, but I kinda the smell of cigarettes and old leather

Oh, and there is one way to get the smell of smoke out of the car.
remove every panel and clean it with water and comet.
If you ARE a smoker, and do this the smell of the comet will 'reset' your sense of smell, and I swear, for days afterward you will LOATHE the smell of cigarettes.

__________________
RIP: 80 300SD
RIP: 79 450SEL
2002 E430 4matic (212,000km)
2002 ML500 'sport'

____________________________
FACEBOOK: PANZER450

could the smell then be in the seats as well?
I had the entire interior cleaned but not removed! I will have them do it tomorrow! Headliner residual water waste was BLACK after they shapooed it. If the smell is in the seats taking them out of the car might be pointless unless I get the carpet replaced?? Maybe try the charcoal trick with a great deal of charcoal!!!!
Funny thing is the trunk has no smell!! The more I think about it, I wonder what this lady's house smells like, hell even her nice 40' motorhome!!

but regular activated charcoal like in your aquarium filter is best. Try WalMart fish center.

I've heard about using Comet - dunno what is in there that neutralizes it tho - maybe baking soda??

I've tried sprinkling Arm & Hammer on the carpets of cars before to get rid of moldy smells and it never worked so well. Charcoal is better.

$500!!! Holy Moley you got a deal.... it IS salvageable... don't give up.

John in San Antonio

__________________
John Hughes, was in Landstuhl, Germany but currently in San Antonio, TX


1978 280CE Astral Silver now 59,xxx miles and counting "Silber-Kugel"
1986 300E Black Pearl Metallic 143,xxx miles 5-spd daily driver w/ blk leather "Schwarz-Schönheit"
1989 190E 2.6 (euro) 5-spd Desert Taupe 112,xxx kms Had to leave behind in Germany!!! "Helga"
1983 300D Pastel Beige now 312,xxx + miles SOLD

OBK#24

What a buy! Nice looking vehicle. Thorough cleaning of interior makes sense, so does charcoal, but the stale smoke is all throughout the fresh air system, so I fear that unless you add cleaning out the heater core and replacing the A/C evaporator, it'll linger forever.

__________________
1988 California version 260E (W124)
Anthracite Grey/Palomino
Owned since new and still going strong and smooth
MBCA member

Past Mercedes-Benz:
1986 190E Baby Benz
1967 230 Inherited from mom when she downsized
1959 220S Introduced me to the joys of keepin' 'em goin'

There are only 10 kinds of people in the world--those who understand binary and those who don't

If you have one, chances are you will always be able to detect a slight odor no matter what you do. Ciggie smoke is one of those pervasive odors that seemingly can never be removed completely, sort of like cat pee or vomit. Maybe you will get lucky and your daughter will develop into a smoker.

Lucky if my daughter develpos into a smoker? I think not, this car will be long gone before that happens.

In my experience, when you replace the A/C compressor you may need to replace the condensor too depending on level of contamination and if you can't flush it properly. This is because the compressor usually sends shrapnel through the system. I have one for that car if you end up needing one.

__________________
08 W251 R350
97 W210 E320
91 W124 300E
86 W126 560SEL
85 W126 380SE Silver
85 W126 380SE Cranberry
79 W123 250
78 W123 280E
75 W114 280

My wife is a smoker also. In her car we keep baking soda in the ash tray. When she snuffs out a cig, she snuffs it in the soda. About 4 times a year I open the hood with the engine running and spray a special cigarette cleaner (found at wholesale cleaning supplies store) into the two air intakes under the front window. The odor builds up on the evaporator. Her car never smells of smoke. Another trick is to take an old sock, soak it in vinegar and hang it inside making sure that there is a drip container and leave it over night. Smell gone. And of course every one having a fit over cigarette odors think nothing of exhaust fumes loaded with carcinogens and unburnt hydrocarbons!
Anziani

Set a couple of bowls of white vinegar in the front and back of the car and let it sit in the sun with the windows up. Bad smells tend to be bases and the acetic acid in the vinegar will neutralize the cig smell. if it is really bad, you may need to do it a couple of times.

I have to guess you live in CA?

Anyway, I have a '95 E320, has 147,000 on it, has used no oil (Mobil 1) in the 1700miles since last change. Going to pull the engine to make it a diesel this month, so if you need a nice used M104 I should have one available.

__________________

Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Top end rebuild is more practical, engine swaps I'm told are supposed to be checked by a DMV referee station in CA. I've done conventional and radical engine swaps and only thought the radical swaps required a referee...

__________________
'88 300TE, 175k, black RENNTech 3.6L Recaro C's AMG 1 SOLD
'92 500E, 110k, Spruce green, stock SOLD
'94 E320 Cabriolet, 130k, E500 wheels, Emerald green SOLD
'94 E320 Cabriolet, 110k, black, stock, SOLD
'88 300TE, 229k, dark grey, SOLD
'90 300CE, 212k, white, new paint, SOLD
'91 300E, 209k, white, rebuilt head SOLD
'74 914-6, grey, 2.7L 325hp twin turbo Audi conversion