W187 M180 Cylinder Head - In search off...

[PPATEL]

Hi All, just found out that my cylinder head (M180-010-1020) has a small crack in the cast iron behing the valve seat of the Number 3 cylinder and has been leaking radiator fluid and mixing it with my oil. I had the engine rebuilt 300 Km ago and I am now in search of a replacement (new or used) cylinder head.

Also if anyone has any ideas of the M180.010.9620 (Unimog head) or any other replacement solutions, I would much appreciate your help.

Regards,

Pran

[Henry Magno]

You can use any aluminum head from the 220/220S series through the late fifties with the shaft type rocker arms. You can use a 220 Sb head 60-655 but you will need to use the cam towers, cam, and a different chain. I'd recommend sticking with the rocker shaft head, at least it is closer to the original. A low compression aluminum head would have been supplied as a replacement anyway by MB, probably as early as 1954. If you get a 7.6 or 8.7 head, try to use the camshaft that goes with it for maximum benefit from the higher compression ratio.

Definitely do not replace this with another cast iron head as they were prone to cracking.

[Scott Montoney]

Also make a note that the head gasket is unique for each head as the combustion chamber is slightly different shape.

[Henry Magno]

Yes, very good point. Also, one of the gaskets from MB had a mistake, I think it was the 7.6 gasket. We went around with that for a while, right Scott? I wonder if they fixed it. A water passage hole was in the wrong place, one of the ones right between the combustion chamber rings.

As for the Unimog, I believe that the M180 that was put in the Unimog was a lower compression version, maybe the 6.5 or 6.7 220 head. They do crop up. Manfred Prinz Westfierld 4x4 (ebay blueman636) is a good place to ask. You might find a new one.

[PPATEL]

Henry and Scott, thanks for your replies, makes feel better that I can put in a Aluminium head rather Han the original, as I could run into same issue again.
Thanks Again!

[Scott Montoney]

Yes Henry, your memory is excellent!
That was several years ago but I wouldn't be surprised if there were still some out there.  I did have to relocate two holes for the water ports that were incorrect in the gasket.
Somewhere in my desk is a folder of documentation on that little nightmare.