W124 300d headgasket / overheating

[Deleted member 11979]

About a year ago, I sold a very tidy 1990 W124 300d estate to a friend, who looked after it lovingly, driving it and improving it, until a week or so ago the aux drive belt snapped. This resulted in an extremely hot engine and a blown head gasket.

In a fit of emotion I have agreed to but it from him, rather than see it scrapped, its done c.350k miles and having lived in the south of France for some time is completely rust free, and well, just a lovely old car!

My question concerns getting it back on the road.

It was still running when it was stopped, and still turns over, but obviously wont start, and sounds as if it has low compression. Apparently some oil was squirted out of the engine, assume through the blown gasket.

Is the engine likely to be able to be saved, or is it better to forget it, and source a second hand one. I'd prefer to keep the original engine in the car, but I'm not keen on getting it completely rebuilt due to cost. I've had head gaskets replaced before, and am comfortable with the cost, but have never dealt with an engine that has got extremely hot before, and am not sure if these engines are prone to being lunched by such an event.

Thanks for any info

 

[carat 3.6]

Judging by what you've written I would go for another engine, If your friend has let it get hot enough to kill the head gasket it will need other repairs. And at 350k it's due a freshen up anyway.

Budget at least 1k to fix your current engine.