Run it with water by all means! Honestly I would wait until you can get ahold of an oil cooler and a rad. I think I amy have a spare laying around here somewhere I'll have to see. You really don't want to run it long with out the cooler in the first place. I have a mechanical temp gauge that I tapped into my water neck. It was like 20 bucks. I'm going to run mine out of the truck first too. Do you have a drip timer for the ip? you are going to need one since you replaced the T chain.

 

Never heard of a drip timer. I didn't pull the IP off. Is it something cheap I can buy or should I try to rent?

 

They are like $20. The Ip timing changes as the chain stretches so when you replace it you need to re time the pump. The engine should run without timing it but it probably won't run real well.

 

Its a drip tube not a timer... sorry long day

 

Well thanks a bunch for the heads up on that. I was wondering what issue's we'd run into with replacing the chain. Guess I'll go ahead and find my radiator and oil cooler. I don't think I'm going to use the stock ones. I'd like to get some with specific dimensions that will fit how I want them to. I'd still like to fire the engine this weekend just to make sure it runs so I'll have to come up with something for the water pump... And I guess I'll have to google IP timing. I hope I wasn't supposed to mark anything's positions before I took everything apart, as I figured everything was getting replaced anyways.

 

I'm going to be talking to Luke at 4x4Labs and see what kind of deal I can work out for an adapter kit as this semester is only 2 weeks in and already kicking my butt. I'm taking Thermodynamics, Dynamics, Mechanics of Materials, Fluid Power, and Soils for those interested. I'd feel a lot cooler if I could say that I made my own adapter plate, but I trust Luke's kit, and if I can get it for a reasonable price, I'm just going to buy it since I really don't see myself having the time to fabricate an adapter plate.

That will leave hopefully only 2 things to decide on (besides locating a W56 tranny). I need a radiator and an oil cooler. I wouldn't mind using the stock oil cooler if I can find one, unless anyone can recommend a cheap good new one? And for the radiator, here's the measurements I pulled off my stock 4cyl rad today:

2" deep
16 1/2" tall only including fins (18 1/2" total height)
21 1/4" wide

Wondering if a 3-Core V6 Toyota Pickup radiator will work for the OM617, or if I need to go bigger yet. If someone could get them, I'd really like to know what the stock Mercedes rad dimensions were so I can compare. I made a friend in Missouri that builds custom radiators that I might end up having build one for me if I can't find anything I like.

I'll be slapping hopefully most of the engine together tomorrow. Hope to have it running by the end of Saturday.

 

Doing a little searching, what about these?

http://www.genesisautoparts.com/all_...ickup-1989.htm

They all have same dimensions, they just differ between 1 to 3 rows

 

i was gonna say.. get some sleep man!

 

The v6 rad is actually a little bigger than the stock merc rad. It should cool it fine. I'll let you know lol. I'd say stick with the stock oil cooler if you can. Yotaman. It's been a crazy week lol. Joe I hear ya with school. It's kicking my tail too.

 

Just an update on spring settling. I've driven approx 500 miles. Front has settled from 48 1/2" to 48"

 

I gotta say pyro, you really got me thinking about how I'm currently building my 84. I just read the entire thread, and I have to ask what kind and brand of paint did you use on the spindles and hubs?

 

Well all black is just boring! lol. I used rustoleum out of a can, thinned it down with mineral spirits, and sprayed it on with a suction feed spray gun. It will dry rock hard if given time, but it has to cure in 60 degree+ temps, otherwise it won't get good n' hard. The primer I used was SEM Self Etching primer. Good stuff, and expensive too. When I do the engine bay and the frame later on, I'm going to invest in some POR-15 and some SEM flat black. I'm going to do the engine bay flat black, and sand blast the rear half of the frame and clean up the inside of the frame up front once the engine's out and hit those with POR-15. I worked at a body shop for a year and definitely learned PREP WORK IS MOST IMPORTANT! With proper prep work, any paint should work good (but you do get what you pay for).

 

Engine is $H!T!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! EFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! NO COMPRESSION!!! The oil fill cap almost shot off just crankin it. Even with almost continuous ether it wouldnt fire. Anyone have a block I can buy?

 

sorry to hear that, I was looking foreward to seeing you rig that up.

 

Been there... twice. It sucks. I feel your pain. Seems to be the Benz Gods kicking us for tearing up their cars lol. Before you condemn that block make for darn sure your head is good. My head had to totally be redone so it could build compression. I had blow by like crazy too. Also pull the injectors and put some oil in the bores and try the compression test again to see. That will be a good indication of ring condition. Double check all of your timing too. Here is the thing. I would just rebuild the block you have rings and bearings are going to cost you about the same as a good used engine then you know what you have. I have a block out here but it needs re sleeved.

 

This entire thing sucks. I was on a tight deadline with it since I'm moving out in May, so now I'm really under pressure to get this sucker done, besides the fact that school's gotten extremely hard. Hey Joe, you wanna sell that blue car lol?

 

Joe- What exactly was wrong with your head that wouldn't let it build compression? Would this solve it?

http://catalog.peachparts.com/ShopBy...al+Kit&mode=PD

That's only $17, plus the pain staking efforts to install it. But still way better than roughly $450 for new rings and sleeves. I am going to put oil in the injector holes and do a compression test (both before and after) to see where I'm at with the pistons. Hoping I see no difference and that it's just a head issue. It'd be super easy to go pull another head at Pick N Pull, and then I could get my oil cooler while I'm at it, too. My diesel tech friend says he's positive I have bad rings on my pistons; the reason being, we gave it some quick whiffs of ether with no results, followed by some long jets of ether, still with no results. Usually when you shoot ether at something, it'll run off just that ether, then quit running. My engine wouldn't even make a pop. Not a single pop. That's why he thinks I need new sleeves, rings, etc. I'm just curious about what I can check on the head before I rip the block down.

EDIT* Brain storming all day. Here's 3 more things I'd like to mention. We plugged off all vacuum lines, which I don't think would affect anything. We had to use 3 batteries: 1 at 600 amp, 1 at 900 amps, and 1 at 950 amps. The mercedes starter was barely turning the flywheel, it was not cranking fast at all. And the third thing is that we never adjusted the valves. So could the valves all be screwed up enough to not be letting the valves close fully, allowing excessive blow-by?

EDIT #2** Sure enough, my valves are all tight as heck. Once I get time tomorrow or Tuesday I'll adjust them and try to fire it again. Hopefully all my valves aren't burnt.... Really angry that I forgot to soak the cylinders in Marvel Mystery and adjust the valves before we slapped it back together. We just got in a hurry.

 

My head had bad valve guides. They were worn enough that the valves weren't properly sealing. What you have listed is just the seals you would need the guides as well. I see no reason to re sleeve the engine unless the bores are out of round. Just mic them and hone em and re ring the pistons. Rings are like 200. As for the blowby. Take off the valve cover and watch where it is coming from If it comes from the t chain galley you are losing compression past the rings. If it comes from towards the rear of the head it is coming out of the valve guides. Mine came out everywhere. I should note mine wouldn't pop with ether either. Definitely check the valves. They are a straight biotch to set but they can really jack with compression numbers. If you are getting blowby though that is you're lost compression. I would lean towards rings. I know that my head was fubar because of loss of lubrication. I would think that would be less common than worn rings. If you get the chance shoot some wd40 in the intake while cranking and smell the blowby. If it is true blowby it will smell like wd 40. Definitely adjust the valves. before tearing it apart. Oh and I would be really cautious about a Pnp head you may get in the same boat. I don't know what one of their heads cost but I am getting mine fully re done for about 200. I am not sure about how fast you are turning it but my 300d doesn't really turn over that fast at all. It may be you have a bad starter. I think thats about all of it. I may have forgot something. Hey if you end up rebuilding this engine and need a hand I am not that far from you and would be glad to head down and lend a hand if it would help you some weekend.

 

Yep, valves are super tight. Pry gonna have to pull the injectors back out to adjust them. I got the engine back on the stand (that was fun by myself). Hopefully I don't need new rings! I'll know tomorrow hopefully. And thanks for the offer for help! I think I have enough though lol, yesterday at least 10 people stopped by to check it out. $200 to rebuild the head aint bad at all if that's parts and labor. Where'd you get that done at?

 

Might want to check the starter and or condition of those batts... no way you should need that much CCA to get her to turn...