Confusion about models

My head hurts.....lol....

My 1983 300d is the 123 chassis with the 5 cylinder diesel...that much I have learned. It also does not have leather but it is simulated leather.

I have seen ads for other 300d's that say leather....and then I have had some people tell me that the 300d did not come with leather.

Also....I have seen ads for 1986 300sd's which I believe is the 126 chassis? But this ad said it had a 6 cylinder diesel?

My diesel is the 617 model....if I am doing my homework correctly...

I need some help guys....before I am tested....lol.....

Nathan

Thanks,
What is your opinion of the OM603?

Nathan

Thanks, this is a great help......

Soooooo......if I have found a cheap 300sdl and the ad says engine trouble....it might be that it was overheated?

Nathan

TX Bill is feeding you absolutely the correct skinny on the 603 engine. But, the reason for all this is the aluminum cylinder head.

Have a great day,

[gsxr]

It's not the metal used for the head casting that is the problem. Aluminum heads are great. The problem was a design flaw in the original OM603 head and head gasket. MB redesigned those heads 3 times and the gaskets 5 times! The new design heads are pretty much bulletproof, especially w/o the trap oxidizer installed. The other OM60x engines do not have this problem at all.

Regards,

Thanks guys....
Assumming that the head is the problem....what is the expense of fixing it....I can do most of the labor myself as I have rebuild engines and transmissions in my automovtive days...
Nathan

[gsxr]

The OM603 cylinder head is PRICEY. I would only do this on a car you really like and plan to keep forever. I did this on my car last winter (cracked head). Photos are at this URL, I suggest you look at them carefully so you know what you're getting in to. Also search for threads started by me from roughly Nov-01 through Feb-02 for more info:

http://www.meimann.com/images/mercedes/head_gasket/


As to cost, a new bare head is ~$2000 from the dealer or $1300 from the lowest priced online source I could find. Gaskets and other misc items will be at least another ~$300 or so. Then you'll need to have a machine shop swap the valves over, etc so it ends up being a solid $2000 if you do the rest of the work yourself. Then you'll need a few special tools, which will be another $2-400 (prechamber tools, 12-pt long head bolt socket, etc.) And don't even think about doing this without the MB factory manual or CD-ROM.

Total cost for me was roughly $3500, including all new hydraulic lifters, tools, parts, re-sealing the IP and having it calibrated at a Bosch shop, new serpentine belt tensioner, timing chain, and some other things I can't remember right now. Now that I have the tools, I could do it again for ~$1800-2500, depending on what else is worn or broken.


Regards,

Thanks for the info...
Hmmmm....you have the tools? How much did you say you would charge?

Haven't looked at the car yet....they are asking $1000...

Nathan

[P.E.Haiges]

Nate,

And that was just for the head. Imagine if the crankshaft and pistons are bad.

You might inquire what a rebuilt engine aould cost.

P E H