What to Do
What to Do
Hi folks, I have a 1986 300E 5 speeder and am looking at options to get diesel under the hood. Having the car is nice, but it needs some body work and has seen better days! So any feed back would be great! Option 1) Install an OM 603 from a US Spec 1987 300D 2) Install a OM606 from a later US 300D 3) Install a Turbo OM602 2.5L from a later W124 4) Install a 603 3L NA from a Euro car. 5) Buy a Nice 1987 300D and use the current car as he Donor 6) Make my wife Happy and sell the 300E 5 speed to someone who will do what I am talking about. Thoughts? BTW I am looking for a nice commuter car and making the A/C work and the like. Thanks!
The most resonable with price, is find a good body, low rust, good running 300d om603. Use this 300e as a donor for good parts, and for the 5 speed swap.
If you go with George3soccer suggestion I have a 1987 300d light blue ZERO rust New Mexico car no mods other than 8 hole wheels.. need to keep working on my house..has a hitch. I could even bring it to you if SFO is SanFrancisco. I would bring my son and take the train back he would love that.
How many miles on the motor. That is a great idea if you ask me.
Hi, yes sorry, 230k miles dark blue interior not mb tex balljoints done.. front bushings done ..left, right and drag links done. needs rear links Also have another '87 white with blue tex blew the head#14 Cracked it big time (not me) If you know anyone out there in Cal that would buy my Austin Healey 3000 BJ8 for 24,000 I'll sell you the blue 87 for 1000.00 and still bring it to you. REALLY need to finish my casa
Now that is a steal pick that up swap the 5 speed and you have yourself a one of a kind.
14, 15 and 16 heads are fine. You only need to be careful about excessive heat and 17+ heads allow more room for error.
It's more than just heat from what I have read. There were poor castings and poor metallurgy, even with normal use and no overheating you can get cracks. Then again there is alot of discourse and very little factual information.
Drive it till it goes Boom then replace parts.
Problem with "driving until it goes boom" is the "boom" could also be the bottom end as well when it hydrolocks.
Very true forgot about the hydrolocking. Would that be when the crack is large enough collant would be put into the cylinder, hence the boom.
(12-01-2010, 11:59 AM)George3soccer Very true forgot about the hydrolocking. Would that be when the crack is large enough collant would be put into the cylinder, hence the boom.
(12-01-2010, 11:59 AM)George3soccer Very true forgot about the hydrolocking. Would that be when the crack is large enough collant would be put into the cylinder, hence the boom.
My experience, is that the N/A 603 have no problems at all with cracked heads, på the turbo-engines use to get cracks between valve seats and PC`s at 350 to 450 k km.
All 603 have a problem with the gasket sealing between the timing chain and cylinder one, and all straight six with aluminium head have some gasket issues.
Ive never heard about hydrollocking from cracked head on these.
This is my experience from Norway.