good call.

__________________
'82 Euro MB 300 D Turbo Silver/Blue - Fixed
Adding W115 Intake and Intercooler

1986 Chevy Camaro Cp 400HP For Sale
Engineer
Tuscaloosa, AL

Are the #14 head prechambers compatible with the #17-22 heads?

__________________
-disav

99 E300 TURBODIESEL Astral Silver 282K - AMG brakes, suspension, monoblocks, speedo & interior - Full Load Maxed on IP by custom Speed Tuning USA Chip - T3/T4 Garrett - EGR/MAF delete
98 E300 TURBODIESEL Alexandrite Green on black leather 289K
95 E300 DIESEL Green Queen 267K SOLD
84 300D 216k SOLD
87 300D 299K #22 head - intercooler - full load adj. - 8sec 0-60mph - SOLD
76 300D 214K SOLD

Do a search on DaveM/gsxr's instructions on beveling the shoulder of -14- prechambers to fit a later 603 head. Worked for me.

Sixto

This is the description from the service order, does it provide any insight?

NO START

Bled air out of fuel system.

#5 or #6 cylinders are dead or have low compression.

Do compression test #5 & #6 cyl have only 80 PSI.

Remove valve cover...camshaft broken & valves not opening for 2 rear cyl's.

Replace camshaft & correct valve timing (was 3 teeth off on cam gear).

Install correct cam bolt & washer, reinstall valve cover & start engine.

Engine running on all 6 cylinders now, but is leaking compression from
prechambers of 2 rear cylinders.

Remove injectors & tighten prechambers.

Restart engine..engine is smoking excessively & has strong smell of partially
burned fuel.

Check base injection pump timing is off (requires pump removal).

__________________
Mercedes Fleet:
2004 CL600 Designo Espresso SPORT
2004 S600 Designo Espresso SPORT/Lorinser Pkg.
1999 S320
1988 300TE
1972 280SEL 4.5
Diesel Fleet:
2014 GL350 Blutec
1987 300SDL Blk/Blk 4 place seating #18 head
1987 300SDL Smk Slv/Burgangy #17 head
1986 300SDL Blk Pearl/Palomino #14 head w/ 280K
1984 Lincoln Mark VII Fact BMW Turbo Diesel

Unfortunately, I think you have to start, again, from the beginning. If the #5 and #6 cyliders have 80psi a replacement of the camshaft isn't going to magically raise them to 350psi.

Either the mechanic was incompetant and left the valves partially open when he did the test, or, the entire diagnosis and repair was just BS.

You probably need another compression test on all cylinders to determine what you have. Naturally, it needs to be done by someone knowledgeable about this engine.

If the cam isn't actuating the intake valves then compression would be low. Correcting valve actuation should restore compression. Or am I missing something?

Sixto

So the fact the smoke and the fact the enigne runs smooth when rev'd indicated the timing of the IP and not something to do with poor compression?

__________________
Mercedes Fleet:
2004 CL600 Designo Espresso SPORT
2004 S600 Designo Espresso SPORT/Lorinser Pkg.
1999 S320
1988 300TE
1972 280SEL 4.5
Diesel Fleet:
2014 GL350 Blutec
1987 300SDL Blk/Blk 4 place seating #18 head
1987 300SDL Smk Slv/Burgangy #17 head
1986 300SDL Blk Pearl/Palomino #14 head w/ 280K
1984 Lincoln Mark VII Fact BMW Turbo Diesel

At very low rpm I find you sometimes get away with stuff like this. I have always suspected that the hydralic lifters give a little to help out. At higher rpms the rules seem to change. There are and will be exceptions. I had the cam timing go out a few weeks ago when starting. Usually get away with it on volkswagons. Not this time as a valve stem has a slight bend I suspect. Engine starts on three cylinders now with the fourth coming on line a few seconds later. Nothing is written in stone when it comes to these things it seems. Your mechanic is smart enough to check for damage before installing a new cam I hope. Leakdown test and making sure the valves affected retract when opened manually and a second leakdown test to make sure they are all the way up with a good seal. Since it is a rebuilt head there will be nothing subjective here.

How did they determine that the IP is off by 3 cam teeth if they can't check base timing? Is base timing different from timing of IP on the engine? Anyone can set IP timing by feel well enough to not get excessive smoke.

Or there's something wrong with the IP timing sprocket.

Sixto

Could be compression but it's right at the cusp if there's not enough compression to idle smoothly but enough compression to rev smoothly. Also compression should improve with engine temp so it might idle poorly when first started but then settle. Of course the 603 will rev surprisingly smoothly on 4 cylinders so smoke and smell of unburned fuel should still be the key indicators of a problem at revs.

If moving injectors around doesn't improve idle then the problem is likely with the IP... but I don't think it's as simple as IP timing.

Sixto

Yep, I suppose that I've missed it.

If the intakes don't open, the cylinders will be under vacuum and can't fill. So, the compression will definitely be low.

Thanks for the correction.

I think he said it was the valve timing that was "off by three cam teeth", not the IP timing.

If it were me I would first make sure of the cam timing and the timing chain. Isn't being "off by three cam teeth" a pretty bad thing? Could this have happened when the first mechanic replaced the head? Maybe he didn't get the timing right. Or could it have happened because the cam shaft broke? I mean, how did the cam shaft break anyhow? Did it break during assembly and the guy didn't notice? Seems unlikely. Or did it break because the cam timing was all wrong? In any case I would think there might be some valve damage to contend with.

Once the cam timing is verified, I would think a compression test and a leak down test could then tell you if you had valve damage. Then after that you could worry about the IP timing.

__________________
Jackson

1984 300d 223k
1994 Jeep Cherokee 2.5L 88k

"She may not look like much, but she's got it where it counts, kid. I've added some special modifications myself." -- Han Solo

"Would it help if I got out and pushed?" -- Princess Leia

The cam is very sensitive to proper bearing loosening and tightening sequence. Snapping bewteen #4 and #5 is consistent with what I've read on the matter.

I would question a chain that has slipped because of such an event. A new chain and possibly a new tensioner would be on my short list for when the engine is running right.

Sixto

Give Henry at European Motor Cars (2609 White Settlement Rd, Fort Worth), (817) 820-0361 a call. They have a good mercedes repair shop, not sure about 617 experience, so question him about what you have, see if it matches the advice you are getting now.

__________________
Mercury is a boxer

1984 300d
1999 Prelude
Medici road bike
Klein touring bike
Klein mtn bike

The first mechanic did instal a new tensioner.

Today I went to move it and it would barely move. I was maneuvering it in the drive and had to go off the curb to get a better angle and it could not climb the curb, I had to back and get a running start.

What could be the cause of such a lack of power given what is known thus far?

__________________
Mercedes Fleet:
2004 CL600 Designo Espresso SPORT
2004 S600 Designo Espresso SPORT/Lorinser Pkg.
1999 S320
1988 300TE
1972 280SEL 4.5
Diesel Fleet:
2014 GL350 Blutec
1987 300SDL Blk/Blk 4 place seating #18 head
1987 300SDL Smk Slv/Burgangy #17 head
1986 300SDL Blk Pearl/Palomino #14 head w/ 280K
1984 Lincoln Mark VII Fact BMW Turbo Diesel