help might buy this w124 - Printable Version +- STD (https://www.superturbodiesel.com/std) +-- Forum: Other (https://www.superturbodiesel.com/std/forumdisplay.php?fid=19) +--- Forum: Open (https://www.superturbodiesel.com/std/forumdisplay.php?fid=13) +--- Thread: help might buy this w124 (/showthread.php?tid=5346)

help might buy this w124 - lgreeley83 - 02-16-2014 http://chicago.craigslist.org/sox/cto/4334411974.html I figure I'll move away from the craigslist thread for this topic. Any quick tips. I don't know much about these. He says its a turbo. 603 motor? I've read that the aluminum heads and their gaskets are prone to suck. Also it may or may not have a trap ox on it. What tips can you give me as I possibly enter the 60x world? Also free extra motor. Wonder what that's about RE: help might buy this w124 - raysorenson - 02-16-2014 The #14 head is the one that cracks. There will be a "14" in place of the "18" in the pic. The head gaskets underwent several improvements over the years and the cheap Victor replacement HG has these. Usually, the HG will leak oil externally and internally. The lifters can collapse and make noise. They were updated after '87 as well. The "noise encapsulation panels" under the engine and trans are usually gone and cost about 1200 to replace. You don't need them, but they're nice to have. Definitely a bonus if the car has them. You can sell 'em off and get some of your money back. The trans likes to leak out of the front pump. Probably an easy repair if you consider trans R&I easy. RE: help might buy this w124 - lgreeley83 - 02-16-2014 Just did a little reading. Is any head above 14 acceptable? RE: help might buy this w124 - raysorenson - 02-16-2014 That's the way I understand it. RE: help might buy this w124 - capflya - 02-16-2014 Don't look at the 14 head as being 100% bad, several cars have over 250-300k miles with a 14 head. My one 87 has a 14 head and unknown miles. Guy I got it from got it with a broken ODO that reads 175k and he estimated he drove it 75k. So if the odometer broke when he got the car it's got a minimum 250k miles on the original #14 head. The 14 head is more likely to crack, so if the cooling system isn't working properly then you're at a higher risk of that happening but if you keep up the cooling system it will probably be fine. Mercedes did redesign the head for a reason though so just something to keep in mind. If it's got a >#14 head then definitely a bonus. Since it's an '86 it's probably a #14 unless the engine has had work done to it before. If you have a coolant system pressure tester you can see if the head gasket is leaky. The system shouldn't go over 14 PSI I think? I forget the spec but you can look it up. If the pressure builds up fast and goes over 14-ish and keeps climbing then the head gasket is likely a leaker. Not such a bad thing if you get a whole spare engine that is good I would probably do that gamble if it were me and I had the cash. Just random, that car is the same color as one of mine.