Well, I pulled the valve cover on the engine today, and I was at first pleased with the lack of gunk and grime. Everything just has a nice coating of oil on it, with no significant deposits at all. Very nice. Then I looked closely at the camshaft lobes, which are deeply gouged. Crap...

What can you fine folks tell me about getting a used camshaft and associated parts from a salvae yard? I understand there were some updates through the years. Anyone? I'm not familiar enough with the OM617 to be above making compatibility mistakes, so I'd love some input.

I'll see about getting some photos of the carnage soon.

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Your first job should be finding out what caused the gouges. No point in installing another one if the same thing is going to happen to it. Best bet would probably be to get everything, cam, towers, oil tube, rockers, etc.

1981 was the last year for the non-turbo OM617 in the USA. However, I don't think there were any updates to it from 76-81 like there was in the turbo camshaft. Don't use a turbo cam, the lobe profile and timing would probably reduce your power.

I couldn't begin to determine what caused the damage. Most valves are extremely tight, though. Oil doesn't seem to be in short supply, so I don't think it's from lack of lubrication. The motor, aside from the cam damage seems healthy, but in need of tuning.

Besides lack of lubrication and valves being far too tight, what else cam cause severe lobe wear besides an issue with quality control on these motors?

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

And regarding the parts... How about I just pull the entire head from a donor? Much easier to carry out of the yard without loosing bits, and probably cheaper, too.

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

I'd say the valve tightness. If they are in constant contact, it will wipe the oil film off the face and build up excessive heat from constant friction.

Is it just gouges or do they also have kind of a rainbow color to them?

EDIT: You have to remove the rockers to get to the headbolts anyways so you would already be halfway between pulling the head or taking the cam parts.

i had the same thing happen to mine, seems it was indeed from infrequent valve adjustments and the cleance being too tight, mine are now still looking normal, i replaced everything from thr head up, see thread below



Attention 617 diesel owners, inspect your cams!!

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1967 250 S
1967 280SE
1968 250S
1971 280 SE
1973 220
1974 280 S
1975 450 SEL
1976 220 D
1979 300SD
1983 300 SD
1985 230 TE euro
1986 280SL
1986 500 SEL euro
1986 190E 2.3
1990 300 SE
2003 C230 K
2004 C230 K
1987 560SEL
1987 300SDL now in canada
2005 C230
1998 C43 AMG Sold to DON
1993 190E 2.6
300TD Former daily driver Totaled
current:
R320 CDI
Ram 2500 Cummins

Fram the factory, the non-turbo 300D motors had an issue with premature camshaft and rocker wear. The M117 V-8 motors from the same era(mid to late '70s) also had a serious issue with camshaft and rocker wear, thanks to the German steelworkers strike of the '70s.

My '77-240D has some wear. I was told that they changed the cams AND followers on the later, early '80's?, cars. I had heard that you could install a later turbo cam AND followers in a non-turbo engine.

MAKE SURE if you buy a used cam and followers that the followers go back to the same cam lobes that they came from on the doner engine.

Do NOT mix and match late cams with early followers. The later followers had a hard face on the cam contact surface.

__________________
My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.

1981 DID change cam surfaces to a chromed rocker and cam lobe DO NOT MIX THESE TWO. MAKE SURE YOU GET THEM AS A SET.

__________________
Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac?

As long as they would add one additional commandment for you to keep thy religion to thyself.
George Carlin (Wonder where he is now..)

1981 240d (engine donor 1983 240d) recently rebuilt engine hurray! - No more.. fought a tree and the tree won.

pearl black 1983 240d 4speed (Converted!@$$%) atleast the tranny was rebuilt.

There is no heat discolouration, only gouges. half are worn severely, while a few seem to have no real wear at all.

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Without the proper gap in a mechanical tappet, oiling wont occur. The lash is there to allow a film of oil to get under the tappet once a revolution.

That makes perfect sense, actually. The lack of heat discolouration says that the issue isn't from lack of oil flow. It must be from serious valve adjustment neglect.

Well, I'll see if any new cars have come in to the local Pull A Part yards near me since I was last there. I might get lucky.

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Got a picture?
What is the cam number? Should be on the end of the cam shaft at the firewall.

Danny

__________________
1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

OBK member #23

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(")_(") signature to help him gain world domination

I've no idea what the number is, but I can check it tomorrow. As for a photo, here's a lobe close-up.

__________________
- K.C.Adams

'77 300D Euro Delivery
OM617 turbo / 4-speed swap
404 Milanbraun Metallic / 134 Dattel MB-Tex

Current status:
* Undergoing body work

My '77 300D progress thread

Guys... The wear is NOT from poor valve clearances. It was just a bad metals compatibility.

__________________
My Truck.. 2007 DODGE, 5.9 Cummins, 6spd stick, 4X4. My car..1977 240D, OTHER WHEELS...1955 VW Oval window bug, European Delivery (Holland) with a 1700cc, 2 barrel, Porsche drum brakes. 1939 WILLYS Pick-up. 1967 Triumph 200cc Tiger Cub. 1976 Honda 550F 4cyl Motor Cycle.