W201 Diesel head gasket blues... :(

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owbow

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Mar 25, 2012
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C220 with blown head gasket
Well this looks like a good forum, just looking at the first page all the posts have replies! Excellent. Well I've just got my first ever MB, an old W201 C220 estate with what should be a lovely reliable non-turbo diesel in it. Now herein lies the rub. I got it home and the head gasket blew. Ok, well the chap I got it from says 'I'll supply the parts' so ok, but I asked him to get me a genuine or Payen head gasket. He didn't, and got a BGA set which if I'm honest, looked rubbish from the outset. Actually cut my hand quite badly just getting the exhaust gasket out of the packet!

I've had the head skimmed and examined (but not pressure tested, that's impossible in Ibiza.)

Well anyway, the first day after repairing it all she started leaking oil out the back of the gasket. 50km later she blew all the water out and is failing my CO2 test.

So here's the actual question: Head gasket again, caused by it being rubbish and oil contamination, or cracked Head?

Thanks! Owain.
 
Yeah, either that or drive it to the bins while it's still driveable... It really is a 50/50 decision at the moment.
 
Was the gasket a 220 diesel gasket or a petrol gasket and what construction was it, fibre, composite, MLS?

Unless the gasket has just blown apart I can't see it being that and would look more towards the installation. not being quite right.
 
Gasket was a very cheap and nasty looking grey flimsy composite type. Said diesel on the packet.

Damn, damn, damn.... I knew I should have got a MLS one but it had been up on stands for a month while I waited for the chap to get me the parts. She had new bolts and it's not the first gasket I've done (there's always a chance of a balls-up but I doubt it on this one.)

One other question. When I enquired I was told no, but can you get thicker gaskets, as the head did have a (very light) skim?

Oh one more... Glow plug light was coming on intermittently, could the failure of one or more glow plugs cause unburnt diesel to hydraulic-lock, thereby wrecking the gasket?

If I can lay blame on the gasket I'll be happy, as there don't seem to be a lot of heads out there.

Thanks again,
Owain.
 
Last edited:
My mistake... It's not a 190, it's a C220 estate. Must be a W202 then. 16v indirect injection diesel.
 
Yeah my mistake. W202 it is. Can't edit that heading now either.
 
No prob that link should take you to the REINZ part no in the online catalogue.
 
The more I think about it the more I suspect it's just that crappy gasket. I mean when I revved the engine with the header tank cap off it came out like a fire hose. Surely that much gas couldn't escape through a crack that wasn't visible when the head was skimmed?
 
I doubt the head is cracked and leaking both oil and water.

As you already know, Payen MLS are good. I've fitted two recently to other make diesels and had no problems.
 
Well the oil was definitely seeping out between the head and block at the gasket, I don't suppose it's unreasonable to assume a gasket that's incapable of retaining oil at what, 60psi, to also be incapable of retaining the compression pressures of a diesel, especially after a skim.

Ah well, head off and have a nose I suppose.

It's so annoying when you fit a part that you don't like the look of and it proves to be just as cack as you suspected, but even worse when it means this much work to go in there again!

Ps. Do CLK230 Kompressors burn exhaust valves a lot? Had one out here that wrecked a valve on cylinder 3, put it all right and a year later she's melted one on No.4, and the customer thinks it's my fault (I did suggest all new valves at the time but he wouldn't stand it.)

Owain.
 

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