I purchased a 1971 280SE 7 weeks ago with an 'advertised' blown head gasket. (Mainly, I needed the alloys wheels and 80% tires for my 1970 280S).

First, I remove the distributor, and find the carbon piece from the previous distributor cap. This carbon piece had lodged the mechanical advance in the full retard timing posistion. No timing advance was possible.

Next, I am removing the headers and behold, I find a 1-1/4" hole in the top of Oil sump. #2 cylinder had disenagrated, and left pieces of rings, piston and whatever else in the air filter canister.

I didn't feel too bad, because I bought it for a parts car. And a compression check wouldn't found the problem.

Wonder what kind of noise the previous owner heard when the #2 rod punched a hole in the top of Oil sump?

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1970 280S M130 engine- good runner
1971 250 M130 engine- #2 rod bearing, gone
1971 280SE (blown engine,parts car)
1977 German 280S W116-only 33 years old

Is that from a timing chain jump

My first ever Mercedes was a 1970 250 sedan. It was being sold as not running. I asked why it wasn't running. The seller pointed to the front of the engine and said "It was making a loud noise here, then it stopped". Later, I found the #2 rod half way through the block just below the cylinder. Took me 45 minutes to pound it far enough in so that I could rotate the motor and remove the transmission.


Michael

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Usta haves '69 250/8, '76 280C, 1971 250C 114.023, 1976 450SEL 116.033
Current have, 1983 300SD 126.120