I'm now seriously considering a OM606 non-turbo 3 Litre wagon and was wandering what the 'driveability' is like with this engine. I'm used to peppy small displacement turbocharged 4-bangers.

Any known problems? Do they blow head-gaskets like the 6-cyl gassers etc?

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1993 320TE M104
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past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
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"music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business" -Pepys

They are a very good engine and not to bad to fix. Get a turbo if you can the extra power is nice, also their is more room in the engine bay with a turbo believe it or not.

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2016 Corvette Stingray 2LT
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

unfortunately there was no turbo 606 in the uk in the 124 chassis i'm looking at, due to the right-hand drive. I don't like/can't afford(!) any of the models post 124.
I guess i'll just have to test drive one and see how it is.

__________________
1993 320TE M104
---------------------------------------------------
past:

1983 230E W123 M102
1994 E300D S124 OM606 (x2)
1967 250SE W108 M129
1972 280se 3.5 W108 M116
1980 280SE W116 M110
1980 350SE W116 M116
1992 300E W124 M103
1994 E280 W124 M104
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"music and women I cannot but give way to, whatever my business" -Pepys

Hi, we got a 1995 E300D non turbo OM606, 166000Km on it. We are the second owner and looking back at all the records there was drivetrain problems at all. The car had little stuff like bad sunroof switch and burned out bulbs. Ohh, and I think the oil sender unit was replaced.

On the other hand if you need new glow plugs, the intake manifold has to be removed. Just before we bought the car, the previous owner installed new glow plugs at 158000km, it cost him $1200 canadian. Other than that it seems like they are durable engines. I know of some mercedesshop fellows that have some high km on the engine. One member, which unfortunately I forgot his screenname has about 500,000 km on the OM606!

I’m not sure how one defines “good”, but I’d have to say that with 338,000 miles on her, mine is still amazingly “good”. Recently did the head gasket & valves; you could still see the factory honing marks in the bores. This engine only had minimal servicing by the PO including oil changes at 7,500-mile intervals. (Per factory recommendations – ugh.) It was primarily all freeway mileage that accumulated on the car however.

If you like your small displacement turbo four-bangers, then you will find similarity to this engines’ driving characteristics, at least as far as you can compare a diesel to a gas burner. Not a lot of low-end torque. It likes to rev (again, it’s relative – it likes to rev compared to other diesels) in order to make power. Where my 617 has more low & midrange torque, that engine runs out of breath where this one starts opening up it’s lungs. It just loves to dive for 5000 RPM’s all day long. And talk about smoooooth… Yes, it’s a sweet engine. And if it’s attached to a 124, it’s a sweeeet package.

The only thing better would be to find a wrecked 98 or 99 E300D & Frankenstein the turbo engine & trans into my 124 – now that would be fun! (Provided I could eliminate all the OBD-2 garbage from it, that is...)

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Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.

I like the OM606 motor. I think it was one of the first 4 valve per cylinder diesel engines. The motor revvs nicely to around 5,000 rpms and sounds great. Good power and torque. Good mileage. I have 137K miles on my car, bought it with 85K miles...put 50K miles on it in 2 1/2 years.