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  #1  
Old 11-25-2004, 04:45 PM
RR3 RR3 is offline
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1968 300SEL six cylinder

Guys,

I found also a 1968 300SEL 6 cylinder.
It also has airbag suspension.
Looks like it is in great shape.
Is this a better choice than the 1970 300sel 6.3?
Only problem is current owner doesnt know how many owners this car had.
No real records for the car, but car looks reallu nice in the pics.

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  #2  
Old 11-25-2004, 08:50 PM
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Depends on what you mean by "better". Except for the air suspension, the 6 cylinder should be much cheaper to maintain and somewhat easier on gas. The 6.3 is the more valuable collecters item, not to mention a rocket, if it's in decent shape.
Regardless, before you fork over the cash, go check it out in person for rust and filler.

Happy Motoring, Mark
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  #3  
Old 11-26-2004, 02:30 AM
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Make sure it has the 2.8 M130 engine as parts for the older 3 litre were more than for a 6.3.
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  #4  
Old 11-26-2004, 04:13 AM
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It's a '68. It's got the M189 all aluminum 6 cyl, as opposed to the 280SE iron block, aluminum head. The 3.0 6cyl M189 is a bear to fix due to low production runs and cast iron liners.

www.300se.org
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Warren

Currently 1965 220Sb, 2002 FORD Crown Vic Police Interceptor

Had 1965 220SEb, 1967 230S, 280SE 4.5, 300SE (W126), 420SEL

ENTER > = (HP RPN)

Not part of the in-crowd since 1952.
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  #5  
Old 11-26-2004, 08:36 AM
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Hello,
You are better off with the 6.3. This is a complicated engine that will probably make you drive off a cliff if you ever need to get into it.
IIRC, the distributor cap is something like US$400
The M 100 V-8 will be much more reliable and is a conventional engine, iron block, alloy heads with ballstud rockers.
The M 189 six is an all alloy unit in this version with shrink fitted dry liners AND a 45 degrees angle at the headgasket joint plane, a strange screw/locknut rocker arrangement and a waterpump that you may not be able to find for the first week of ownership
Stick with a 280SE 4.5 if you are in the US, it is a bombproof lump that will run to a million miles and NO air springs.
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  #6  
Old 11-26-2004, 09:09 AM
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My info lists '67 as the last year for the M189, aluminum six, based on the '50s 300 engine design. Acording to that, by '68, the M130 2.8 replaced the 300SE six as well as the 250SE (now rebadged 280SE) But check the VIN and engine as some of these cars have been titled with the wrong year.

Happy Motoring, Mark
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  #7  
Old 11-26-2004, 01:38 PM
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According to my records a 109.015 VIN is a 189.988 engine, and a 109.016 is a 130.981.
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  #8  
Old 11-26-2004, 03:13 PM
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The seller says it is an M130 6 cylinder motor.
129,000 miles.
Engine is M130.981. But in the description he says it is a 3.0L engine.

Chassis is W109.016
Is this ok?
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  #9  
Old 11-26-2004, 03:45 PM
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It's the iron-block 2.8 six. Should be a much easier proposition for parts and repairs than the M189 3.0 six or the 6.3 V8. All the other data looks right.

Happy Motoring, Mark
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  #10  
Old 11-26-2004, 04:00 PM
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How do I do a vin number check if the car was built before 1981 carfax cant do it?
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  #11  
Old 11-26-2004, 10:50 PM
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Mark is probably right. The easiest way to tell is to look at the cam cover on the passenger side. If it's straingt, it's an M189. If it's wavy, with the injectors in the 'trough' of the wave, it's an M130, and that's a good thing.
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Warren

Currently 1965 220Sb, 2002 FORD Crown Vic Police Interceptor

Had 1965 220SEb, 1967 230S, 280SE 4.5, 300SE (W126), 420SEL

ENTER > = (HP RPN)

Not part of the in-crowd since 1952.
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  #12  
Old 11-28-2004, 04:20 AM
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Quote:
The seller says it is an M130 6 cylinder motor.
129,000 miles.
Engine is M130.981. But in the description he says it is a 3.0L engine.
Chassis is W109.016
Is this ok?
That is the engine of choice for a 60s Mercedes, IIRC also used in the 280SL, you see the *plain jane* w108 280SE had a 160bhp M130E, but the 300SEL had the 170bhp M130E as fitted in the 280SL.
I believe Mark is correct as the BIG changes came for the 1968 model year, hence all were known as the /8s, but nowadays the /8 is used for the W114/115 cars.
With this car, you still have air springs, a nice interior with lots of wood finish but a less expensive drivetrain to worry about.
I wonder if it has the 105 liter fuel tank from the V-8s?
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  #13  
Old 11-28-2004, 07:42 AM
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btw, there were two 109.016's. One with the M189 and one with the M130.
If you want a rocket, buy the M100. If you want a nice car that's easy to maintain, get the M130 varient. If you want a slightly easier to maintain rocket, get a 300sel 3.5 or 300sel 4.5.

The common headache to all five cars is rust & air suspension. The M189 & M100 are stunningly unique engines. I personally don't think the M189 is worth it. There are others who feel just the opposite. The M189 put out 150HP and did lots of nasty things to get there. In constrast, the M110E is also a straight 6, with the D-jet version delivering 150HP and it's a 10x simpler to deal with. The difference is 20 years of motor evolution. The M189 is a 50s throw-back. It's direct decendent of the 300sl & 300 adenaur motors.

-CTH

PS. I have been looking for the power steering / suspension pump and associated plumbing from a 300sel 2.8 car. Somebody found one in a TX pick & pull earlier this year, but the parts never made it this way. If anybody else can find me one, it will let me finally replace an M189 with an M110E using pure benz parts.
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  #14  
Old 11-28-2004, 02:41 PM
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Just a silly question, does that aluminum six have direct injection or manifold injection?

Peter
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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!
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  #15  
Old 11-28-2004, 03:49 PM
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I'm believe the only direct injection version was in the 300SL.

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