I currently have what appears to be two identical head gasget kits (with minor differences... color ect.)for my 300E. One is made by Elring and the other by Goetze.

Can an experienced tech tell me which brand to select and use? The gasget on my 300E blew for no apparent reason.

Thanks.

Is one gasket a "sivery-gray" color and the other more brown colored? Go with the brown one. Those are impregnated with an epoxy-like substance that seems to seal very much better than the older graphited gaskets. Just my opinion.
Regards,
Randy D.

Both Elring & Goetze build OE head gaskets for Mercedes. Either one of those will give you very good results!

Warrantee
 

Brother of The Benz, ejsharp
It's good the read that either OE gasket is OK.
My 1987 W124030 with 177,000 miles had the cylinder head gasket replaced at 30,000 miles.
It was replaced by a campaign replacing all engines Cylinderhead gaskets within a bracket of engine numbers.
The engine hasn't been opened since then.
Good luck with you choice and repair.
Happy Trails Beep Beep from The Spiderman in Houston!!!

I only use OE (that means bought from MB)for the head gasket and the valve guide oil seals. I recently purchased a Elring, Goetze, and OE gaskets for 104 motors and closely examined them.

The OE gasket had thin shiney stainless inserts in the area next to the place where the gasket seals to the timing cover seal. The original gasket and the aftermarket replacement did not have these. These inserts looked to have little teeth cut into them and its my impression that they are designed to stake the gasket to its original installed position. I presume that some amount of recession is responsible for the common leaks.

I don't think the 103 motor is as critical but gaskets and seals are so small a part of total costs that I never take the chance.