I have a 79 300cd. I suspect the engine is not original,1 It has a transmission vaccume valve mounted on the IP (not hooked to anything) but my transmission doesnt have a modulator valve. 2 it takes the pencil type glow plugs. This makes me think that it must have a newer then 79 engine,but it does not have an egr valve! can anyone tell me what year this engine is by these numbers?or point me somewhere to look them up? 617 912 12 105 499
P.s this is the BEST website ever! I have learned more here in 3 hrs then in 3 weeks searching the other mercedes sites!

That would be a 617.912- it is the right engine for your car. The 300D and 300CD had it through 1981, I believe, and the TD through 1980.

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Andrew

1989 Volvo 745- 202K

Could be the transmission is not OE.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

Could also just have had an Injection pump from a different engine that utilized the VCV on the IP.

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Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John

Pencil glow plugs did not come out until the 1980 model year, and I think the early 1980 models still had the loop style. The early transmissions did not use the vacuum valve, but mechanical linkages. Not sure when exactly they went to vacuum. The 617 912 12 ###### is correct for a W123 non-turbo car with an automatic transmission (12) from 1977 to 1981, but the 105499 sounds like a 1980 or 1981 engine. Probably a California engine given the EGR valve. I suspect you're right about the engine being changed.

I've got a 79SD with an OE engine and pencil plugs (not the retrofitted pencil plugs). It also has vacuum control to transmission.

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1977 300d 70k--sold 08
1985 300TD 185k+
1984 307d 126k--sold 8/03
1985 409d 65k--sold 06
1984 300SD 315k--daughter's car
1979 300SD 122k--sold 2/11
1999 Fuso FG Expedition Camper
1993 GMC Sierra 6.5 TD 4x4
1982 Bluebird Wanderlodge CAT 3208--Sold 2/13

correct, 1979 300SD's had the newer pencil type plugs, possibly 78's did too but i havent seen one to confirm this, could be that just the turbo models had this and the non turbos had the loop. by 1980, they were all pencil.

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1980 500SE/AMG Euro
1981 500SEL Euro
1982 380SEL
1983 300TD
1983 500SEC/AMG Euro
1984 500SEC
1984 300TD Euro
1986 190E 2.3-16
1986 190E 2.3
1987 300D
1997 C36 AMG
2003 C320T 4matic

past: 1969 280SE 4.5 | 1978 240D | 1978 300D | 1981 300SD | 1981 300SD | 1982 300CD | 1983 300CD | 1983 300SD | 1983 380SEC | 1984 300D | 1984 300D | 1984 300TD | 1984 500SEL | 1984 300SD | 1985 300D | 1986 300E | 1986 560SEL | 1986 560SEL/Carat | 1987 560SEC | 1991 300D 2.5 | 2006 R350

johnhef,

I have a '78 300SD. It has the pencil GP. I think all the 300SD engines (which strarted in 1978) have pencil GP.

P E H

For clarification, I was referring to the OM617.912 engine which dieselfumes has. The 300SD had the OM617.950 and 951 engines which very well could have had the new style glow plugs and vacuum controls earlier, as they were the top of the line diesels.

I have a '78, '79 and '80 300SD and they all have parallel (pencil) GP and the vacuum valve on the IP that controls the vacuum to the transmission.

P E H

yes, we have established that the SD 116 and 126 Mercedes diesels all came with Parallel pencil plugs. this question is about a NON TURBO 123 300 D
in 79 it should NOT have come with Pencil plugs. in 80 it would have had pencils, if it was a late build.

OP, I bet either the head or the entire motor was swapped from a newer car. enjoy it.

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
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My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!