More work on the W126

[TJ 450]

Porsche use the same Nikasil bores and the trick with them is fine wet and dry sandpaper but only one sweep back and forth from side to side - no more - to break the glaze and assist the rings to bed in.

Bill

It's not quite the same as Nikasil. Where Nikasil is a coating or plating of the alloy surface, these blocks are simply a casting with high silicon content. The surface is then prepared in a way that leaves the silicon structure sitting above the surface on a microscopic level. 

Link

MT, indeed it remains to be seen.

Tim

[TJ 450]

In a shocking turn of events, the block that was actually determined to be good has been destroyed. Oh well.

Tim

[s class]

What was the concern with it?  And where to now?

[TJ 450]

The casting cracked whilst trying to use a bottle jack to lift the LH head, whoops.

It's getting to that stage where I might just have to cut my losses and can the whole project, purchasing something more sensible like a W201 as a daily driver.

Tim

[s class]

oops.  Are you the kind of person prone to using bad language in these situations?  If not, these kind of situations will certainly get you started....

[s class]

Hmmm.  Depending what is cracked, and where, it may be repairable still.  There's a crowd near me that welds anything, and I once saw them welding up and machining a main bearing support that had torn out of an aluminium block. 

Maybe there is something like this neat you?  Of course, another used block may be cheaper. 

[TJ 450]

There's huge chunks out of the water jacket and other areas. It's beyond a joke unfortunately.

Occasionly, this is the sort of thing that happens at MT's place when beer consumption is involved. If I had done this at my leisure, the accident may have been avoided, but I made the wrong choice at the wrong time.

Clearly, a high compression Euro block and pistons was too good to be true, but at least I got an intake manifold.

There was no bad language as I remember, but I'm fairly certain I almost cried.

Tim

[Big_Richard]

Yeah that block is well and truly screwed now.

the head was simply not budging with the 3 seized studs going thru it, we were only able to at best move it a fraction of a millimeter. Then CRACK, game over.

I agree, that if TJ spent an entire week slowly drilling and working the head off the block may of been salvageable. But its too late to do anything about it now.

In hindsight what we were doing was completely retarded, alcohol cannot be blamed as i only had one, and TJ's was subsequently contaminated with angle grinder fragments so he only had half of one

[TJ 450]

Indeed, what's done is done. It's time to continue and do what is necessary to solve the problem.

That beer was enjoyable though.

Tim

[Big_Richard]

perhaps its time to go shopping for that s600L you've always wanted -

Hopefully with a decent service history using genuine MB coolant 

[TJ 450]

I reckon I'll hold off on the shopping for a little bit, but there's no doubt I'll be looking on the market for something good soon.

Tim

[nathan]

you two are crackpots.
what about a top quality white w123 230e?
and no we dont do layby!

[TJ 450]

Haha, nice one Nathan.

I haven't ruled out continuing with the 126 though, but my next purchase will indeed require a four cylinder engine, as I am covering about 300-400km per week these days.

I'm afraid a W140 is certainly not on the cards.

I am enquiring about a fully warranted and tested M116 380 engine in the meantime and weighing up my options.

Tim

[goldacre]

Hi Tim, check your email, a W126 420 motor has just popped up in Mukinbudin, should be cheap as chips or better  

I believe they have inter changeable parts between the 380 and 420? or just transplant the 420 and sell the 380 heads??

Its a 7/86 model

Goldacre

[TJ 450]

Excellent Goldacre, I just sent you an email.

Coincidentally, I phone up about the 380 heads the other day... they hadn't started them yet. So I requested a quote only due to the uncertainty.

Tim