I am considering buying this OM603 engine to upgrade my wife's W124 300D and would like your advise to determine if it may be one of the "rod benders"?
Engine number - 603 970 12 00 422
What build years were the "Rod Bender" 350SDs?
I am interested in buying this engine but do not want to spend the money on a lemon.

Thanks,
Tony

You would get more, and better information if you posted this on the diesel forum.

I believe that most of the rod-benders have already destroyed themselves, and been upgraded, or replaced. As to how to tell for sure about a specific S/N engine, I do not know.

__________________
1982 300SD " Wotan" ..On the road as of Jan 8, 2007 with Historic Tags

Someone please correct me if this is wrong, but I think the 970 in the engine number indicates a 3.5L engine. The 3.0L from 86-87 are designated 603.961

__________________
Joe

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1980 300SD - 495k miles - 'The Ambassador'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Former Family Members
95 C280
73 280SEL
90 300D
87 300SDL (X2)
86 560SEL
84 300D
80 300SD

YUP. Got one sitting on my garage floor. I replaced it with a 960.

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Greg
2012 S350 BlueTEC 4Matic
2007 ML 320 CDI
2007 Leisure Travel Serenity
2006 Sprinter 432k
2005 E320 CDI
1998 SLK230 (teal)
1998 SLK230 (silver)
1996 E300D 99k, 30k on WVO
Previous:
1983 240D, on WVO
1982 300D, on WVO
1983 300CD, on WVO
1986 300SDL 237k, 25k on WVO (Deerslayer)
1991 350SDL 249k, 56k on WVO - Retired to a car spa in Phoenix
1983 380 SEC w/603 diesel, 8k on WVO
1996 E300D 351k, 177k on WVO

all of them, and the later 300SD's as well... I think they dropped the .970 in 95...

__________________
John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

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!

.970 means it IS a 3.4 litre 350 "rod bender" engine. They weren't all bad, but too risky in my book.

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Chief

1991 350SD

It's .971 in US 140s. No better than .970s. That said, I've only heard of rods bending in the US. Has anyone heard of a Euro or in this case Aussie rod bender?

Sixto
87 300D^2

Hey Tony,
Rod bending is not an issue in Australia unless you plan on running it on heating oil or some other c##p. Our diesel is much higher quality than the US stuff.
They use a 5 cylinder version in the Musso. I think one of the Vitos also has the 5 cyl version. I didnt know the 3.5 made it to Australia in the w140. Is it an import that you are looking at?

__________________
Grumpy Old Diesel Owners Club group

I no longer question authority, I annoy authority. More effect, less effort....

1967 230-6 auto parts car. rust bucket.
1980 300D now parts car 800k miles
1984 300D 500k miles
1987 250td 160k miles English import
2001 jeep turbo diesel 130k miles
1998 jeep tdi ~ followed me home. Needs a turbo.
1968 Ford F750 truck. 6-354 diesel conversion.
Other toys ~J.D.,Cat & GM ~ mainly earth moving

Later versions of the 350 have improved connecting rods that don't bend. I rebuilt mine with the updated rods before any bending occurred.

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1991 350SD (updated rods)
Biodiesel B100 when I can find it.
Dino when really cold outside