1990 Used Mercedes Engines For Sale | Auto Power Source

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1990 Used Mercedes Engines For Sale

10 verified used 1990 Mercedes engines in stock, every one an inline-six. Six are the 3.0L single-cam petrol six our read puts at M103, across the 124 Type 300E (rear-drive and 4Matic listed apart), 300TE and 300CE and the 126 Type 300SE and 300SEL; one is the 2.6L version of the same family; one is the 3.0L six in the 129 Type 300SL; and two are turbodiesels - the 124 Type 300D and the 3.5L in the 126 Type 350. Mercedes catalogues this era by chassis Type code, and most of these listings print the Type and the nameplate but no engine number, so every code on this page is our read of the listing rather than a promise. Your VIN settles it. Every unit is VIN-matched, ASE-tested by certified technicians, photographed before shipment, and backed by a warranty (standard term by model year, extended coverage up to 3 years) plus 30-day money-back. Free freight nationwide.

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1990 Mercedes Engine Families

Which engine sits under which 1990 Mercedes, and how many of each we hold today.

Engine family Fits (1990) In stock
M103 3.0L SOHC Inline-Six 124 Type 300E 3.0L (RWD and 4Matic AWD listed separately), 300TE, 300CE; 126 Type 300SE, 300SEL. M103 is our read of these listings, not a promise - your VIN settles it. 6
M103 2.6L SOHC Inline-Six 124 Type 300E 2.6L (VIN 26, 6th and 7th digits). Smaller-displacement M103 by our read of the listing, not a promise - not interchangeable with the 3.0L; your VIN settles it. 1
3.0L Inline-Six - 129 Type 300SL 129 Type 300SL only. The listing prints a Type code with no displacement or engine number: a 1990 300SL 3.0L six was built in single-cam and twin-cam 24-valve form and the title does not say which. Our read, not a promise - your VIN settles it. 1
3.5L Turbodiesel Inline-Six - 126 Type 126 Type 350 turbodiesel (350SD / 350SDL nameplates). 3.5L OM603 by our read of the nameplate, not a promise - never substituted for a petrol six; your VIN settles it. 1
Turbodiesel Inline - 124 Type 300D 124 Type 300D turbodiesel. The listing names no displacement, so it is an OM602 five or an OM603 six by our read, not a promise - your VIN settles it. 1
Total 10

Other Mercedes Model Years

Every model year we hold Mercedes engines for. Years without a link are in stock but have no year page yet — text us your VIN.

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1990

Why Buy a 1990 Mercedes Engine from Auto Power Source

A 1990 Mercedes is now a thirty-five-year-old car, and that changes what a replacement engine can be. New long blocks for the M103 petrol six and the OM60x diesels left the parts system long ago and the remanufactured market for them has thinned to almost nothing. A tested used OEM engine pulled from a low-mileage donor vehicle is, for most of these cars, the only route back to original specification, and the one that keeps the castings, mounts and ancillary drive correct.

Say plainly what we can and cannot know. Mercedes identifies this era by chassis Type code and by the M or OM engine number, and the engine number is the part that decides what bolts in. Most of these ten listings print the Type code and the nameplate and no engine number at all, so where this page names M103, OM602 or OM603 that is our read of the listing, not a promise. It is published so you can see our reasoning, not so you can order on it. Your VIN settles the code, and we confirm it in writing before you pay.

Two kinds of collision sit in this year and we never paper over either. First, displacement is not identity: the 2.6L and the 3.0L 300E are both M103 by our read but they are separate families here, and the two turbodiesels are never substituted for a petrol six at any displacement. Second, the 129 Type 300SL listing gives a Type code only - a 1990 300SL 3.0L six exists in single-cam and in twin-cam 24-valve form, and the title does not settle which, so it gets its own row instead of being folded into the M103 group.

One more thing worth knowing before you read the tiles. Seven of these ten listings carry the model name 300E even when the car is a 300SE, 300SEL, 300TE or 300CE, because 300E is the yard's catalogue interchange name for the whole 124 and 126 petrol-six group. We publish every unit exactly as the yard titled it and sort it into the right nameplate tile using the spec the listing prints. Nothing is renamed and nothing is invented. We ship free nationwide on a pallet, send photographs of the actual unit before it leaves, and include 30-day money-back alongside the warranty.

📱 Fastest way to match: text us your VIN, get options in minutes.Text Your VIN →

Your 1990 Mercedes Engine Options: Compared

Most 1990 Mercedes owners face four real choices when the engine fails:

← Swipe sideways to see all columns →
Option Cost Reliability Warranty Fitment Match
Used OEM (this collection) $$$ Best Value High — tested Included VIN-matched
New OEM (dealer) $$$$$ 2-4× more High Manufacturer Exact
Aftermarket / Reman $$$$ Varies 6-12 mo May adapt
Junkyard $ Cheapest Unknown None DIY

Tested used OEM hits the sweet spot — same engineering as new, fraction of the cost.

1990 Mercedes Engine Buying Guide

5 things to verify before buying a used 1990 Mercedes engine:

  1. Read the chassis Type code the listing prints, not the badge. These titles identify the car as 124 Type, 126 Type or 129 Type, and that code does more work than the nameplate: a 300E, a 300TE and a 300CE are all 124 Type, while the 300SE and 300SEL are 126 Type and the 300SL is 129 Type. Match the Type first, then the engine.
  2. Treat the engine number on this page as our read, not a promise. Where a listing prints no M or OM number we infer one from the Type code, the nameplate and the displacement when it is given. That inference is useful for narrowing the search and worthless as a guarantee, so confirm it before you buy rather than after.
  3. Never cross the diesel line or the displacement line. The 124 Type 300D and the 126 Type 350 are turbodiesels and the rest of this page is petrol; nothing here substitutes across that line. The 2.6L and 3.0L petrol sixes are equally distinct - same family by our read, different swept volume, not a straight swap.
  4. Budget the age-related service into the job. These engines drive their camshafts by chain. On a 1990 unit the chain, its guides and its tensioner are age-limited parts, as are the seals, the water pump and the injection-pump timing on the diesels. Doing all of it with the engine out costs a fraction of doing it later.
  5. Confirm the match with your own VIN before you order. Your VIN settles the engine code, drivetrain and build split in one step. Text it to +1-307-441-5554 and we will confirm in writing exactly which unit fits your vehicle before you pay.

Our ASE-certified technicians verify every one of these points against your VIN before any unit ships.

📞 Need help choosing the right 1990 Mercedes engine? Talk to our team live.Call 1-877-313-8995

Frequently Asked Questions

Which engines came in a 1990 Mercedes?
Everything we hold for 1990 is an inline-six: the 3.0L and 2.6L single-cam petrol sixes our read puts at M103, spread across the 124 Type 300E, 300TE and 300CE and the 126 Type 300SE and 300SEL; the 3.0L six in the 129 Type 300SL; and two turbodiesels, the 124 Type 300D and the 3.5L unit in the 126 Type 350. Mercedes also sold V8 models in 1990; none are in stock for this year. The live families and counts are in the table above.
Why do so many of these listings say 300E when the car is a 300SE, 300CE or 300TE?
Because 300E is the yard's catalogue interchange name for the whole 124 and 126 petrol-six group, not the nameplate on the car. Seven of the ten titles here use it. We publish each unit exactly as supplied by the yard and sort it into the correct nameplate tile using the spec the listing prints. We rename nothing and invent nothing.
Is the engine code shown on this page a guarantee?
No, and we would rather say so than imply otherwise. Most of these listings print a chassis Type code and a nameplate with no engine number, so M103, OM602 and OM603 here are our read of the listing. Your VIN is what settles the code, and we confirm the match in writing before you pay.
Is the 1990 300SL a single-cam or a twin-cam 3.0L?
The listing prints 129 Type and nothing more - no displacement, no engine number. A 1990 300SL 3.0L six exists in single-cam and in twin-cam 24-valve form, and the title does not settle which this unit is, so we will not guess. It is held as its own family on this page. Send your VIN and we will confirm what we have.
Can a diesel unit go in place of a petrol one, or a 2.6L in place of a 3.0L?
No to both. The 124 Type 300D and the 126 Type 350 are turbodiesels and are never offered against a petrol car at any displacement. The 2.6L and 3.0L petrol sixes share a family by our read but not a swept volume, and swapping them is not a bolt-in job.
Does the 4Matic 300E take the same engine as the rear-drive car?
The listings split them deliberately, and so do we: one 3.0L 300E unit is listed exc. AWD and one as AWD (4Matic). The front-axle drive changes what sits under the engine, so we quote the unit that matches your drivetrain rather than the one that matches the badge.
How are these engines tested, and what warranty applies?
Every unit is compression-tested and leak-down tested, inspected for coolant and oil contamination, and checked against the application before it is offered. Each engine carries a warranty - the standard term is set by model year, with extended coverage available up to 3 years - and all orders include 30-day money-back. Freight is free nationwide and we photograph the actual unit before it leaves the yard.
What if my 1990 Mercedes engine is not listed?
The M103 and the OM60x diesels ran for years either side of 1990, so a correct unit is often sitting in a neighbouring model year. Text your VIN to +1-307-441-5554, call 1-877-313-8995 or email info@autopowersource.com and we will check the whole Mercedes inventory, not just this year page.
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100K+
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Our 6-Step Inspection & Shipping Process

Every 1990 Mercedes engine we ship has been through these six steps:

1. VIN-Matching
We match the donor VIN to your VIN to confirm engine/transmission code, emissions calibration, and drivetrain fit.
2. Tested & Verified
ASE-certified technicians compression-test every cylinder and run leak-down evaluation on engines. Transmissions are Shift-Tested through all gears.
3. Noise & Smoke Verification
Units are run to verify normal mechanical sound and clean operation — catches internal wear static tests miss.
4. Visual Inspection
Every accessible component is inspected: turbos, manifolds, valve covers, housings, accessories, sensor harnesses.
5. Photograph & Catalog
Multi-angle photos sent to you BEFORE we ship for your approval.
6. Palletize & Ship
Strapped on a heavy-duty wooden pallet, shipped via freight at no charge.

Our Photos-Before-Shipment Guarantee

Before any engine leaves our warehouse, we send you multi-angle photographs. You approve. If you do not approve, you get every dollar back — no questions, no restocking fees, no return freight charges. On top of 30-day money-back and the warranty included with every unit. Browse all 10 1990 Mercedes engines below.

✉ Email Us at info@autopowersource.com
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