... and after 5 603 turbos, two of them "rod benders", and a 602 turbo (early head) and several hundred-thousand miles, I have had excellent service.

The internet is a great place to get bad news and opinions, facts and praise you need to dig for.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Yep.

I'm constantly amazed at the praise heaped on the OM61X series of engines I hear on this site. Having owned at least 5 examples of the OM61X series over the better part of two decades I'm mystified at the descriptions of toughness and reliability I seem to hear on a semi-weekly basis. I've done full-rebuilds on two OM616 engines I've owned, both had less than 200K miles on them and the failure mode was identical, cylinders bores were 4-6X out spec for taper in the last half inch of bore travel. Both engines ran OK but wouldn't start at temps lower than about 20F and used a quart of oil every 700 miles. I've also had an OM615 develop a cracked cylinder head back in the early 80's - and remember this was a cast-iron head. Maybe I just got unlucky but I can say I don't have warm-and-fuzzy memories of my times in the OM61X. Oil leaks, valve adjustments, ALDA adjustments, glow plug replacements, drip timing, injector shimming, nozzle replacements seemed to be the norm.

By contrast I've never even had the cylinder head of any post OM602 series engines I've had in service - and the all have used zero oil and start at temps where my OM61X's wouldn't have a chance. They are smoother, more powerful and more refined. Don't know if they would start on the first compression stroke after sitting in a field for a decade but I suspect they would - have no reason to think the wouldn't.

Now that I think about it I realize I've got quite a few OM61X service tools in my shop. I've got a pre-chamber puller, drip overflow tube, and one of those a-b timing lights. Anybody that wants them please PM me with an offer because I'm pretty sure I'll never again own an OM61X engine!!!!

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98 Dodge-Cummins pickup (137K)
13 GLK250 (157k)
06 E320CDI (341K)
16 C300 (89K)
82 300GD Gelaendewagen (54K)

I'm fine with a couple of 617s. They always start in TN temps with just a glow or 2 with synthetic oil and a fresh battery. Nothing expensive has gone wrong with the engine.

The 24V Cummins that everyone brags about has a temperamental injection pump that eats $1,000 bills and 4 hrs install time when it goes out. It also comes surrounded by a for looks only Dodge truck that falls apart around the engine.

The Mercedes with more miles and years is much more enjoyable. Unfortunately, the Mercedes isn't a truck with straight shift & 4x4.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

I loved the simplicity of the OM616 in my 240D and have a great respect for the engineering that went into the OM617, in my wagon. I used to own an older MB camper (1973 based on the big MB delivery vans) and it only had a 616 in it, 4 speed. The thing crawled up to semi-highway speed (maxed out around 50mph and severely challenged going up hills), but that little MB engine carried heavy loads in those commercial vans for years and years.

I owned an older Dodge with the 12 valve cummins in it, and was very impressed by what I saw while I owned it (ex. direct timing gear with no chains of belts). But the old guy I bought it from (it only had 60,000 miles) had to spend around $6000 on an IP replacement, so that engine had its flaws. As someone said, the Dodge truck built around the Cummins was nothing to write home about.

Both great engines in their own right, american vs german iron.

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1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K

There are some great video's online that proof how these old engines are almost indestructible.

Here's one of two guys getting a wrecked and abandoned W123 to start:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uqVpUUeBzOw

And how about this 407D (Om616 I think?...) that they manage to fire up after 12 years of sitting in a field.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o2QBLauaC-Q

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"The MB W123 is so bulletproof, you can drive them forever. Which is a good thing as it takes that long to get anywhere."
Betsie: 1984 W123 300D (hobby, 280k miles)
Myrla: 2001 Mazda Protege 2.0 ES 5spd (daily driver, 130k miles)
The Turd: 2007 Toyota Camry (wife's car, 118k miles)

He paid waaaay too much if he put $6k into an injection pump for the 12V. Hit me up if you need anything Cummins specific. A good friend of mine owns dieselperformanceparts & I've sent quite a few to him.

My 24V has become reliable once I brought it back up to snuff. The VP is still tempermental but rebuilders have learned the weaknesses and are installing new parts so quality has gone up with longevity.

I have the 617 leaks stopped and only to find the idle shake on the 84. New Greazer injectors didn't get all of it.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Second that,

On mine ('83 300CD turbo) replaced trans & 2 nozzles in 16 years, oh, & the AC dosent work. <- but this is SoCal, no need.

-c-

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"I applaud your elaborate system of denial"

I like my 617, unfortunately it needs to come out for all new seals (leaking ~1 qt of oil a week, I believe from the upper oil pan), and probably new rings and bearings and rebuild the top end. It also seems to have a lopey sounding cylinder I need figure out. Not looking forward to what it's gonna cost to do that though, and the front end needs to be rebuilt too :/

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1982 300D Turbodiesel, daily driver. Mods so far: Fram 8038 paper filter, 4 brake light mod, Gen II w126 (front) rotors/calipers, boost turned up to 12lbs, non-egr manifolds, water/methanol injection, 4-speed manual
1980 300SD Turbodiesel, project car, nearly ready to hit the street

1974 240D, New paint

I have had a lot more trouble with the older 60_ series engines than the 61_ series engines. Once the 61_ engines are put right you can drive them with routine maintenance for decades.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

You are definitely all alone in this frustration. All machines of age require love and patience. The OM617 is an incredible machine providing reliable service when care for.
As others have stated deal with one issue at a time and you'll have it all wrapped up.

Deep breathes.

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85 300D 3 pedal. Current project.
83 300TD (need rear wiper assembly dead or alive)
84 300SD Daily driver
85 300TD almost 400k miles and driven daily.
98 E300D *sold
86 300SDL *sold and made flawless 10 hour journey to new home.

I am waiting for a scene in a future The Walking Dead episode where the only car they find that fires up is an old M-B diesel. Of course, like all other vehicles, after 3 years the battery would be dead, but it could be a manual shifter on a hill (in the summer), or I understand my 1984 300D can be push-started. Gas goes bad, but not diesel as long as it doesn't get the black slime growth (from moisture).

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

You're right. It would take a big hill without glows but once you got it started you could just never shut it off. Fun apocalyptic thoughts.

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

I've enjoyed debates with coworkers about my truck in such situations. Once all the gas has been siphoned from abandoned cars, we could still burn the motor oil, ATF, and other combustible fluids from the abandoned cars.

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617 swapped Toyota Pickup, 22-24 MPG, 50k miles on swap

Interesting to see that 407D. Mine was a 406D with a 616 in it, not sure the difference with a 7. Mine was in much better shape body wise, obviously! And all finished inside with quality RV woodwork. Those guys are pretty tenacious coaxing that old beast out of its slumber.

I sold my 406D camper to three young guys coming out of university, who wanted to take a road trip. Ah to be young and foolish, heading out on the road with a 1973 diesel camper (this was 10-12 years ago). But I knew the truck was in excellent mechanical condition tip to stern, and as long as they kept it on the road they'd be fine. THey drove from the N-E all the way south, to California, and back across the continent. Something like a 2 month trip. When they got back, one of them contacted me all pissed off saying that I had misled them about the condition, and that they had to get an alternator replaced somewhere along the way. I wanted to tell him "kid, you just drove a 30 year old truck across the continent and back in the dead heat of summer and are complaining because you had to change an alternator???"... I wonder where that camper is now, rotting in a field somewhere? Those old MB trucks were quite the beasts. Still working in the third world, no doubt.

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1983 300TD 240K - 1982 240D 215K - 1996 Dodge Cummins 70K

I can't give any advice on what to fix, but I will say that if you have those problems, do yourself a favor, and get them ALL FIXED RIGHT, or sell the car. I hate cars that have 6 issues that constantly cause problems.

You sound like a DIY'er and if so, that's great. You can save a lot of money that way. If these are deeper problems and you need to hire someone, you might find a mobile mechanic to do some of them that could save you a lot of money, or you might go to an MB mechanic.

Get it done right so you can at least enjoy the car.

Good luck,

jeff 1991 300d, 205k