Engine hunt success story ! ! + questions

[lurtch]

Hello fellow Pagoda-Men

I just purchased a complete M130.980 in order to provide a good rebuild core for my future engine change project. I think I may have STRUCK GOLD but I am not sure.

This engine came out of a 1970 280SEL about a year ago. It was removed so the new owner could install a 4.6 Ford V-8. Although it was impossible to verify the number of miles on it, here are some "good news" facts:

There is almost no external grease and grime, indicating an engine that has not done much work. The group of three-bolt cover plates under the exhaust manifolds show almost no deterioration. The black paint on the block looks pretty good as well.
 
The hoses and hose clamps are the OEM type for a Mercedes rebuild. The head looks like it was put on 5K miles ago. Serial Number:  130 016  32  01. Does this number  jive?

Below the engine number stamping boss are the rivet holes that may have held one of those supplementary data plates indicating  a factory rebuild. However the plate is missing. The serial number is 038218. My current M130.980 engine, has a serial number of 010866.  QUESTIONS:  When Mercedes re-manufactured one of these engines did they machine off the old number and stamp in a new one?   and:  are there, in fact, different series's of M130's?  i.e.  10XXX,   20XXX,  30XXX,  40XXX ?

One more thing - - there are the letters "CR" cast into the area adjacent to the serial number. QUESTION:  What does that stand for? Curiously enough,  "chrome ring"  translates into "Chromringe".

 
And best of all: The fellow I bought it from also said the previous owner had had the F.I. pump overhauled the year before he sold it to him. There are external indications that that is believable because of the fresh look of the cad plating on control levers, piston galley covers and the B-nuts. The presence of slippage mark paint on all the fasteners is also something not commonly seen.

All I really wanted was a good short block core.  Did my $125 purchase price get me a lot more than I bargained for?






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[ja17]

Hello Lurtch,

You got a bargain no matter what.  The scrap value of the metal alone must be worth nearly $125.00 these days!

Mercedes discontinued the separate serial plates at some point, possibly after the 250SL? Afterward the engine blocks were simply stamped with the serial number (as seen on flat area of your block). New replacement engines or blocks from Mercedes were left entirely blank.

As a result it appears that your engine is not a factory replacement.  You have the later 280 series engine with the "oval" combustion chambers.

You got a real bargain here, nice find!


Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio

[Peter van Es]

Lurtch,

I changed your post and the file names of the pictures you uploaded to make them work. When uploading pictures please do not insert any characters other than letters, digits or - and _ in the file name... they WILL give problems.

Please check: http://www.sl113.org/forums/faq.asp#GetForum

Peter

1970 280SL. Also known as 'admin@sl113.org' and organiser of the Technical Manual.

[drewsalisbury]

Lurtch - at the price you hit a home run!  
BTW the exchange engine in my 280sl has stamped numbers and a tag

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Drew Salisbury
1971 280sl auto