280 SE/SL engine number cut-off for change over from square to oval head?

[Cees Klumper]

Hi everyone - I've used the search function but to no avail - does anyone know the engine number for the changeover from square to oval cylinder heads on 280 SL blocks? I have an original SL engine with the number 130983-12-007024. Seems relatively early to me, but would be grateful for that cut-over number. I know an oval or square combustion chamber head when I see one, but this block came to me without the head on it.

Alternatively, how can one tell from the engine block shape what type of cylinder head it needs?

Thanks!

[Jonny B]

Cees,

Here is the chart for the cylinder heads, to be published in the next issue of Pagoda Notes

[Cees Klumper]

Thanks Jonny - but this does not help me because it does not say at which engine numbers the switchover from square to oval chambers occurred. I've used this chart already several times and it's great for identifying which cylinder head one has. But I need to know which one I need.

[Eminent]

With that chart you can tell by the numbers on the head the shape of the combustion chambers.
I doesn't tell at what motornumber (which is on the shortblock) they made the switch form square to oval.
Looking at part store's don't clear things up.
Maybe EPC will help? But i have trouble's to get it work on my PC.

[Eminent]

Well...EPC-net works finally.
And i searched for the partnumbers of the gaskets as in the attachment below.
For partnumber 130 016 5420:
Up to engine:
983-12-007229
983-12-008784

For partnumber 130 016 5620:
As of engine:
983-12-007230
983-12-008785

It's not clear to me why i get two numbers where the switch from square to oval should be made.

[ja17]

Hello Jonny,

Yes, it looks like Eminent has a later version of the chart. with more numbers.

[tel76]

Several months ago one of our members( i think it was Jaco) informed us that there is a cylinder head gasket that must be used when you bore out the 280sl block to the max:.
When i queried this with my local dealer he could find no reference to it,does anyone have more info: on this gasket?

[Eminent]

According to EPC i found the next (specific for the 280SL):
Gasket 130-016-54-20 Up to engine 983-12-008784
Gasket 130-016-56-20 As of engine 983-12-008785

A third gasket is given. A line in EPC says: Standard, and up to repair size I and As of engine 983-12-008785.
The number of this gasket is  130-016-55-20
No idea why only one repair size is given.

Now, what's above is only for Europe version 280SL.
When i look for the 280SL USA version i get something different.
Gasket 130-016-54-20 Up to engine 983-12-007229
Gasket 130-016-56-20 As of engine 983-12-007230.
No info about gaskets for repair sizes at all now.
It's a nice program EPC, but sometime it makes things more confusing and i think your dealer used it also.
Also, keep in mind that this info is only for the left handed automatic (the number 12 in the engine number).

[Cees Klumper]

Thanks all - so it looks like, irrespective of the European or US EPC, the info tells us the block I have is for the square shape head.

As for the gasket, I would call at least two experienced parts suppliers (in The Netherlands Van Dijk, and in Germany SLS) and also the Classic Center to make sure I got the correct gasket, because there seems to be so much confusion on that aspect.

[jacovdw]

Several months ago one of our members( i think it was Jaco) informed us that there is a cylinder head gasket that must be used when you bore out the 280sl block to the max:.
When i queried this with my local dealer he could find no reference to it,does anyone have more info: on this gasket?

Guilty as charged...  

I could not find any additional info (to what Rini already mentioned earlier) on the gasket either or other repair size gaskets as with other engines (M180 for example).

...so it looks like, irrespective of the European or US EPC, the info tells us the block I have is for the square shape head...

That appears to be correct Cees.

...to make sure I got the correct gasket, because there seems to be so much confusion on that aspect.

It is not so much the gaskets that create the confusion, but one has to take into consideration that 3 different cylinder heads were used for the M130.983 engine. It also depends on the designated market.

Let me clarify further what Rini explained in his earlier posting.

If you look at the European market (assuming a LHD automatic 280SL) then you follow the following numbers:

Cylinder head A130 010 26 20 up to engine number 130.983 12 008784 (use gasket A130 016 54 20)

Cylinder head A130 010 67 20 from engine number 130.983 12 008785 (use gasket A130 016 56 20)

Now for the North American market (again assuming LHD automatic 280SL), things change slightly:

Cylinder head A130 010 26 20 up to engine number 130.983 12 007229 (use gasket A130 016 54 20)

Cylinder head A130 010 18 21 from engine number 130.983 12 007230 (use gasket A130 016 56 20)

So, it appears that only 2 gasket were used for the 2 markets based on the above engine number cut-off points based on the current EPC.
That would not mean that the EPC is absolutely correct either as I have found mistakes in the EPC in the past.

Coincidentally, the EPC I have access to is the same version the dealers use as well. That said, it is not always the easiest program to navigate your way around and as such it is easy to get confused. Nor is it crystal clear on some things as well.

On more that one occasion, I had to tell the parts guy at the dealers where to look on the EPC for a specific part/parts that I needed...

Cees, having said all the above and hopefully not cause more confusion, it would be great if you can get feedback from the parties you mentioned to confirm the correct gasket.
Maybe even add it to our Technical Manual for future reference.