Hi,
A sad day today, I'm pretty sure I have a blown head gasket. Its drinking coolant and there's steam coming out of the oil fill hole. I've read some of the history of these failures. But I was wondering if there is an improved gasket out there, or do I just have to live with 60k mile replacements? I would hope that MB would see this and try to correct their mistake. Also, just how hard is it to replace? It looks like a whole lot of pieces in the way that would make for a long weekend. How much do dealers and independents normally charge?
Thanks
Darryl

You mean to tell me that these head gaskets blow at 60k? I did see where mine was changed by the previous owner at around 65k. Should I just go ahead and change it at around 120k? That is fine as long as I know to do it, doesn't look that complicated.
thanks
engatwork

every 60 k wow
that is not acceptable.
Maybe try a copper head gasket, they are not that hard to have made. Try a company called Paeco. Do they decompose between the oil and water or do they actually blow? (cylinder compression). You might also try studding the head instead of MBZ stretch bolts..Thasts what porsche owners had to do on some older models. Awful problem for a benz.

It's very rare for the 104 to blow the headgasket. Normally they are replaced due to oil leaks on the right side of the block. Have you pressure tested the cooling system? More common would be a water pump or (rarer) the radiator.

Rare for an M104 motor to blow a head gasket? Talking to my ex brother in law who is an MB Tech, I get the idea that he does about one a week.

I wouldn't plan on changing the headgasket as preventive maintenance, however. Your motor may go forever without blowing one.

My $0.02,

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Larry Bible
'84 Euro 240D, 523K miles
'88 300E 5 Speed
'81 300D Daughter's Car
Over 800,000 miles in
Mercedes automobiles

Also, I have seen on the 104 engine where the heat exchanger will allow weird things to happen when it pinholes.

I have had techs replace a headgasket and nothing was fixed!! Be sure this is properly diagnosed.

I have not replaced headgaskets on 104's for compresson leaks, only leaking oil.

When over-heated, any engine will blow the headgasket.

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Benzmac:
Donnie Drummonds
1991 GMC Syclone
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
SERVICE MANAGER FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

Larry your brother-in-law probably does this repair due to oil leaking down the right side of the engine as is very common in 104 engines. This does not however constitute a "blown" head gasket.

Thanks for the replies everyone. It seems I jumped the gun. It was just the heater hose, it sprung a pinhole leak right by the cylinder head. Repaired that and all seems fine. Still can't figure out the steam from the oil fill hole though.
Darryl