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zmasterflex
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Sep 15, 2014, 4:06 PM
Post #1 of 6
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High Mileage Engine
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Greetings all. I'm looking at an older car, a 1996 Mercedes s600. It has some major problems and needs a lot of work but I'm thinking about taking it on as a project. My chief concern is the mileage as there is 266k on the clock. I'm just wondering if the 266K is an unavoidable pitfall or perhaps if I do a compression test on all of the cylinders (it's a V 12) I can get a better gauge as to the motor's health. Is high mileage a death sentence? Would a compression test tell me everything that I need to know? thanks
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 15, 2014, 4:24 PM
Post #2 of 6
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Re: High Mileage Engine
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How much can you expect? Every piece of that car has a quarter million miles on it.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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zmasterflex
User
Sep 15, 2014, 4:53 PM
Post #3 of 6
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Re: High Mileage Engine
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I don't "expect" much. I get a project car for free. Do I put in 30 hours of work to change the oil cooler gasket smack in middle of the motor? I get a really sweet ride for some labor (which I enjoy). This car has almost every luxury amenity etc. All I am asking is if a compression test is an end all for info or not.
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Hammer Time
Ultimate Carjunky
/ Moderator
Sep 15, 2014, 5:27 PM
Post #4 of 6
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Re: High Mileage Engine
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It's an indication or the basic health or the engine's internal parts but doesn't say anything about the thousands of other type failures you can and likely will have.
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We offer help in answering questions, clarifying things or giving advice but we are not a substitute for an on-site inspection by a professional.
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Discretesignals
Ultimate Carjunky
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Sep 15, 2014, 5:30 PM
Post #5 of 6
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Re: High Mileage Engine
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Compression test will tell you maximum amount of static pressure that can be developed in a cylinder. It really doesn't tell you the health of the engine. Vacuum gauge would tell you how well the engine is able to create manifold vacuum. 18-22 inches of mercury with a steady needle tells you the engine is running good enough to create that kind of vacuum and would give you an overall status of the engine's ability to breath. A leak down tester would be better at telling you how well the cylinder is sealing. Then again it won't tell you if you have oiling issues, worn bearings, bad oil control rings, transmission issues, etc.
Before you go all out on something like this, you might want to get an idea how much parts for something like this will cost and their availability. Benz parts are not cheap and they are not very reliable cars.
Since we volunteer our time and knowledge, we ask for you to please follow up when a problem is resolved.
(This post was edited by Discretesignals on Sep 15, 2014, 5:36 PM)
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Tom Greenleaf
Ultimate Carjunky
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Sep 16, 2014, 1:46 PM
Post #6 of 6
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Re: High Mileage Engine
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First post said it's high miles and needs a lot known and you want a project car out of an MB = Mercedes Benz or Mega Bucks for almost anything you need to do to it.
IMO lousy choice for a project or fixer upper car. Better as parts probably for another that is better or find a more run of the mill common car if you want to play fixing one up,
T
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