Craigslist alert thread:

[wwii]

Mine

Atascadero, Ca

https://slo.craigslist.org/cto/d/atascadero-1992-mercedes-300sd/7440457067.html

[cmac2012]

It’s tempting, can’t do it right now.

How did the OM603 get in there? I was thinking it was a 350SD. Maybe I’m slipping, but it looks like a W126.

[wwii]

Originally Posted by cmac2012

It’s tempting, can’t do it right now.

How did the OM603 get in there? I was thinking it was a 350SD.

Original. The number on the engine matches the number on the EPC Datacard for the VIN.

[fonzi]

Originally Posted by wwii

Mine

Atascadero, Ca

https://slo.craigslist.org/cto/d/atascadero-1992-mercedes-300sd/7440457067.html

When did smoke and oil consumption start?

[wwii]

Originally Posted by fonzi

When did smoke and oil consumption start?

From a graph of my logs it looks like the consumption rate changed around 207k. Running smoke was noticeable around 214k and got progressively worse... Coworkers started commenting around then. Smoke seemed to be the worse when started after it had sat for while. Last couple of times starting it to go home after work there was a huge cloud.

It was my dd and I was averaging 300 mi a week. When I bought it at 145k consumption was a steady quart per 1000 miles which seemed OK from all I read in this forum.

I had good intentions of at least doing a compression or leak down but something always intervened with my free time.. lots of family health issues.

[wwii]

Originally Posted by wwii

Mine

Atascadero, Ca

https://slo.craigslist.org/cto/d/atascadero-1992-mercedes-300sd/7440457067.html

Any comments on my price? My wife thinks it's way too low. I priced it to sell but with that engine and the oil consumption I figured it was fair.

[vwnate1]

Someone will hopefully buy and save it .

I see nice ones in the junkyards with no physical damage constantly .

[fonzi]

I think finding a good 3.5 motor is the only issue. I think I recall Someone swapping a 3.0 into a 350sdl w126 for a straight swap. I don’t know if that would be more work for the notable downgrade on a w140. There might be better motors to install but that complicates things. So it’s priced to get the attention IMO. Finding the taker for the project might be harder. You can always offer for your wife to try and handle the sale.

[wwii]

Originally Posted by fonzi

.. You can always offer for your wife to try and handle the sale.

That's what I was thinking.

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by wwii

Any comments on my price? My wife thinks it's way too low. I priced it to sell but with that engine and the oil consumption I figured it was fair.

The w140 is a pretty complex car that takes more skill and work to diagnose and fix. Parts are different than more traditional designs. I am working through one now so I’m experiencing the differences.

There are more things that go wrong, and it’s really hard to understand what works and doesn’t on your car, plus the condition of the paint. The pictures don’t tell a thousand words.

Since an engine transplant will be a $3000+ ordeal, and because the oil consumption on it points to bent rods vs just a bad HG, it’s a pretty big risk. It’s not clear that the car can be made into a $4500+ car with the investment. If not, it’s not worth it.

[fonzi]

I wish there was someone near Delaware that would be interested in taking my nice interior, salvage title, 115k mile 1993 300se. I bought it for the m104 motor thinking maybe some transplant into another car would be good. Reverse was not working when I bought it, but it miraculously came back after dumping in USED transmission fluid. (New transmission fluid had never done any good before). I know I can use the wheels for other parts cars, and scrap the car for a few hundred bucks, and even pull the motor to save for some project, but when I do that, it has to go straight to the scrapper, and I generally have no time for parting out a car. Maybe some day life will calm down, but I don’t think I should count on it.

[JHZR2]

Originally Posted by fonzi

I wish there was someone near Delaware that would be interested in taking my nice interior, salvage title, 115k mile 1993 300se. I bought it for the m104 motor thinking maybe some transplant into another car would be good. Reverse was not working when I bought it, but it miraculously came back after dumping in USED transmission fluid. (New transmission fluid had never done any good before). I know I can use the wheels for other parts cars, and scrap the car for a few hundred bucks, and even pull the motor to save for some project, but when I do that, it has to go straight to the scrapper, and I generally have no time for parting out a car. Maybe some day life will calm down, but I don’t think I should count on it.

Where in Delaware, what colors? Would you consider letting someone else pull parts before scrapping if you go that route?

[wwii]

Originally Posted by JHZR2

...
Since an engine transplant will be a $3000+ ordeal, and because the oil consumption on it points to bent rods vs just a bad HG, it’s a pretty big risk. It’s not clear that the car can be made into a $4500+ car with the investment. If not, it’s not worth it.

Thnx for that, not too different than my thoughts. And, yes, there are other things that need attention other than the engine oil problem.

If I can't get a taker I'll have to think about pulling some of the parts that might have value to someone and try to sell them piecemeal.

[fonzi]

Originally Posted by JHZR2

Where in Delaware, what colors? Would you consider letting someone else pull parts before scrapping if you go that route?

Wilmington. It would have to be the “day of the scrap” which won’t be any time soon. The car is currently tucked away in a barn far away. Other fish to fry.

Here it is though: http://www.mkngarage.com/items/0mb0cars/21_1993_300se/

[Frank Reiner]

This may be of interest to those nearby:

https://modesto.craigslist.org/pts/d/modesto-r14-general-altimax-rt43/7451684190.html