W124 Head gasket (three millionth post)

[LNM]

For anyone that is interested, perhaps Aletank and steve_k243... and perhaps a few others, my 300CE is now sorted.

M103 engine. 138 K miles.

New gasket, skimmed head, all head seals done (no more gouting smoke when booted) new rad, new poly v belt, adjusted footbrake and changed oil and filter for nowt, MOT pass without touching the sides.

Temperature now goes no higher than 87deg C, no matter what.

Oil pressure now flies up to 3 bar for less than 1500rpm (thanks road Range in Liverpool for fitting a W201 filter to a W124; wow, and thats included in a £300 service. I have receipts to prove this)

No cartoon ticking noises from head

No bottom end clacking when cold

Quieter, smoother.

Sill a bagger to start when cold, more investigative journalism required here....

At the risk of causing another broadcast storm, and feel entirely free to PM me with any death threats you wish given recent discussions about CATALYTIC CONVERTERS... Mr Bundy has delivered the goods in spades.

If you need your W124 sorting and you're in the NW, take a trip to Maghull. It might be an unpleasant place to visit with some LUDICROUS architecture on the main drag after Switch Island, but I'm sure he loves it really and for sure, your motor will come out better than when it went in. No p**s taking, no having a laugh, this bloke is serious about his mercs and really does give a s**t about fixing them.

This is not a sales pitch for him, it is not pre arranged, I've just given him the thick end of £800 to get mine like it is now as per above work and I'm chuffed to the bollocks. It is sweet. He also found the source of the rattle beneath the car that sclass tried to diagnose and failed long with several Road Range visits. Now we know where he works.

I can't get to the car now though; girlfriend off in it again, giving it beans trying to get the back end to step out no doubt and annoying boy racers !!

All relevant information can be gleaned from this post as to whereabouts and contact details; search for "maghull" to get details.

As Mr Mercedes said in the post, and I quote the capital letters "YOU WONT BE DISSAPOINTED".

You wont.


Cheers all

 

[mjtray]

Its always good to hear the outcome on a problem.....great price you paid for all that work!!

I dread to think what that would have cost down here

 

[Spike]

Sounds good. Glad to hear you got it sorted. Mine also went at about 130k.

Your cold starting issue, Do you have Beru spark plugs by any chance?

 

[sooper coop]

"89 300 CE.

mine doesnt like the cold start too much either and its at 125k, Does this mean expected head gasket disaster imminent ?

 

[SLinKyjoe]

3 millionth post?

you wanna learn to count.....i only got past 1,857,978 and havent found another!

 

[LANDR0VER]

3 millionth post?

you wanna learn to count.....i only got past 1,857,978 and havent found another!

But that first post counts as 10.

 

[LNM]

sorry, I do go on a bit sometimes

Dunno what sparks are, will check on Sat.

There are a number of sypmtoms re head failure, just have to troll through this and the US sites to pin them down.

Still, doesn't stop me constantly looking at the temp and oil gagues.

 

[Terminator]

Intrigued about your comment about fitting a 201 oil filter to a 124. What is the difference between the two filters and are you suggesting it will improve oil pressure?

Thanks in anticipation.

 

[LNM]

The M103 (W124) filter that went on was a different size (somewhat larger) from the (don't know the engine code) W201 filter that came off.

The oil pressure wouldn't go above 2.5 bar no matter what the engine speed when hot before the oil + filter change.

Now sits just above 1 when really hot stationary in drive and pegs (got that word off the US site man....) at 3bar anything over 1500 rpm

So yes, something has changed.....

 

[LNM]

Cold starting related update:

W124 has just passed its 13th MOT without a glitch and because of this I decided to spring clean it. Did a bit of snooping and reconnecting bits I've un-done / prodding etc all with doors and boot open.

Failed to start so I found the invoice for the Banner battery in question with the guff that came with the car and was _amazed_ to see it dated 1998 !!

After 1/2 hour wait it started (fan off, both seatbelts plugged in before start) and I drove and got a new one.

I can't wait for the engine to cool off to cold before I try and start it with its new battery and I wonder if it was this all along that was causing cold start issues. The OVP relay is six years old; this was replaced by Road Range, but I don't know why.

I'll post one back later to let you know what happens.