Weird Engine Number

[SteveK]

Hi all, just started working on my car and find I have an engine number I can not identify.   It has a E-9.5 on top and then below it has 130 016 08 01.   My car is a 230SL and I was told the engine had been changed to a 280SL engine sometime during its life.  It's running real well but I would still like to figure this out.  Any ideas?

[SteveK]

Looks like I messed up and read the head number instead of the block number.  I re-looked and found 130-983-12-008895.   Now I understand what I have    Still will have to figure out what transfered over with it when it came?

[Klaus]

The E-9.5 is actually meant to be a Greek Epsilon and says that the compression ratio of the engine is 9.5

[graphic66]

Premium fuel only, if it is 9.5:1. Or as you say it could be a 9.5:1 head and some other block.

[SteveK]

Thanks for the insight.  So far all I have put in was premium so I'll stick with it!   

[ja17]

Yes yours is a late 280SL engine.  Here is a chart showing your cylinder head number

[SteveK]

Excellent data, thanks!!!!!!!!!!!!!   Next question:  would it be safe to assume that when this engine was installed, all of the periferals from the 230 engine would have stayed, or are there components that may have come from the 280sl?

[ja17]

Most parts are the same or closely resemble each other.  I can't really answere the question without seein what is in there.

[Benz Dr.]

The late 280SL engine is very different from a 23oSL engine. At the least you would want to have the stronger 280SL clutch and pressure plate - the 230SL unit would probably slip. Some of the plumbing around the engine is also different so you have to figure this out in a way that makes it all work.

I did a 250SL that had the late 280 engine in a box of parts. The rebuild went OK but when I started the engine it wanted to over heat. I changed the water pump and thermostat but it made no difference. I've never had this problem before and how I fixed it was to change the thermostat housing cover. The replacement had a place for a thermo switch to be installed. I removed that and filled the system with coolant until it just began to run out the hole. After installing a screw plug the engine started and ran right at 180 and came up to temp at a slow even pace. One thing to watch out for is a sudden and drastic rise in temperature when the car is started from cold. This usually indicates air in the cooling system. It will over heat very quickly while a normal system rises slowly and stops at the rated thermostat temp.