You guys where right I was wrong my 108 is dead. - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Nik_the_barber · #1 03-12-2009, 09:56 PM

Yes it's true, a little more then a month later, today I was driving home from a near town, and all of a sudden something started knocking really bad. I pulled over at a near gas station and it's under the manifold and then the car wouldn't start the knocking got really really louad and bad and the car died and would not restart. So I guess a piston popped or something to that effect I paid 80 to get it towed home and now I'm out 2 grand. My life sucks and now it really sucks.

Larry Delor · #2 03-12-2009, 09:58 PM

Take off the oil pan, and see what falls out. Take a picture.
Maybe it's fixable.

mbgingerbread · #3 03-12-2009, 10:05 PM

Hey Nik;
Take it easy on yourself. There was a 90 year old guy on one of those news shows who was working as a greeter at a grocery store-he lost $750,000 courtesy of a guy named Madoff.
You can recover in short order even though everything seems turned upside down now-keep your head and try to stay cool.

wolf_walker · #4 03-12-2009, 10:05 PM

There is a lesson somewhere in there. It's always these really painful ones that stick.

Might not be the end though, pull the pan and see.

meltedpanda · #5 03-13-2009, 11:08 AM

Nik
these engines are pretty bomb proof, had to be catastrophic failure by the sound of it, but hey, you will get to learn how to rebuild an engine - that is great fun~

Tomguy · #6 03-13-2009, 11:40 AM

I agree, these engines are tough, so unless someone tried a band-aid repair, it was rebuilt poorly, or it was run low on oil, it may not even be that serious!

If it is, the used engines are cheap enough to pop in a replacement!

JonL · #7 03-13-2009, 12:42 PM

IMO, putting a used engine in this car will just prolong the misery. I think the lesson to be learned is that there is a time and place in one's life for certain things. Owning a 108 as a daily driver with limited resources, a young family, little mechanical experience, etc... it just ain't the time or place. Defer the big gratification. Be satisfied with smaller pleasures for now. Give yourself something to look forward to, something to work for. Learn about the cars, learn how to fix cars in general, watch the market. Then you'll be ready when your life is ready. It's a good lesson that applies much more broadly than just to old Mercedes. Heed it and do well.

bwostosh · #8 03-13-2009, 01:58 PM

True, words, everything must be check and done properly, even if you put a used engine in. Example set of injectors. $750, valve job $5-700. etc.

Nik_the_barber · #9 03-13-2009, 06:26 PM

I was able to half ass get the oil pan/manifold cover off, but I didn't take any pictures, everything looked intact and nothing looked broke. I wasn't able to get it entireley off because the bar the runs over top of it, and in doing so I did more harm then good because I broke a damn metal bracket that the rod connects to. I'm so dissapointed and honestly don't feel like living.

bwostosh · #10 03-13-2009, 06:58 PM

I do have a complete engine and trans on a dolly, not that I want to part with any parts though. Somebody will have spare spares.

Rauchen · #11 03-13-2009, 07:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nik_the_barber

I was able to half ass get the oil pan/manifold cover off, but I didn't take any pictures, everything looked intact and nothing looked broke. I wasn't able to get it entireley off because the bar the runs over top of it, and in doing so I did more harm then good because I broke a damn metal bracket that the rod connects to. I'm so dissapointed and honestly don't feel like living.

C'mon dude. For real. You don't feel like living cause you 108 bit the dust "temporarily". I drive my 108 about three times a week not a daily only driver. But I too have a family and very limited resources. But I look at my car as an investment. I will always be able to recover more out of it than I paid for it But bottom line, with a car this old you gotta expect things to go wrong. Like everybody else says, look at this as a learning experience. None of us with these cars drive them around and never have anything go wrong. Were just happy when things don't go wrong. Or at least I am. The saving grace is that compared to a chevy or ford etc. from 1971, your Mercedes IS more reliable in it's original state. Cause any other car from that era has been probably rebuilt 2 or 3 times by now.

ja17 · #12 03-13-2009, 08:22 PM

Hello Nik,

What you have taken loose is the valve cover not the oil pan. First of all check the oil level of the engine. Next, as suggested, remove the oil drain plug and see if a lot of metal bits drain out with the oil.

I saw this car before you bought it. I believed the seller to be mis-representing the actual miles on the car. Contact the previous owners (you have some service records?) to see what the actual mileage is. You may be able to get the car lot to take the car back.

Good healthy W108s are great drivers and durable. It sounds like you bought someone elses problems. I think the car has way more miles than you were lead to believe. I'll bet it was a vert high mileage oil user, and you drove the engine low on oil without knowing it. Check the oil dip stick and get back with us.

JonL · #13 03-13-2009, 08:29 PM

Yes. Have some perspective. It's a car, maybe it's some money. It's not your health or that of your family. If this is the worst thing that ever happens to you in your life, you should be jumping for joy.

Now, as to what you should do going forward... you should decide if you want a car or if you want an expensive, time consuming hobby. IMO, the 108 is the latter. If you want to keep it and get it running and improve it and make it a passion, that's great. But get another reliable car that you can depend on so when 'ole 108 gives you a nice surprise you can still get to the store.

meltedpanda · #14 03-13-2009, 08:49 PM

Nik, if need to talk to someone - PM me and I will give you my numbers, no car is worth feeling that bad over, like the others have said its just a car with a few life lessons thrown in, heck you cold probably part it out and make close to what you have in it

Nik_the_barber · #15 03-13-2009, 09:40 PM

I bought oil, and added it before I take the cover off, and it didn't help When this happened I checked the oil and put in to quarts because there was not much in if any. But I guess I was too late. My grandma cashed out a life insurance policy to buy me this car and I told her I would take good care of it I feel like I let her down. Like I said as far as I could tell that nothing was misplaced or damaged under the cover. The springs where all intact and the chain was on tight. Nothing looked bad. But even after buying 3 more quarts and putting them in before I took the cover off it did not start. It doesn't turn over it just makes a weird click sound. I guess I ruined the car. I do know the mileage was not what was on the window when I bought it because the dealer was like" oh, theres a problem the mileage is over the mechanical limit on the title." but I bought it anyway's thinking that I would have problems but not a failure of the engine.