What should I do... 300SD or SDL
 

Hey Guys,

If you read my other thread about the demise of Bruno my 300SD, you now that he died last week with a seized engine. I have not brought him to a mechanic yet so I do not know if he can be revived (If you missed that saga, He was running with good oil pressure and at 80 degrees when something went clunk and the engine stopped. I am hoping it is thechain that drives the oil pump and nothing else)

If I cannot keep Bruno on the road without dropping a new engine I will be selling him for parts.

What should I buy to replace him? I love the W126 and want to stay in that family. Should I go with another 617 engine and the simplicity it brings or should I upgrade to a 300SDL and get the 603 engine and all the advances like ABS that are built into the newer car? I am assuming that any 603 I get has had the head replaced...

What you you do in my situation?

Thanks!!

Don't assume that heads would have been replaced. I still have original on my 86, thats never been overheated as far as I know. It even still has the trap ox sorta, since it was a Calif model when bought.

I meant that any 603 I looked at would not have the #14 heads.

If I look at a car with the original head, how can I tell if it has overheated? Will they all crack and put oil into the coolant?

I am not familiar with any MB diesel except the 617.95x turbo diesels

Shameless PM sent
 

PM sent. I love my SD and my SDLs for different reasons. The SD is much simpler overall and mine runs like a scalded cat now that I have a new tranny installed and all the pressures and vacuum worked out.

That 603 motor seems to be more finicky, but is much smoother, much more quiet and more powerful when in proper tune.

I've read here more than a few times about the additional length of the SDL and city driving/parking, but never have had an issue with it.


I reckon, assuming you get a good example, you can't go wrong either way.

No. My '86 has 300,000 plus miles with no cracks/coolant loss.

Having parked a Suburban in NYC I am not afraid of the length of the SDL. I love my SD and would drop another engine in it but that would make three (original was going bad when I bought the car) and the body would still have rust issues.

How do you find the extra gadgets on the SDL? Do they work or do they take away from the tank-like reliability of a Benz?

What kind of mileage do you get on a 603? I have heard they they get better mileage than the 617 even with the extra weight of the car.

They are both excellent cars, the 300SD is by far the better around town car.

So what if it has a 14 head? Most of the 603's out their probably have the original head. Don't do something stupid like neglect the cooling system and overheat it.

I don't know what "gadgets" you are refering to they are pretty much the same car...oh wait the SDL has tilt on the sunroof and memory seats...not what I would call a complex car. These days the W126 is about as complicated as your average garden tractor.

Hatty, how could you forget that tilting rear seat?

Hmm, don't tell me you haven't pulled any bettys and broken in that rear seat, my friend.

That's a deal-breaker for me, right there.

'Bout the same between the cars

Never really worry too much about mileage. Fill 'em up with dino, b-20, b-50 or b-100 whenever they need. Although it feels like the 603s are less thirsty.

My SDL doesn't have that option, a lot of them don't.

I'd love to find one with the 4 place seating option, so rare.

Changing the 617 for a 603 is no upgrade in my book.

The 603 is a little more powerful and a little smoother but the fuel economy is about the same really.

The 617 is as bullet proof as you can find excepting the 616 and 617 non turbo motors.

Tom W

Well I guess the 617 isn't so bullet proof since his commited sepuku, I'd call eating the oil pump chain and blowing up a pretty big failure.:D

You should drive every SD and SDL for sale in your area before deciding... to get a W140 :)

Seriously, do a side-by-side comparison. I expect it will be more a matter of the condition of what's available when you need a car rather than simply the difference between an SD and SDL.

Sixto
87 300D

If the rest of the vehicle aside from the engine in your '81 is in good shape....I'd swap engines. Why buy a whole new vehicle with a bunch of potential problems throughout the car when you know the condition of the one you have and could just drop in a new engine? Now, if the '81 is rusty or not in great shape, thats different. But I'd not part a good W126 body.....

X2, just buy a late model W140 and be done with it.:D