Quote:
Originally Posted by Zeus
Hey, I'm not bagging on it at all, it's a fantastic engine! My 300E went to 333,000 Km all original - zero work done on the engine. Just saying it is a tad underpowered for the chassis is all. Just MHO, not fact. I thought it was a decently peppy engine until I got the E430, which changed the entire picture. Part of the issue I think is also that 4-speed tranny. It's hard to find a sweet spot and it has a mind of its own in terms of shifting. I got tired of either slamming it off the mark to force a 1st gear start, or using the shift down and back up method at stop to get the 1st gear start. That obviously makes a big difference, but I do remember times when I hit the gas hard (like passing on a hill, etc.) and I didn't get as much power as I'd hoped for.
The diesel vs. gas is a good point as well.
I guess all I am trying to say (in a long winded way) is that perhaps there is not as much wrong with the engine, but rather it is not delivering as per tbomachines' expectations in this case?
Yours sounds rebuilt and I'm guessing that would make a significant difference compared to a higher-mileage specimen.
I've driven an M103 300E, a M104 300E and a M104 E320 and in all cases the M104 pulled significantly harder than my M103 ever did. Nothing scientific, just seat of the pants observation. Significant differences in the two.
The M103 however, has been touted as being one of the toughest I6's around. Just check out the Performance board on this forum and see what those guys are doing with them and turbos...500HP+!  
That would solve the little hill problem.  |
Indeed. It just seems most people resign themselves to the fact that the stock M103 is never going to be fast. The transmission on mine is also quick, snappy and changes gear at the right times. If you learn the shift points (and double kickdown points) and drive accordingly, you can make the 300E look damn impressive. Mine just had a "proper" head job done, nothing too fancy. The compression on my motor is a little higher due to the fact I had the head skimmed by the machine shop the smallest bit. I looked a good ten or so 300's before choosing mine. It doesn't take much neglect over the course of just one owner.....to turn these cars into granny shifting pigs that can barely get out of their own way......
In its day the 300E was a FAST 4 door sedan. I mean the non-turbo 944 was almost a full second slower 0-60. It is not FAST by today's standards, more like QUICK.....As you said, or someone else; minivan's can now crank out sub 8 second 0-60's. But it's all in how you get there. And how reliably you can get there well past 200K.
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I also picked up a 95 540i just recently, now that would definitely smoke the W124 for breakfast and lunch....probably similar performance to your E430. V8 sedans are a whole different animal.Boy that thing is FUN on the highway.
.......I just prefer the silky smooth high revving I6.
Sorry for the threadjack BTW.