Mercedes Pagoda 230 SL - 1965

[Abarthnorway - Remi L]

Hi!


As far as one can get from italian machinery - but in a way fascinating in its own way.

This is the first model of the SL Pagode series - 4 speed box - no aircon - and a small capacity inline 6. Not big in power but high in comfort. This engine has 2300 cc, 150 hp and mechanical Bosch injection. Interesting fact is that it has an air density valve on the fuelline that control the fuel pressure, so the mixture will always be correct even when driving at high altitude.... 1965! Revvhappy engine - needs 4000 and up to really get going - redline approx 6500. Car glides ahead like a dream in 150km/h even when the top is down.


The car is now ready for build, and the whole project feels like a neverendig process. This was high tech in 1965 - still complicated today.

Current status - ready for build. Now absolutely 100% rust free - was a true basket case in 2005.

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To the more interesting part - cylinder head - now 47 Years old:

Cylinderhead compared to a Fiat 8VTC

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Intake/exhaust side - see the threaded hole over the inlet ports - its for the injectors.

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Spark plug side

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Spark plug side

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Head face

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Combustion chamber

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Inlet valve 39 mm 9 stem - a "wall" of 2 mm surrounds the valve - 45`valve seats

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Exhaust valves sodium cooled 35 mm 11 stem - 45`valve seats I think

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Valve/ Cam/ Springs/ Rockers etc - SOHC ala Mercedes 65 - approx 10 mm valve lift

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Manifold stud 1

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Manifold stud 2

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Inlet port approx 34*36 bronce guides

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Broken stud 3

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Exhaust port rectangular - bronce valve guides

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corrosion

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coolant passage corrosion plug side

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coolant passage corrosion plug side

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coolant passage corrosion port side - lead inserts completely rotten

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This head need some good care - hopefully it will be fit for duty without the biggest repairs....
47 Year takes its toll on any engine, but at least this head seems to have the correct thickness - that means it has not been refaced a lot of times.
Fingers crossed.

Best regards

Remi Lovhoiden

[Menios]

Nice project there.
I will watch this space.
What are your plans with the engine and head?
Just repair or a touch up to improve driveability?

[Abarthnorway - Remi L]

Nice project there.
I will watch this space.
What are your plans with the engine and head?
Just repair or a touch up to improve driveability?

Hi Menios!


This car has been a constant headache since day 1, but my stubborness has prevented me from a cut and run.
All mistakes are a possibility to learn something....

The car was bought in 2004 with engine issues. I took cylinderhead and other pieces off because it ran very badly, and some major issues were adressed at that point. A very quick rebuild of the head followed. Most serious thing though was that the crank front pulley was 180 degrees off - and the engine almost jumped off its engine mounts when I got it - the pulley acts as some kind of weight on the crank and when fitted the wrong way the whole car shook violently. The car had been to several mercedes experts without finding the actual problem.... I sometimes do not understand how skilled and educated people can miss a thing like that. Too simple and obvious maybe. The good thing was that the ignition, injectors and lots of bits got changed during faultfinding. But spring 2005 it didn`t want to cooperate with me anymore, and I ripped the engine out and I have done nothing to it except dismantling.

Secondly I knew the bodywork needed some "small work" - under the cosmetic coverup and freshly painted shell - a body restoration was planned.
Here is how that ended:

Well this is how far it went - almost all outer panels and parts of the frame now renewed.....

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And after some more work:

Proper rust proofing

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Nut & Bolt restore

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Done

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Now:

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I would like the engine to be as good as the outside, and my expert body restorer is not neccesarily a good engine builder I have concluded! The consequence is that this head will be sent to GC for inspection - and most possibly an overhaul. I am not looking for power tuning, but making the best of the original setup without sacrificing too much originality - same same but different. So if You want an updates on the head - better ask him.... I am just crossing my fingers that the head will survive his critical analysis, without too many nasty sceletons falling out of the closet. I know already know that a lot of things needs to be done.

The block or crankcase I will probably build myself, and machining will be done by a reputable engine shop that is not the cheapest around. But excellent value for money....
Parts are expensive and a bit of a problem sometimes for the 1. series engine. I just cannot find piston rings to suit the pistons and they have weird sizes - the thickest approx 4mm thick. If I can source rings new liners will be fitted. An alternative is to fit new original oversize pistons, but they are so expensive that custom made forged ones are tempting. Haven`t come so far as to decide on it yet.

Regarding the injection system I am a novice - and anyone with experience of the Bosch mechanical injection pump fitted to the Pagoda feel free to share their knowledge. I am reading up on this pump at the moment, and it seems to be rather advanced like everything else on this car.

All in all I am a bit frightened of this car as it is very overengineered in most ways. Very complex and refined, and as I am used to the simpler but brilliant Fiat mechanicals I feel a bit overwhelmed at times.

This is a long term project, and will probably take another couple of years to complete - I will keep You posted.


Remi

[samo]

Hi Remi,

I am not a big fan of german cars, despite the fact the egineering is just fascinating but I am a fan of good restoration projects. Brilliant work! If you have any more pics of the before and after of the parts and body please publish them.

Best of luck, Samo

[TomLouwrier]

Oh dear Lord! What a job!
Yes, Mercs are complex high end machines today, and they were so back then too. I've seen some of these going through restoration and Hats Off To You for going this far with it. In the end you will certainly have a very beautiful and valuable car. That is; if you're actually counting money and hours on this one.

Looking at your head (well... your car's head I mean) there's quite some corrosion damage in the casting, the valves and the cam shaft. Hopefully you'll be able to save it. Personally I would absolutely try and do some work on the ports and chambers. Not to make a full racing machine out of it, but 'optimizing' is always good. That valve shrouding just can't be the best way.

Keep us posted, please!

regards
Tom

[Abarthnorway - Remi L]

Oh dear Lord! What a job!
Yes, Mercs are complex high end machines today, and they were so back then too. I've seen some of these going through restoration and Hats Off To You for going this far with it. In the end you will certainly have a very beautiful and valuable car. That is; if you're actually counting money and hours on this one.

Looking at your head (well... your car's head I mean) there's quite some corrosion damage in the casting, the valves and the cam shaft. Hopefully you'll be able to save it. Personally I would absolutely try and do some work on the ports and chambers. Not to make a full racing machine out of it, but 'optimizing' is always good. That valve shrouding just can't be the best way.

Keep us posted, please!

regards
Tom

Yes its been a tough project - I will never again even consider to start anything like this..... learning the hard way. Never count money or hours when restoring a car.......
It is a car with a certain value and charisma, and even though You can still find them in huge numbers - the really good ones are far between.

Regarding the head (and rest of the engine) there is lots and lots of work to be done, but considering its age of 47 years what can You expect? The corrosion is what worries me most - on the cam its only superficial, will have to see how deep the rot goes in the channels. Hopefully the ww2 tank robustness will save it. It really is solid piece of work!!
I do not understand why You mentioned inlet valve shrouding!?;-)......

Buying or sourcing another head is an option I consider - GC will have to inspect, and I will make my desicions from that report. The head will most probably be kept close to standard with only subtle modifications - Its going on the road, and originality has a certain value in these cars.

Will keep You posted.

Hi Remi,

I am not a big fan of german cars, despite the fact the egineering is just fascinating but I am a fan of good restoration projects. Brilliant work! If you have any more pics of the before and after of the parts and body please publish them.

Best of luck, Samo

No I am not the biggest fan either, never will be - but its a seriosly comfortable and pleasant experience to drive especially with the top ON. The issue here is that I am not the only person in my family. This is a nice wife car.... and gives me an excellent excuse to spend time and money on my italian hobbies:-)
Joking aside - will post some pictures in a while - I have thousands.


Best regards

Remi

[Nobby]

Really nice project you've got there.

The 230sl was one of the cars that really initiated my love of cars. Back when I was doing my A levels one of my Design Tech teachers wafted into the car park in a red 230sl convertible that he had just bought. It was only then that he mentioned to me that teaching was only his day job, and his real passion was restoring cars (and old bikes).

The next day he turned up in a E-type Jag! You always remember your favourite teachers.

[Menios]

Hi Remi,

Mercedes cars are not easy to play with, and everyone will go through some difficulties first.
But when the end result leaves you with a smile you forget all the pain you went through.
Being a mercedes owner myself (from another era but still old though) I can feel the confusion and sometimes the frustration.
All I can say is that you are in a point of no return and I see this work being complete soon. You have done the most difficult part which is the bodywork and it looks pretty.

Engine wise I know the trouble of finding aftermarket or replacement parts for mercedes engines.
Keeping the car original is the main constrain, but everything is possible.

My advice for the engine is as follows because the engine is quite old and it would be more economical to detect failed parts before rebuilding the engine.
1. Chemical bath the engine block and all internals (If you can have the block under X-rays it will be ideal for porosity issues and crack detection).
2. Crack detection on the cylinder head (porisity can be repaired and a port clean up from casting marks can improve driveability of the car).
3. If block requires over-boring go for it but if you can do with honning the cylinders only that should be OK. with some new piston rings (I believe that your engine block has no liners and wear shouldnot be that bad on cylinders).




All I can say is Keep Up the good work. It will be worth the pain.

Regards
Menios

[WhizzMan]

I love to see pagodas in good condition. It looks as if you're well on the road to get yours just tip top.

I'm very interested in seeing how this head will be restored, if that is going to happen. A lot of the corrosion damage on this head is not uncommon for aluminum heads in general and getting an idea on how to judge what repair to choose and how to perform it will be most educative.

[Abarthnorway - Remi L]

Head is now at GC for proper treatment.

Have seen too much of bad engine overhauls - not this time, not with this car.

Remi

[Guy Croft]

in progress at GCRE, indeed.


A bit slower than usual I'll admit but Remi has kindly indicated that this whole project will be ongoing for a fair time yet..

As the head stands at the moment we have done two weld ops and it has failed pressure test twice, the crack is deeper than I reckoned. Initially I thought the second infill had done the trick and we'd only need one new seat insert but we tried pressure test at higher pressure than normal and it just started to 'fizzle'. Now it will have to be chased out all over and deeper too. The shop that does the pressure-testing for us has their own in-house welder who is very, very good so we are just waiting for a 'slot' on that one.

G

[Rallyroller]

Could the welds be porous? Impregnating porosity would cure the porosity, but not a crack.

[parrish]

Nice bit of penetrant testing their Guy,
Good photographs of the crack, Their are formula somewhere that allow you to calculate the volume of the crack using the time/area spread of the penetrant coming from the defect, no so sure that would tell you the depth of the crack though!
I trust you will be carrying out Penetrant inspection again after repair.
The head being relatively thin looks suitable for X-Ray (not Gamma) aliminium is a good subject and cracks and porosity always show up reasonably well, film should be placed closest to the suspect area so that would be valve side, their may be more going on under the original crack.
Sometimes people are put off by X-Ray because they think its going to cost too much, not at all, find a local NDT company and give them a call i think you will find rates reasonable.
Regards
Steve

[WhizzMan]

I was wondering why so much effort was being put in restoring a head, but then I found out what an unrestored "as is" head costs. The "as is" means no warranty, so it could just as well have cracks as this one. I hope you guys get it fixed and we get to see a lot more pictures of the restoration and preparation.

[Daveyboy]

I feel your pain Guy, chasing out deep, old cracks in an ally casting and rewelding can be hugely frustrating. Aluminium castings can be horribly porous at the best of times, introduce a crack for oil/corrosion to get into and welding it becomes a very difficult task as any impurities trapped in a small pore or crack residue will give off vapours that ruin the gas shield and contaminate the weld pool, nasty.