W124 E300 chain

telletubby

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I'v e been offered a 93 W124 turbo diesel estate for £500. Perfect inside ( leather) and out but with 300k miles and an engine with a broken drive chain. He hasn't taken the engine apart but although I realise you don't have to spend much on these cars before you exceed their value, how much damage can a chain do? Could it write off top and bottom? I don't really want to dismantle the engine before agreeing to take it. Finding a complete engine in good nick would I guess be expensive.
 

Mikesmerc

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2001 CL500,1990 560SEC, 1988 230E, 1982 250, 1979 280CE, 1977 200D, 1972 350 SL, 1965 220S Fintail
Only way of knowing what damage has been done is to strip the top half. You might even get lucky and have no damage done, unlikely but possible.
Mike
 

Parrot of Doom

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I'd say it depends on the overall condition of the vehicle. If its a bit tatty, forget it, but if the bodywork and mechanicals are all sound, with a nice interior, it could be a nice little project. Face it, even if the engine is lunched you could probably get most of your money back by stripping it, or you could even do an engine transplant.

I only wish I had a drive, I'd love to do something like that.
 

television

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The worst is bent valve stems and holed piston, the head has to come off to inspect it, the cam shaft sprockets teeth may have worn down so that the chain jumped off, but what ever happened the damage will be the same.

The damage will be less with a auto gearbox rather than a manual.

Malcolm
 

Hibbo

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When you say 'drive chain' do you refer to the timing chain or the oil pump drive chain?
 

television

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Maybe its up in the mountains and a snow chain has broke :D

Malcolm
 
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T

telletubby

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  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #7
Good point Hibbo - the french call it the chain of distribution - must be the timing chain, I guess. If only France wasn't a foreign country!
 

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