What is this seller smoking? - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

renaissanceman · #1 08-12-2015, 01:52 PM

Namely, he claims the European OM603 engines don't have aluminum heads.

1985 Euro Merecedes Diesel

dude99 · #2 08-12-2015, 02:42 PM

Not to mention he's getting his valves adjusted.... which isn't possible on a 603 since they have hydraulic lifters....

Quote:

a little white smoke at first thing in the morning accompanied by a slightly more reluctant crank

sounds like it has a cracked head......

Although I don't see where it says it doesn't have an aluminum head, he just says that they don't suffer the same cracking porblems as the turbo models, which is true

BillGrissom · #3 08-12-2015, 02:45 PM

Re-read the ad. The seller said only that this Euro 603 engine didn't have the problem of the then-new aluminum head failing, as he says was common in U.S. cars. He did not say it has a cast-iron head. The ad sounds honest and the price reasonable, particularly to those who adore true Euro stuff.

I know nothing of these cars or engines. Is it a 1974 chassis with a much later engine (1986+ in U.S.)? I count 5 intake runners, whereas I understand OM603's are 6 cyl. The U.S. intake (w/ turbo) is much different, looping over the valve cover, which makes access problematic. The car body sure looks much newer than 1974. Kind of like a W123 w/ more modern headlamps and sloped grill, plus less clunky bumpers.

vstech · #4 08-12-2015, 02:50 PM

there are several mistakes in your ad...

please go to peachparts dot com there is a diesel discussion about all things mercedes diesel and you can learn a LOT about these cars.

first off, you have a 5 cylinder motor, not a 6 it is the OM602 so your car should be the 250D, NOT the 300D... so the car is likely a bit sluggish on the highway onramps.

second, you have several years listed, I'm guessing you just typo stated it's a 1974... because in the description, you list it as an 85. either way, I can proof and repair your listing for you if you like.
also... the valves are hydraulic, so they never need adjustment.

1985 Euro Merecedes Diesel

KarTek · #5 08-12-2015, 02:52 PM

That looks an awful lot like a 190 with an OM602 non-turbo...

vstech · #6 08-12-2015, 02:56 PM

***At this price until Fri 8/14 when I have valve adjustment scheduled at Alex's Garage, at which point the price will increase to $1250***

Here we have a 1974 Euro-import w124 Mercedes-Benz 300D. Equipped with what was considered one of the technologically-advanced naturally-aspirated diesels of its time and a transmission geared for Autobahn cruising, these vehicles typically achieve between 35-37 Should be around 28-32mpg... mpg in a good state of tune. This example is a classic barn find. It was parked in 1999 after being totaled due to a car stereo theft and previous damage to the right front fender with just over 138,000 miles on the odometer. Its previous owner started it right up after 16 years, with the ORIGINAL DIESEL. I dumped a generous amount of Stanadyne fuel treatment in the tank before I cranked it up and immediately put new fuel in as soon as possible. Since then, it has ran nearly without a hiccup. The only problem that has presented itself is a little white smoke at first thing in the morning accompanied by a slightly more reluctant crank. It is almost certainly as a result of the valve stem seals having deteriorated slightly during the car's term in the barn.or the timing chain worn causing retarded timing... and likely needs injectors.

The oil has been changed likely due to it sitting for 10 years and was dry, or extra thick! and the rear differential serviced within the last 300 miles. The transmission should be serviced. Eddie down at Alex's Garage quoted me around $160. I will attend to this soon. As noted at the top of this ad, I have steadily been working out all the kinks in this drivetrain. I have scheduled a valve adjustment for Friday the 14th. This is a 15,000 mile service essential to the continued long life and performance of this engine. Even without the valve adjustment, the car runs remarkably well. It is by no means a rocket, but especially north of 45 mph, it really gets up and goes. I've taken it from Woodburn to Springfield, and I've completed an 85 mile round trip averaging around 75 mph with zero problems and a lot of room to go faster.

Now for the thing about it. The thing about it is, without some major work, this is not a "nice" car. There is a long list of things that ought to be corrected. If no one buys this, I'm going to swap the whole drivetrain into a different Mercedes eventually. Thanks to the mechanical and electrical simplicity of this car and the easy availability of this chassis (this is the most popular Mercedes ever sold), finding the other half of this project is no problem.

I would recommend either going that route, or driving this car into the ground. Good luck with that. The running gear will fall apart well before the engine uses up the 200,000 miles it has left in it. Unlike the US version of this engine sold in the 300TD, this car is both naturally aspirated and unburdened by the emissions equipment that caused almost universal failure of the federal model. The US turbo suffered from two inter-related problems. The first was the eventual disintegration of a piece of US-only emissions equipment which would send chunks of metal flying through the turbo and instantly destroy the engine. The second with an issue with the technologically-advanced cast aluminum heads failing at high engine temps (a condition precipitated by the turbocharger and the restrictive emissions equipment).

This extremely rare Euro drivetrain suffers from neither of these issues. In Europe, where it continues to see regular service in taxi cabs after 30 years, thi engines and transmissions regularly soar over the 300,000 mile mark, sometimes hitting a half-million and beyond. Though not the plodding workhorse that its predecessor the indomitable om617 is, the om603 in this naturally aspirated guise is a technologically-sophisticated, agile, smart diesel. It eagerly pushes up to its 4600 108 horsepower peak um... what?, riding a crest of torque that plateaus at a motivating 185 lb/ft. No drag-racer, this is a highway car, easily able to drop gears and pass at speeds exceeding the legal limit, at least here in the states. After all, in Germany it's perfectly fine to cruise at 85.

$1000 firm. Lost Title; have bills of sale (It's a story). Trades considered and encouraged: any smallish-displacement German or Japanese diesel in good running order. It doesn't have to be pretty.

Get it while the getting is good.

vstech · #7 08-12-2015, 03:00 PM

where is this located? I might want to swap my jetta diesel for it. I like that style hubcap!

ugh... oregon... couldn't be much further from me in the continental us...

mannys9130 · #8 08-12-2015, 05:15 PM

Wow...

I'm flabbergasted. What an ignoramus. I bet he's the kind of person who insists that he's right no matter what.

vtmbz · #9 08-12-2015, 05:36 PM

This is how hipsters talk/think: lots of adjectives but short on facts. No doubt the seller was chillin in his local caffinatorium whilst composing this rubbish.

The vin does seem to say wdb124... While a 190 would be wdb201 so I'm left wondering. Plainly euro with steel wheels maybe cloth interior (what a shame--imagine how this guy would describe mbtex!) and crank windows. But the vin looks pop riveted and Is it in the right location? (It's a story)...I bet it is.

vstech · #10 08-12-2015, 07:03 PM

Pop riveted is correct gray market import. It's been federalized, so egr is on it somewhere. .. and the odometer cluster was changed to miles at the time of import... so mileage could be higher.

Dr. Sternschnuppe · #11 08-13-2015, 10:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

first off, you have a 5 cylinder motor, not a 6 it is the OM602 so your car should be the 250D, NOT the 300D

This is 300 D (124.130) with 2.5 L (OM602) engine.

dude99 · #12 08-13-2015, 10:32 AM

The 124.130 was sold with a 3.0L 603 engine Technical data for Mercedes 124 Sedan, Coupe, Estate: 124.130 (300D)

Dr. Sternschnuppe · #13 08-13-2015, 10:41 AM

WDB1241301A032817
300 D
Engine No: 603912 12 001386
Transmission No: 722415 02 206899
Paint: 040 - black
Interior: 271 - leather black
Dealer: 577 - Spain
Lights: Bosch
S.A. codes:
222 - right front seat, electr. adj.
241 - left front seat, electr. adj. with memory
412 - electr. sliding roof, with tilting device
420 - automatic transmission
430 - headrests at the rear, left & right
440 - Tempomat
504 - outside rear view mirror on the right, electr. adj.
532 - automatic antenna w/o radio set
570 - front folding armrest
588 - air cond. and electr. window lifters
593 - green heat-insulating glass all round, rear single-sheet safety glass, windshield with tinted strip
612 - headlamps bulb with clear lenses and fog-lamps bulb with amber ones
812 - rear-mounted loudspeakers
913 - additional parts for vehicles for Spain

¡Hola!

Dr. Sternschnuppe · #14 08-13-2015, 10:46 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dude99

The 124.130 was sold with a 3.0L 603 engine Technical data for Mercedes 124 Sedan, Coupe, Estate: 124.130 (300D)

Yes, it was.

And this ^^^ 300 D has got non-original Motor.