>> You mean to tell me that it is >> literally that easy to destroy a Mercedes Benz?
> Or anything else with an aluminum head. > -- Jim > Yeah--just ask any long-time VW or Peugeot (that dates me!) diesel > owner. All aluminum-head diesels seem to eventually crack and/or > warp. My brother the diesel mechanic thinks its thermal shock. Over > and over and over, and you get cracks. The heads literally just wear > out from cracking, and you need a new one every 150k miles or so. > I've owned 3 VW d's, and every one of 'em has cracked a head, even > with no overheating. And the Peugeot 504D--hell of a car. I'd take it > over a 240D. Wonderfully engineered, with wet liners and everything. > But a damned aluminum head. After you could no longer get parts for > them over here, you had a lawn ornament. Love my 617 with nearly 300k > miles and the original head and head gasket. > Dan ---------------------------------- Years ago I knew a semi-retired mechanic, Oscar, who had been chief mechanic at (Warshawskis?) shop in Chicago. At that time Peugeot gas engines (504s?) were still around and still famous for their durability. Both the Russian (Moskva taxis?) and Japanese Toyota had copied them for their cars. (You could set that Peugeot engine alongside a Toyota engine and could barely tell them apart.) Peugeot had come out with their first aluminum head diesels, which I was dubious about because of experience with VW Beetle heads warping and aircraft engines being damaged from shock cooling. Oscar thought the Peugeot aluminum head diesels would hold up fine because of Peugeots reputation for expert engineering and I didn't. They didn't, and Peugeot re-engineered them; but it hurt their reputation. It was one of the few times Oscar was wrong and I was right. He was one of the most knowledgeable mechanics I've ever known. Gerry _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new parts see official list sponsor: http://www.buymbparts.com/ For used parts email [EMAIL PROTECTED] To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
