But I can swap a head gasket in under 6 hours now

I would chance that it's a bad head gasket then dump it locally if it's a rod. It'll have to be really cheap for the risk. A cheap 140 with working AC is too hard to pass up.

Sixto
87 300D

I watch the clock for 10 minutes to elapse so I can continue the next phase of torquing head bolts. The tendonitis in my wrist clicks at 35Nm so I don't even need a torque wrench

Sixto
87 300D

That's moving!! I can swap one in under 6 days..........I think.

The operating words are "really cheap". As in $2.5K cheap. Then, you can't get burned. I sincerely doubt he's going down that far.

Well, this might be an opportunity. The guy is definetely in a dealing mode. What should I offer him?

BTW, I would be more than willing to just pass this on if someone else wanted it. I would like to learn the finer points of mechanical repair but this may be a bit more than I am prepared for.

This guy wants 7500 right now, but I could lob in a crazy offer of 3k?

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86 300 SDL - Vesuvius

96 SL 500

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

When I'm on the selling side I prefer an honest lowball to a song and dance. Tell him what it's worth to you without too much justification, then tell you'll be interested if he's not able to sell at his price.

I'm more of a gambler on these things than Brian. I'd take it to $4000 if it passes the turbo test and there isn't oil smoke in the exhaust.

Sixto
87 300D

So, if I do buy this car and I need an engine how much would it be to get a used one? Are they available readily?

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86 300 SDL - Vesuvius

96 SL 500

Assumption is the mother of all screw ups.

Do not go gentle into that good night. Rage, rage against the dying of the light. - Dylan Thomas

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing - Edmund Burke

$7,500 is a lot for that kind of car. Heck the car dealer down the street from me has a really nice 1996 S420 for that with about 100k miles on the clock for that.

There is no advantage to buying a diesel W140, so IMHO they are worth no more then there gas cousins.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

IMHO the gassers should outlast the diesels in this body style. The diesels should be worth less in this regard.

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

Ahhh, Sixto, I thought you were looking for a W210 diesel around the SF Bay Area.

If anyone could resurrect that W140, for sure it'd be you. The fellow who has the car would have to let it go awfully cheap, it'd have to be shipped out to you, another $700 at least for that.

It would have to be really mint and in a color you like to get it rehabbed. It sounds like a classic 350 Diesel story, the engine on that one is at the end of the road for sure.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I have the idea that given your comfort level with working on these, you would be a lot better off keeping the car you have; they are very, very excellent cars with great diesel engines, and 157k is low mileage on them.

You'd have no trouble selling it, but I'd urge you to think hard before doing so.
There is a heck of long life ahead for that car.

The only 3.5 engine worth getting would be a factory rebuilt long block and even then, there is a gamble with them. That might work, about a 50% chance, but it is still a gamble for you.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

I was hoping mowoc could push if off Denver and I'd stop it from rolling into the bay.

I'm thinking of getting a job with craigslist so I can monitor the ads as their submitted, then send them for review while I call the seller. Otherwise there's no way I'm fast enough to catch a 210 around here.

I fully agree with Hattie and DJ on the value aspect but gassers don't run on WVO and it just hurts to pay for premium in this area. Affordability aside, I just hate doing it.

Sixto
87 300D

Maybe there's a Euro trim pot or resistor mod to allow an M119 to run on regular unleaded...

Sixto
87 300D

I'd bet you could nab a good W210 in a nice color if you keep an eye out, and maybe, call up the Mercedes dealers in California and tell them you are looking, one might get traded in. That thinking led me to to Los Angeles, where a busy weekend finally got me a car from the MB dealer by Disneyland.

The Central Valley and Sacramento could work for you. All it would take is one.

But you need to move quick to nab a good one, I agree with that

If you can get around the rust problems, the spring perches are OK and no electric glitches, those cars are really roomy, luxurious, and spacious, like a spaceship compared the the W124. They are good looking too, and when I visited Europe, they were used as taxis all over the place, they were everywhere.

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

1967 Mercury Cougar, 49k

2013 Jaguar XF, 20k <----340 hp Supercharged, All Wheel Drive (sold)

Yep more so when you consider the gas engines of that vintage were just about industructable. The M119 and M104 are supurb.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200