RE: a 1995 E320, does anyone know when the metal-cornered/reinforced headgaskets were put into service? I got the VMI on my E320 and saw one was done @ 34K in 1998 and then again in November 2003 at 85K. I'm wondering if the 2003 headgasket is the improved one.

Improved M104 headgaskets were phased in around 1997.

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MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
ASE Master Technician
Mercedes Benz Star Technician (2 times)
44 years foreign automotive repair
27 Years M.B. Shop foreman (dealer)
MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

It was after 1997 that I had a dealer tech tell me that if you wanted to get the good headgasket you needed to buy it somewhere other than the dealer. There's multiple vendors - Victor Reinz, Elring, Goetze? It seems to me that at least for a while only one of them was offering the reenforced version, so I think it depends a bit on who did the work and where they got the gasket.

Then I've got reason to worry with my 1996 car.

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1996 E320 since 1/16/08, 171K miles as of Feb 2011

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1989 300CE - R.I.P. Dec 29 2007
Other MBs (sold): 1992 300E-24 - 1979 350SLC - 1984 230E - 1990 300CE

Elring is the ONLY brand of head gasket that I would install on a M104!

Reinz only modified their gasket about 1.5 years ago! And it isn't near the quality of the Elring!

Goetze buys their head gasket from Elring that is in their kit!

__________________
MERCEDES Benz Master Guild Technician (6 TIMES)
ASE Master Technician
Mercedes Benz Star Technician (2 times)
44 years foreign automotive repair
27 Years M.B. Shop foreman (dealer)
MB technical information Specialist (15 years)
190E 2.3 16V ITS SCCA race car (sold)
1986 190E 2.3 16V 2.5 (sold)
Retired Moderator

Then who makes the gasket for MB??? I just looked at one at my dealership and it had the metallic reinforced corners.