just joined
Hello all, just joined. I've got a K reg manual 300 GEL LWB petrol G-Wagen, and have been driving it for 13 years or more now. Love the car, but just lately have had a few things go wrong. Just been told today that the head gasket needs replacing at a cost of £1500-£2000, not sure if I should repair it or end the love affair. Thought I'd join the club see if I can get myself talked out of it !
I think i would change my garage before i change my car.....a head set for a 103 engine is less than £60 so i think they are trying to lift your leg somewhat. Shop around and get some more estimates , this is not a complex engine so any decent independant garage should be capable of doing a head gasket for a lot less than £1500 .
Steve
Hello and welcome!
sad news on the head gaske, I would follow the advice and maybe shop around, you maybe surprised and be able to save a lot of money with some of the advice given.
You mentioned there were some 'few things' are there any other problems we can help with?
Spider1V
I had a head gasket go on my BMW 528. Recon head was £400 and garage charged me £600 to fit, but 13 years of trouble free motoring aint bad, why end the love affair because of head gasget? Look after her and she will last another 13 years, if you can still afford the fuel to pour into it .
@ Neil, where are you? I know a place in Easr Mids that would be better and cheaper.
@ Steve, are you a Scot?
Cheers
Ian
Hello Neil,
Welcome onboard. Would you please share some of the faults that have lead your garage to conclude the head gasket needs replacement. There are other well known issues with the W463s'; I do not want to unnecessarily seed fear into you, but would ask you to describe the problems you are experiencing.
cheers,
I used A1 Premier Transmissions in Biggleswade to do work on my transfer box. They sourced the parts from MB without trouble. I'm sure that they would sort out your gearbox.
Welcome to the board.
A compression test will confirm if its a head gasket, mine deteriorated slowly over a 5 year period but gave no visible signs; I bit the bullet the year before last folowing a test, this showed that cylinders 2,3 and 4 were low on compression, new head gasket, skim and valves re seated cost £1000.
Hello Neil,
Oil in the expansion tank is an indicator of the head gasket. I can suggest two people with garages in the Wembley area should you be interested. I would like to add, the W463 radiators are well known for being problematic; blockages in their cores contributing to overheating. I would check for cold spots on the radiator core surface after a long drive.
I have a supplier, who can supply W463 radiators at circa £475. Options for re-coring can cost similar.
It is knee jerk attitude that mechanics' in the trade will say the head WILL need skimming, NOT SO! The head can be checked for squareness before deciding skimming the head; it is my belief most of these mechanics have not the straight edge tool (£50) or are comfortable in measuring for squareness. As a result they feel safer to skimming the head, after all, you as a customer is footing the bill.
Cheers
Whilst Rakesh is most likely correct on the need for a skim; to avoid it could be a false economy and in terms of overall cost of a cylinder head rebuild it is not significant.
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Hi all, thanks for the response.
The car was over heating badly, and the water in the expansion tank was like biege goo almost as thich as cream, I believe this is a sure sign of the head gasket going.
The transfer box was repaired in January after it locked up, and I have a long running problem with the syncromesh in the gearbox which was replaced after it blew on a French motorway about 5 or 6 years a go. It pops out of 4th gear if not under load and the syncromesh grinds if you are not careful with the revs when changing. I can't find anyone to repair it, seems parts from Mercedes are an issue. I don't want to put in another new one way too expensive, I'm kind of used to it now and drive it accordingly.
I'm based in London, so the Midlands would be too far, especially as it would over heat on the journey for sure, but thanks.
I have been with this garage for a very long time, I also have a 1982 240D which they look after, they have always been very reasonable in not charging me for some stuff, and talking me out of non essential work that would have been expensive. They are a Mercedes specialists, Schmitt Automobiles.
But I will ask for a breakdown of how they think it will reach that amount, maybe they are expecting more than just the gasket, they did mention sending the head a way to be skimmed.
Thanks for your help, may be I will soldier on with it.
I have a few cosmetic things need sorting too, like the drivers seat is very worn and needs replacing, any one know anywhere I can pick up good custom seat covers, a new seat is very expensive ?