Quote:
Originally Posted by TimFreeh
Yep.
I'm constantly amazed at the praise heaped on the OM61X series of engines I hear on this site. Having owned at least 5 examples of the OM61X series over the better part of two decades I'm mystified at the descriptions of toughness and reliability I seem to hear on a semi-weekly basis. I've done full-rebuilds on two OM616 engines I've owned, both had less than 200K miles on them and the failure mode was identical, cylinders bores were 4-6X out spec for taper in the last half inch of bore travel. Both engines ran OK but wouldn't start at temps lower than about 20F and used a quart of oil every 700 miles. I've also had an OM615 develop a cracked cylinder head back in the early 80's - and remember this was a cast-iron head. Maybe I just got unlucky but I can say I don't have warm-and-fuzzy memories of my times in the OM61X. Oil leaks, valve adjustments, ALDA adjustments, glow plug replacements, drip timing, injector shimming, nozzle replacements seemed to be the norm.
By contrast I've never even had the cylinder head of any post OM602 series engines I've had in service - and the all have used zero oil and start at temps where my OM61X's wouldn't have a chance. They are smoother, more powerful and more refined. Don't know if they would start on the first compression stroke after sitting in a field for a decade but I suspect they would - have no reason to think the wouldn't.
Now that I think about it I realize I've got quite a few OM61X service tools in my shop. I've got a pre-chamber puller, drip overflow tube, and one of those a-b timing lights. Anybody that wants them please PM me with an offer because I'm pretty sure I'll never again own an OM61X engine!!!!
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Do you think neglect caused the dead motors by 200k? Oil was also junk in the 70s and 80s. Domestics lived no where near as long. Maybe that is why late 617s and 60X seem to have more miles due to better lubrication and more modern chassis/HVAC?
I bought my SD just after 200k...with a working odo. 207k area, it now has about 247k as I recall. It starts in low 20s without a block heater, though I prefer to not start it like that as I like heat.
No noticeable oil consumption, just a touch of loss due to a lean on 5k OCIs. Put 22k on it in one year a while back.
Quote:
Originally Posted by w123fanman
Fortunately on the OM602 it's the same glow plugs as the OM617. Issue is that the intake manifold is in the way. I believe you can change them with the intake manifold in place, you just don't have much space. That may not be true on the turbo.
I would like to say in the defense of most Mercedes engines in general is that they are fairly durable. The M103 has its issues but I have seen many examples with over 400K miles. Same for the V8s and most other gas engines. The CIS system I believe is very reliable, it's just difficult to get it functioning 100% perfect if it has been neglected. 190Es are very popular for 24 hours of Lemons and other similar events because they are cheap and hold up well in endurance races.
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603 GPs on my SDL at least, are not too bad. The rear four are simple... just pull the cruise servo and access is simple. I think No 2 is the big pain in the ass...seem to recall going through the IP lines to R&R it. I have not done them in years. I did a set on a 603 powered 300D once, I think I removed that washer tank then the cruise servo. Been around 10 years at least now.
I have put over 100k on one of my M103s, from about 200k to just over 300k currently. Did a valve job around 265k and the crosshatching was beautiful. Compression test a few thousand miles after yielded 160-170psi on all six cylinders, great numbers for a 9:1 static motor.
CIS-E hates me on the 560. I cannot get the thing to start properly to save my life. Once running, car is fine.
