1991 350SDL info

Don't buy a 350SDL; the 3.5L diesel, no matter the model, is an engine to avoid.

Find a '86 or '87 300SDL if you want a diesel.

By reputation, the 350 SDL engine is one of the most unreliable ever produced by MB.

I've talked to a mb tech and if the cat converter was removed before it started disintigating your engine would be ok. Is there any other problem besides that cat converter? the vehicle I'm looking at had 2 factory campaigns done on it in the year of sale and the owner was a diesel nut who changed oil, filers, trans, differential etc every 4 months.

noth>

This is totally false. The defects associated with the 350 turbodiesel are, in order of likelihood: 1. Massive oil consumption due to defective design; 2. Bent connecting rods due to defective design; 3. Windage tray breaks, attaching bolts fall into pan and get absorbed by oil pump gears, destroying engine; 4. Random vacuum pump failure causing massive engine failure; 5. random injection pump drive bearing failure causing ,assive engine failure... notice I haven't come to the catalyst yet?

Bill Ditmire Ditmire Motorworks,Inc.

425 White Horse Pike Absecon,NJ 08201 609-641-3392

The man who told you about a "cat converter" doesn't know what he's talking about. The '86 300SDL had a ceramic soot filter mounted next to the engine. It was later removed and replaced with a straight pipe under a M-B campaign. Those engines are 3.0L and don't have the major problems of their 3.5L successor.

It's your $$, all $7,500 +/- for a replacement engine.

And Bill's list are only the one's that totally destroy the engine. My father's personally experienced a blown apart alternator pulley at

20,000 miles that totally screwed up the front of engine accessories, blown head gasket at 85,000 miles, blown water pump internal seal at 90,000 miles, blown transmission at 120,000 miles, and that was just the bigger stuff. There have been a multitude of smaller more normal issues with the engine that I won't bother listing. It's a nice chassis. Think gas or get the diesel really cheap.

-H

Mine must be weird. All I've replaced in the last 50,000 since I purchased the car are glow plugs, brake pads and tires. Only burns oil when run for extended times at 80+ MPH.

Chris

1991 350 SDL 153,000??

Not every 350 will fail. The failure rate is high. It is not 100%.

But say, I was picking a car to send my parents across the country in. Sending them in a 350 diesel would be analogous to sending them out with a hand grenade rolling around under the seats with the pin halfway out.

Bill Ditmire Ditmire Motorworks,Inc.

425 White Horse Pike Absecon,NJ 08201 609-641-3392

Frank, if because of the comments here, you decide not to buy this vehicle, how about letting me know of its location. I have had the '91 350SDL since '93.... just approaching 200,000 miles with absolutely no engine problems and looking for a duplicate.

The oil consumpsion was due to an incorrectly marked dip-stick from MB. I have a '90 350SDL with 205,000 miles, Twice yearly I drive from the Tampabay area to Birmingham, AL, depending on speed, with only one tank of fuel each way. Besides the usual M-B problems, it has been relatively trouble-free. Paul

Re: 1991 350SDL info Group: alt.auto.mercedes Date: Tue, Oct 14, 2003, 5:12pm (EDT+4) From: snipped-for-privacy@tampabay.rr.com (PDM) The oil consumpsion was due to an incorrectly marked dip-stick from MB. I have a '90 350SDL with 205,000 miles, Twice yearly I drive from the Tampabay area to Birmingham, AL, depending on speed, with only one tank of fuel each way. Besides the usual M-B problems, it has been relatively trouble-free. Paul On Sat, 11 Oct 2003 00:28:33 GMT, Frank Bertrand wrote: Hello. I have a 84 123 and thinking of upgrading to a low milage real nice 91 350 SDL. I would appreciate any comments pro or con. thanks to all

YOU MEN ARE LUCKY

the case, minus a few cans!