Mercedes OM606: The Diesel 2JZ

So, that's the legend of the Mercedes OM606 diesel engine. It's an absolute beast, surprisingly reliable for a german product, capable of making big power on a stock bottom end, and probably the best-sounding road-going diesel engine ever.

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[Dustrunnersauto]

Is the OM606 the best German diesel engine ever? 🤔

[rickyALH]

OM606 and 1.9 tdi have got to be some of the best diesels made for cars, hands down.

[__]

you forgot to mention that his engine also revs really high for a diesel engine, in stock form it revs to 5500 rpm and with aftermarket parts, some rev to over 7000rpm, ON A DIESEL!

[vladkruglov]

Since it's indirect injection, it's capable of reving super high for a diesel, upwards to 7k rpm

[namon]

Fun fact:OM606 can handle the boost until 5.4 bar after that the block is broken.
From Golan Dieselmeken.

[bobihristov]

I'm driving a turbo OM606 for almost 10 years now as a daily. It's not making a ton of power. Currently pushing 260hp and 557nm on a stock pump with just intercooler and Chinese turbo for 150usd on 1.55 bar of boost without any smoke. The car is buttery smooth. Super easy to make lots of power, super easy, and cheap to maintain. Note that if you want it to rev higher you should consider changing the valve springs. With the stock springs, I doubt it can rev higher than 5500 rpm.

[neohimself]

These things are super reliable and do a good job in a lot of setups. I swap them into nearly everything, my grandma´s wheelchair runs an OM606. It´s stock, but once it´s on boost the short wheelbase still makes it a handful, she said.

[bladenrexroth]

DPumpUK seems to be the most intuitive and experienced source on Mercedes diesels.

[cristinutoo]

om 605 is an honorable mention, it is the same engine with 5 cylinders

[gmlover]

My E300 had the non turbo version. Fantastic engine, took awhile to get going but once it did it was great. I commuted each day and it averaged 33-35 mpg. Sold the car at 225, 000 miles, still running strong.

[mikkomakela]

Having owned both OM606 and M57.
I can say OM606 far more fun to work on than M57. I havent tuned these engines only serviced. I like the m57 more because its far more easy to tune. I have chiptune on E60 530D Lci M57 and it has somewhere around 300hp/600nm and 14 seconds on a 1/4 mile. But cons of m57 are that you have to remove some emission systems to make it "reliable" its not gonna blow up if you dont but it will give headaches with egr, dpf and swirl flaps. I have done those and it is so fun to drive. I like the torque of diesels.

Ps. Very nice to see that somebody from US has recognised these EU diesels capabilities.

[MatthewDoughten]

Gotta talk about the om605 too, the 5 cylinder variant of the same design. Imagine the 606 but with that odd cylinder count grunt. Too bad that never made it to the states.

[omram]

I swapped one into my 2003 ram 1500 and it out performed what the 1500 could handle. After it was involved in an accident it was transferred into my '95 F350 where it lives today and I have a spare at work under the work bench lol.

[wmercedes]

I have the om603 in my 1987 w124. Great engine and good power.
Very reliable and good on fuel. Love reliable sound of mercedes diesel.

[omram]

Also the 606 will always hold the crown for the best 90's diesel, but everyone seems to be working their way to it's successor the OM648. Direct injection, huge amounts of torque and low rpm's, 12v cummins power while staying around the same weight as the 606.

[Bloodcurling]

Correction:
"Toyota 2JZ: The gasoline OM606"

[jefferythurman]

This is one of my favorite diesel engines out there, it would be my preferred swap for a lot of things

[jayadams]

It’s a fantastic engine and a great engine swap option if you can find one for a good price.

[vanhakunnonmasa]

I always thought it was called the diesel 2JZ due to it's tuning potential.

[leckercidre]

When the OM602 in my 1993 300D spun a bearing I was considering swapping a 606 in, but I chose to just rebuild my 602 due to as you mentioned, the cost. But after running the numbers on that rebuild it probably would have been cheaper to just swap it lol.