Mercedes OM606 What do we know about them?

Other than the OM617, I'm pretty novice to Merc diesels, and that's not to say I know a whole lot about the OM617.

Navigating the rabbit hole that is, suggested Youtube videos, I discovered the newer I6 24V turbo 3.0l OM606. Wiki says 174 HP and 243 Lb Ft stock. Most of the videos I've seen must be exponentially more than that. I've seen 250 HP, 300+ Lb Ft numbers tossed around by what appear to be simple builds, and claimed 450-500 Lb Ft from slight more involved builds . My own google sleuthing says folks are chipping the OM606 ECM and gaining "up to" 40 HP and 70 Lb Ft with zero additional mods. More performance can be had with modding the injection pump, turbo, and usual stuff.

The injector pump from the older OM603, assuming it's somewhere between the 617 and 606 in the Merc diesel lineage, allegedly bolts to the OM606 making it fully manual, i.e. no ECM needed, and a "simple" swap candidate.

Apparently the OM603 isn't as robust or as easy to make power with as the OM606 or folks would just be using the 603.

I've read a lot of Euro builds/swaps, watched a lot of mostly Euro videos, but US stuff doesn't seem as common.

Do we have a resident "expert?" Wiki says the turbo version OM606.96X was available in the mid-late '90s S, E, and G series, but I'm guessing that wasn't the case for US cars, at least a nation wide search on Car-Part's inventory only produced E300 examples.

So what's the best source for one of these in the States? Anyone built one?

The 98-99 OM606 turbo from a E300 is like the Honda B-series of diesels. They are capable of massive amounts of power. Go on youtube and search om606 superturbodiesel. Shops like Dieselmeken in modify the mechanical pump fueling and you install a big Holset turbo and voila! The stock turbo is small and has a strange three bolt flange The non turbo version found on 95-97 e series is still good for about 300 hp, but the td version is better suited for bigger power. There is a ton of info on www.superturbodiesel.com

Dang only available for 2 years?

Looks like it'd be cheaper to buy a complete car, used long blocks are $1200-$2000, and most require a core. There's a few ~150K mile cars within 400 mile radius of me for around $4K.

I'm kind of digging the E300, W210, was there a wagon (estate) with an OM606 in the States?

Any scoop on the OM603? I assume it's an improvement over the OM617, it's got one more cylinder than the 617 but 12 less valves than the 606, I read some about cylinder head issues on the 603.

I know a guy who stuffed one converted to mech injection into a 67 Ford Falcon wagon, with a stick. Plans were to make big power. I haven't seen it in person yet.

There are 3 different cars in the US that came with the om606, 1995 e300d non turbo w124, I drove one once and other than major transmission issues it seemed nice, but both transmission and major wiring problems seem common with the ones for sale. The 1996 was the first w210, with the same transmission as the 95, but less wiring issues but adding the dangerous level of front suspension rust in salty places. The 1997 has the 722.6 electronic transmission, but is mostly the same as the 1996 otherwise. I have never driven a 96, but most 97s have a "check engine electronics" message likely related to the weird variable intake manifold. Then last the 98 and 99 with the same transmission and the 606 turbo. I have a 98 with 240k miles, they handle decent for their size and have plenty of power, they are pretty cheap and plasticy compared to the older ones though. It's also usually a very expensive job (there was a receipt for $3k I got with mine) to change the glow plugs on am om606 because they stick and snap off, then the head has to come off and go to a machine shop to take them out.

Because of the glow plug issue, the dangerously rusty front suspension (as in a arms snapping in half or spring perches coming off), and the annoying electrical issues with the 722.6 transmission (I am probably going to have to sell mine due to this, once I satisfy myself that I have done the best I could to fix it rather than just quitting because I am annoyed with it) I feel obligated to tell you not to get one, but if none of that sounds bad at least you have been warned .

People take the 98-99 engine swap over to a earlier mechanical injection pump and install into a w124 rather than the unloved w210. The om603 is a good engine and light years more powerful from the om617. There are certain cyl heads with issues. Peachparts mercedes forum has good info on merc diesels as well.

The certain heads with issues are all of the stock ones, the later factory replacements were better, often found on the 3.5 version.

Okay... I know this topic is 3 years old, but a LOT can happen in 3 years. I just found this post yesterday, but I have been playing with MB Diesels since the 90s and have a couple friends in Sweden who own numerous HOT ROD MB Diesels. Their popularity is taking off here in the US now.

Here are a few facts for y'all... Yes, there were a few bad OM603s in the late 80s and very early 90s, but the bad ones are gone by now and they can hold 350-400 hp from changing the injection pump to a 7.5  ($800-1200), a custom exhaust header (~$800), and turbo ($300+).  No opening of the motor otherwise.. No cams, ignition or voodoo trickery needed. OM603s are all mechanical (for the most-part) and are awesome for cars, trucks and off-road vehicles, because they take minimal maintenance, are 100% durable and easy to fix. There are a few places who now sell/make adapter rings for OM60X for easy trans swaps into a lot of different chassis. My friend in Sweden has a 32 Ford with one that he took from an old taxi with over 400k km, put a 7.5 Dieselmeken pump on it and the biggest turbo he could find and beat on it for 5 years before he blew a head gasket! He also has a '56 Caddy with one in it too. Stock 722.3 4spd transmissions too. A few BMW manuals fit easy if that's how you want to go and have great sources to find them. Again, that is OM60X motors (602, 603, 605 & 606)

OM606s are the Superstar motor, but the CDIs are now just being figured out and making even more power! An OM606 can run a full mechanical pump, where you can put it in anything without a computer and with any transmission. Without opening the motor, they'll handle 400-500 WHP reliably and still get around 30mpg! Again, all one needs to change is the injection pump (7.5 mm for street, 8mm for serious power! 600+), exhaust header, turbo and add a bigger inter cooler. For maximum tune ability, you can opt for an E Injection pump in 7.5 or 8mm, and a DSL1 computer. The 5 spd 722.6 transmission is great as well, either have it rebuilt to AMG V8 specs or find an AMG trans to use, but they're electronic too and should use an OFGear trans controller. With the DSL1 you can tune your fuel delivery, boost pressures, redline, etc. and with the OFGear (which will talk to each other) one can adjust line pressures for shift firmness, shift points, paddle shifters, etc. For serious power & high revs (6000-8000) there are beefy rods, main cradles and valve spring kits. THAT's IT!  For a gas motor to make 500+ WHP from 3 liters, you need cams, ignition boosters, pistons, cranks, rods, head work, on and on.. AND you still won't get anything close to 30 MPG! Dale at DieselpumpUK puts these motors in Gwagens, 124s, 123s, a classic Charger and his own Ford F-250! He makes lots of parts and Dynos these all the time. FTune makes a lot of parts and builds these all the time, as does the crazy Russian at Turbobandit. My friend in Sweden has an OM606 in his '55 Caddy and another with a supercharger in a 34 Volvo chassis. There's a new company here in the US that is importing lots of the Euro parts, BenzForce. 
 

The common rail Diesels after the OM606 (I forget their numbers) are currently being tested/tuned by Baldur Gislason (DSL1 creator) in Iceland and the Black Smoke Racing guys in Finland, among other awesome builders on SUPERTurboDiesel.com

I track my 99 E300 and even autocross it in its mostly stock form now. 

 

You are wrong about the bad OM603s all being gone, they were sold in the USA 1986-87 for the 3.0 ones and 1991-94 for the 3.5 ones.  The 86-87 ones are ok with a newer head, but most still have the original, and I just blew the head gasket in mine.  The 3.5 ones have issues with bending the connecting rods, and once they start showing symptoms (excessive oil consumption) the block is junk too. 

What do you do for brakes on your W210?  The brakes on mine were pretty bad, I had to replace the rotors twice due to warping them so bad, and I was once the chasee in an 85 mph road rage chase through a downtown area (not ideal or recommended but seemed better than getting murdered by an angry redneck in a brodozer at the moment) and by the time I removed myself from the situation the brakes were so hot they barely worked.  I was planning to put E55 brakes on it if I had kept it.

What i know is: WANT, but they are not that easy to find around here. 

I call it the Mercedes 2jzgte. 

In reply to Vigo :

Look for one in a place that cars don't rust, because W210s rust quite badly, which leads to catastrophic failure of the front suspension (either upper spring perch coming off, or the ball joint end of the lower control arm snapping off).

This is my daily driver.  It is a 99 E300 that is a E55 clone.  The complete suspension, brakes, body kit, and seats have been swapped from a E55.  The engine has a EGR delete, cat delete, Sean Treacy ECU, and hybrid stock turbo.  It is a great daily driver, gets good mpg, and is excellent highway car.  I am guessing the engine has 250+ hp now and a ton of torque right off the line.   I would like to swap the doors off of a rust free car onto mine.  I have treated some surface rust on the car, but nothing too serious.

I want an OM606 in my Mazda B4000 so badly I can taste it.

Unfortunately it is a full 11" longer than the Lima in it now.  Unless I want to hang the radiator in front of the grill, I don't see it happening.

In reply to Curtis :

V mount the radiator in the bed. Problem solved. 

I thought seriously about using two smaller radiators; one behind each headlight and letting the engine stick into the grill area.

In reply to Curtis :

They made 5 cylinder ones too (although only in europe), and I think even 4 cylinder ones but I don't believe those were turbocharged.

Even the 5-cyl was a bit long.

Truth is... even the 4-cyl is too long, but do-able.  The V6 in there is only 3-cylinders worth of length and particularly petite.  It's 24" from the bellhousing flange to the crank snout.  I'm doubling the number of cylinders in a row to get the I-6.

But, someday.  Anything will fit anything with a torch and a welder.  If you curiously see a long-nose Mazda pickup someday, you'll know i did it.

In reply to Tk8398 :

Sorry that you got one that wasn't fixed yet, I have had 3 and they've all been great. 
 

Brakes as of now are just E55 AMG (Brembo) but I am talking to a guy about upgrading to CLS55 (6/4) piston AMGs with the 360/330 disks. 

In reply to ccrelan : She's a BEAUTY! 
 

In reply to Tk8398 : Good thing is that the engine can be put into ALMOST anything. 

Travis_K said:

...1995 e300d non turbo w124, I drove one once and other than major transmission issues it seemed nice...

I'm curious how the power of this NA Diesel compares to the older I-5 NA Diesels of the 1980s.  I have driven a 190D from the 80s and acceleration was abysmal at best, but on the highway the engine was nice.  A friend also had a 240D that was even lower on HP but with a manual it could leave a stop light quicker than the 190D with an Automatic.

I found a '95 300D for sale locally but don't want to waste my time going to test drive it, if it's a much of a slug as the older NA Diesels.  

Fairly certain every M-B diesel prior to 98 was pretty dang slow. Even moreso in the modern era where every rental car seemingly has 200hp and an 8speed transmission.

rogue_ryder said:

I found a '95 300D for sale locally but don't want to waste my time going to test drive it, if it's a much of a slug as the older NA Diesels.  

The om606 NA is a slug. Slower than the older OM603 Turbo for sure. The W124 300D Turbo is 143hp which is nothing to seeze at, even compared to today. More power and less weight that my GF's TDI Jetta.

The 190D manual is glacial, I couldn't image one with an auto

In reply to Travis_K :

The older Mercs had severe front suspension rust issues too.  Something about the front stabilizer bar, which was also half of the upper control arm, breaking free of the body.

In that era, Mercedes used biodegradable wiring insulation (probably literally) and it crumbles underhood.  I had done many of the final spark ignition inline sixes where the coil harness was almost entirely bare of insulation.