Help please I need to know the best engine manual for my 87 300SDL. I have a mercedes manual that covers the 80's but it is sparse on the 603.9xx. Reason needed, cracked head. Anyone have one . Also, will a 603.97x head fit what cars have one/are compatable? Thanks all.

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87 300SDL 220K
85 300SD 218K
82 diesel Chevette 440K
85 subaru 4WD turbo
83 4.1L buick powered cutlass THE TOY

I have a W126 magazine from performance products. They want, for a brand new(not rebuilt) cylinder head $1749. The cylinder heads ARE the same between the OM603.97x and the OM603.96x.

Cars that have that head

1987 300D Turbo

1986/87 300SDL Turbo

1990/91 350SDL/SD Turbo

1992 -95 300SD/S350 turbodiesel

Check GSXR's posting in the archives, he has done at least one, if not two cyl head R&R's on 603 motors.

What Mercedes manual do you have? The W126 CD manual has everything you need for the 603.961 and 603.971.

Replacing the head is not rocket science so don't be intimidated.

The 603.971 head requires different prechambers which require different injectors, or reshaping the 603.961 prechambers.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

How about the block? I need a replacement block for my '86 300SDL. The current block has a hole busted out by connecting rod #6 on both sides. It is not useable. Is this block unique only to the 86-87 SDL?

BTW, I had the trans rebuilt last week in Cumming, GA by Eurotrans. I picked it up on Saturday but I don't have a good engine to put it on to.

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Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

You should be able to use a block from an 86-87 300D or TD. The casting and innards should be the same. The only difference would be things like engine mount arms, oil cooler lines and things that connect to the manifolds and IP. The folks at www.pagauto.com should know.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

The factory manual is easily the best reference for what you want. it is about 50 bucks at your local benz dealer.

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'01 CLK430 (hers)
'99 528iT (turd)
'87 Porsche 928 (just for fun)

Sixto,

Thanks. I think I can use everything else off the motor. But I should take the head off and look at the pistons, rods and crank first.

Does anyone have an extra block lying around?

__________________
Michael LaFleur

'05 E320 CDI - 86,000 miles
'86 300SDL - 360,000 miles
'85 300SD - 150,000 miles (sold)
'89 190D - 120,000 miles (sold)
'85 300SD - 317,000 miles (sold)
'98 ML320 - 270,000 miles (sold)
'75 300D - 170,000 miles (sold)
'83 Harley Davidson FLTC (Broken again) :-(
'61 Plymouth Valiant - 60k mikes
2004 Papillon (Oliver)
2005 Tzitzu (Griffon)
2009 Welsh Corgi (Buba)

The factory manual is the ONLY manual to use for OM603 engine work - period. It's on the factory CD-ROM manual set. The paper manual is out of print, but here's one on eBay right now. I use both, as the paper is MUCH nicer for general lookups, and I check the CD to see if there are updates (there are on some things) :

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=2420732954


The 86/87 heads are flawed and prone to cracking. The 90-95 3.5L heads are reinforced and shouldn't crack. They ARE interchangeable. The 3.5 uses different prechambers & injectors (inclined injection, instead of the 86/87 vertical injection) but just use your 86/87 injectors & prechambers on the new(er) head. You do NOT need to get the 3.5L injectors/prechambers. The 3.0L prechambers *may* need to be lightly trimmed, as mine did, but that only happens on maybe 1/3 to 1/2 of the newer heads with old style prechambers. Worry about that later.

No parts places (Rusty, FastLane, IMPCO, etc) offer rebuilt heads for these cars, you have to buy new ($1600-$2000, bare) or used (good luck finding a used 3.5 head, and they are still ~$1200 at most yards). I know someone who has a rebuilt one for sale right now, fresh valve job, decked, pressure tested, crack-free, etc.... email me and I'll send you his contact info.

As to the R&R job, no it's not rocket science, but it IS extremely time consuming - particularly if you don't have the right tools. There are a few special tools that are a good idea to purchase (probably $200-$300 total) which will make things easier. You can always re-sell them on eBay to recoup some cost if you don't plan to ever use them again. Or you can waste lots of time fabricating Rube Goldberg methods to perform the same jobs, which will probably work, but IMO isn't worth the loss in time (unless you have lots of time and little money).


Good luck,

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Dave
Boise, ID
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