How much to repair a broke diesel

[dpetryk]

I can get a 85 300sdl turbo diesel for about $2k.

The owner said that the timing chain broke and it trashed the engine. WHat is the typical failure of these engines? Is it normal for the chains to break? It sounds like the same problem the 116 and 117 engines have.

Generally speaking is it worth considering repair of the engine? And how much to do so?

You should figure $2000-4000 for repairs. New timing chain, valves, and camshaft at the least. Worst case is $4000-5000 for a complete engine rebuild. Timing chains don't fail often unless the engine is neglected.

I can see you don't know much about the diesel's. Your best bet is to skip the car altogether and find a good, running one.

There is no 85 SDL or 117, BTW.

[dpetryk]

Thanks for the info. You are right I don't know much about diesels. The engines I was refering to were the gasoline 4.2 & 5.6 liter engines M116 & M117. I own several of them. They also break timing chains and trash valves & cams.

It sounds like a lot of problems. I was hoping that the diesel's were not an interference engine and that the owner thought it was really damaged bad when it might have not been. But I dont want to tear into a bad engine. Especially one I am not familiar with.

Thanks again.

Originally Posted by dpetryk

...The engines I was refering to were the gasoline 4.2 & 5.6 liter engines M116 & M117....
I was hoping that the diesel's were not an interference engine...

Ah, I thought you were referring to the W116 300SD.

The diesels have a very high 21:1 compression ratio. They are very much an interference design. A broken timing chain will let the pistons hit the valves and (most of the time) break the camshaft and/or towers. It's very rare to get a broken timing chain in the diesels where a new chain is all that's needed.

[kip Foss]

If the body,etc. is good and you could get it for $1,200 or so it might be worth looking for a used engine. The current owner probably knows the cost of an engine rebuuild so you might discuss it with him before starting with an $800 offer. Let his run you up to $1,000 and then dig in your heels. Remind him that even though his car is very nice it will require a lot of money to get it on the road and overall these cars are just not worth more than about $2k in the best of condition. A little sob in the right place might help.

[TheDon]

Originally Posted by kip Foss

Let his run you up to $1,000 and then dig in your heels. Remind him that even though his car is very nice it will require a lot of money to get it on the road and overall these cars are just not worth more

oh yea especially if its a 603 we're talking

[t walgamuth]

the 85 will be a 617.

the vac pumps sometimes fail and the part jams the timing chain and breaks it.

i had this happen to my 82 300td. damage was as described above. i went ahead and did the bottom end while at it. today i might not do that. the bottom ends are very robust and there was a good chance i wasted a couple or so thousand doing it.

so the vac pump if not replaced can damage a well maintianed engine.

i have not heard of breaking a cam chain any other way i dont think on a 617.

tom w

Originally Posted by t walgamuth;1298524t

he 85 will be a 617.

the vac pumps sometimes fail and the part jams the timing chain and breaks it.

This is the thread on my 617 vacuum pump saga:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=151324

[Hatterasguy]

What year is it? There is no such thing as a 1985 300SDL. Its either a 1985 300SD with a 617, or a 1986 300SDL with a 603. Different animals.

Lets for now assume its a 603. The vac pump probably let go, I'd certainly pull the head and see what is going on. For a proper fix figure a long block to the tune of about $6k-$7k. Used engines with a million miles on them can be found with a lot of searching for $1k-$2k.

I would only repower an SDL if the car was real cherry, it would have to be a real show car to be worth the money. Or like your dads favorite car before he died or something like that. I would also never consider installing a used engine but thats just me. Remain or new long block is the only way I would consider going.

[bgkast]

If you do a lot of searching I don't see any reason to not use a used engine. When re-powering my 240D with a 617 turbo I looked at several motors, and eventually found one with 150k or so on it. It runs with no blow by, does not use any oil, and seems to have had a tune up before it was sent to the junk yard. Buying a used engine is just like buying a used car...you just have to know what to look for.

[dpetryk]

Just to clear up a few things; it is an 86 126 chassis. Here is the original add;

The timing chain broke on this beautiful babied 86 white 300 SDL Mercedes.
It is a great looking car that just needs a new engine.
It has navy blue leather interior. Sunroof.
Special alloy wheels that could look very sharp.
Good tires, one new. Clean beautiful project car.
Recent $2000 a/c work. It breaks my heart to do this
but I don't have the skill or money.

He wants $2k for it. I have not looked at it to see the shape of the car.
I am not interested if it needs major engine work.

[Hatterasguy]

No that engine won't need major engine work, you will simply be pulling it.

The bottom end may not be trashed, you won't know until you get the head off, and probably the front cover as well.

How many miles?

[brer]

called Motorworks. Alot of diesel benz and Porsche 911/356 work happening there. Found them by chance, and judging by the porsche heads stacked up i'm guessing they might do decent work.

quoted me 3800 (+/-) to rebuild my 300D longblock. Head incl., plus setting up the injection pump.

just thought i'd share.

b.

[dieseldiehard]

Originally Posted by brer

called Motorworks. Alot of diesel benz and Porsche 911/356 work happening there. Found them by chance, and judging by the porsche heads stacked up i'm guessing they might do decent work.

quoted me 3800 (+/-) to rebuild my 300D longblock. Head incl., plus setting up the injection pump.

just thought i'd share.

b.

OK, thanks but what does that have to do with the dead 603 engine in Houston?

[brer]

Now that I see its a 603 I guess its doesn't mean anything to him.
It may mean something to someone else.

I guess reading the number 617 over and over made me think it was a 617.