OM648 and OM642

[markg612]

So I was rambling through my Mx records to verify my antidotal findings from this afternoons Mx chore.

I'm in the 130+ turn department on both vehicles and as I was changing the oil on the 642, it dawned on me I had to kind of think about what I was looking at under the car, mainly because I NEVER have to f*** with it to keep it running! The 648 has developed a kind of back of the hand familiarity that until today, I didn't realize or appreciate.

Oil cooler seals, injector seal, glow plug, glow controllers, fuel leaks on the filter water separator orings, and fuel lines leaks as well as oil leaks from the turbo seal, CC breather etc.etc. ETC!!! While it was a nice idea in to have a modular engine that worked in multiple platforms, I'd KILL to have a OMx48 powered fleet in my garage. In reviewing my records over the last couple of years, 85% of my mx efforts have been focused on the 642, mean while the 648 just runs, and runs and well, runs.

MB, you missed the boat!

[jay_bob]

I second that one, I have two OM648 vehicles and aside from the 2008 needing the stupid oil cooler seals, both have been solid so far.

Sorry but with the “black death” problem I think the OM642 is overrated. Couple that with the SBC brake problem and low budget interior quality of the 05-06 W211 and I will stick with my W124 and W210.

[sloride]

Originally Posted by jay_bob

I second that one, I have two OM648 vehicles and aside from the 2008 needing the stupid oil cooler seals, both have been solid so far.

Sorry but with the “black death” problem I think the OM642 is overrated. Couple that with the SBC brake problem and low budget interior quality of the 05-06 W211 and I will stick with my W124 and W210.

I thought the "black death" was on the om648 in line 6. Is it a problem on the om642 v6 also?

[markg612]

I think your 42s and 48s are backward, 642 v6, 648 I6--Haven't had one iota of brake issue.

I like your garage, If my 95 W124.131 would have been a .133 (turbo) it would have been my forever car- I've driven the 98-99s turbos, so much better than the 95-97s

I hated my 87 by the time it went away, The entire car out did the OM642 for mx attention. I owned it for 10 years and I swear I fixed ever system on that car including a AC evap and heater core, along with a head job, rear main seal steering gear, etc etc etc, the only thing I didn't have to touch was the xmission other than fluid and filter.

[markg612]

Originally Posted by sloride

I thought the "black death" was on the om648 in line 6. Is it a problem on the om642 v6 also?

Way more common on the V6--essentially the same injector seal and tip design, same hold down, same potential for leakage.

[jay_bob]

Yes I got the OM642 (V6) and OM648 (I6) confused. You’d think I would never forget this after going through the oil cooler seal replacement adventure...

[ROLLGUY]

Originally Posted by markg612

So I was rambling through my Mx records to verify my antidotal findings from this afternoons Mx chore.

I'm in the 130+ turn department on both vehicles and as I was changing the oil on the 642, it dawned on me I had to kind of think about what I was looking at under the car, mainly because I NEVER have to f*** with it to keep it running! The 648 has developed a kind of back of the hand familiarity that until today, I didn't realize or appreciate.

Oil cooler seals, injector seal, glow plug, glow controllers, fuel leaks on the filter water separator orings, and fuel lines leaks as well as oil leaks from the turbo seal, CC breather etc.etc. ETC!!! While it was a nice idea in to have a modular engine that worked in multiple platforms, I'd KILL to have a OMx48 powered fleet in my garage. In reviewing my records over the last couple of years, 85% of my mx efforts have been focused on the 642, mean while the 648 just runs, and runs and well, runs.

MB, you missed the boat!

I am on my second '05 E320 CDI, and am very impressed with it's reliability. I recently bought an '07 Bluetec (wrecked but repairable), and am thinking of selling the '05 when I get the '07 back on the road, and making it my daily driver. The car had the oil cooler seals replaced only a couple weeks before the accident, so no worries there. Would I be making a mistake by going from the I6 to the V6? (basically the same car other than the color, and no SBC on the '07). I can't afford to have both together for very long, so one will need to be sold eventually. As far as power, they both are four wheeled rocket ships, so no easy choice there. The '07 gets a little better MPG. Since the oil cooler seals are already done, I am not sure what other big expense is headed my way in the miles to come. The main reason I am leaning toward the '07 is that it has less than 90,000 miles on it. The CDI has almost 200,000.

[sloride]

Originally Posted by markg612

So I was rambling through my Mx records to verify my antidotal findings from this afternoons Mx chore.

I'm in the 130+ turn department on both vehicles and as I was changing the oil on the 642, it dawned on me I had to kind of think about what I was looking at under the car, mainly because I NEVER have to f*** with it to keep it running! The 648 has developed a kind of back of the hand familiarity that until today, I didn't realize or appreciate.

Oil cooler seals, injector seal, glow plug, glow controllers, fuel leaks on the filter water separator orings, and fuel lines leaks as well as oil leaks from the turbo seal, CC breather etc.etc. ETC!!! While it was a nice idea in to have a modular engine that worked in multiple platforms, I'd KILL to have a OMx48 powered fleet in my garage. In reviewing my records over the last couple of years, 85% of my mx efforts have been focused on the 642, mean while the 648 just runs, and runs and well, runs.

MB, you missed the boat!

OK, I am still confused. Is the OM648 which is an inline 6 superior in you opinion to a OM642 V6? I have been looking for a well maintained 05/06 OM648 <150k. Or would you suggest just skip that iteration and move on to the OM642 V6?