[W126 Coupe] 560SEC cracked engine block - how??

[Dawid Loubser]

Hi All,

Just to give an update, I have finally found a second-hand replacement
motor which has been fitted by my mechanic, after doing all necessary
preventative maintenance, and he is very happy with how it runs (I pick
my car up tomorrow).

Took a while to find one, but at about $3000 for an (excellent) motor,  
this
turned out a lot cheaper than a full rebuild (I hope the day when I  
have to fund
one of those doesn't come too soon!)

Thank you all for the help and kind words on this list, you are all  
stars.
I hope to be a happy SEC driver from tomorrow onwards, and if there is  
one
lesson I have learned from this experience, it's this:

With a 560SEC, when you suspect something is wrong, stop IMMEDIATELY and
tow your car to safety, do not even drive it one block, or "hope for  
the best".
When these magnificent engines go, they go badly.

kind regards,
Dawid


On 04 Nov 2010, at 6:34 PM, Dawid Loubser wrote:


> Well, it's happened -

>

> Without any particular overheating, or other problems, my regularly- 

> maintained

> 1990 560SEC Euro has developed a crack in the engine block (my  

> mechanic just showed

> it to me today) and thus needs to be replaced (at immense cost,  

> obviously). He will

> present the options to me tomorrow. Basically, my car did start to  

> overheat, and steamed

> out of the exhaust, but I immediately stopped driving the car, and  

> towed it to my local

> specialist. I can't believe it overheated for long enough to cause  

> this sort of damage,

> I barely expected a ruptured head gasket.

>

> This all comes as a bit of a shock to me, I know this is going to be  

> incredibly expensive

> to sort out. I would like some opinion from the experts around here  

> - has this happened to

> you? Why would this happen?

>

> I am looking at other options, such as simply finding a good other  

> engine (which I might

> have a good lead on) - but honestly speaking, I am still in a bit of  

> shock.

>

> kind regards to you all (I've been a lurker on this wonderful list  

> for a *long* time - too long,

> in fact)

>

> Dawid

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