It's not likely, but possible. The IP timing should always be checked after replacing the timing chain anyway, since the IP timing will be different with a new chain. You want it set to 14° ATDC using the factory tools (either the lock tool, or the "A-B" light box.)

:P

:rolleyes:

After letting the car idle for about 10 minutes, the engine normalized and the smoke from the exaust stoped, toke her for a 40km drive and all is fine... I mean... BETTER, no more lifter tapping!!!!:D
I guess you got to let the lifters work a litlle...

Thanks for all your help guys!!!!

I retract my previous statement, the car WAS fine, I started it this morning and again lots of white smoke, rough idle and injector #1 knocking, 5 minutes past and all ok again! This happens every time I start the car from cold and 5 min later all ok!!:(

Do you think it's something with the ip timing?

If I try the drip metode, when the line stops driping where should the crankshaft mark be?

Bump...:P

The OM60x engines are not supposed to use the "wet methods (drip / bubble), but if you do, the spec is the same as the older engines (24-25° BTDC).

Since the problem only occurs on a cold startup... are your glow plugs all good?

I thought about that, but this started to happen after the lifters swap...:(

I replaced some of mine, and like they say, it's not a hard job, you just need to know what you're doing (read the FSM on how to tension and untension the cam) and be careful.

However, putting synthetic oil in for a few thousand miles could well fix the problem too. It did for me, and then I replaced the lifters when it was actually an injector knock! HA! I used Mobil 1.

A good synthetic oil will usualy fix the problem. I know it made mine a lot better, but still not silent, so I changed them.

Now that you have new lifters use synthetic to keep them quite.

Yes, I think I'll switch to synthetic or semi-synthetic, but first I've to find solution to my start problem, I'm pretty sure it's IP timing related, the first time I started the car after changing the lifter I heard two loud knocks and I think it was the sound of the chain jumping a tooth or more at the IP "sprocket"... or so I hope...

Ok, today I used a borrowed lock tool and with the IP locked I get 10º ATDC,
I know that I can only move 2º to one side and 2º to the other adjusting the IP (leaving no possible adjustement to eliminate the 4º) so does this meen that indeed the chain jumped a tooth?

No, if the chain jumped a tooth, it would be something like 16° off. I would at least adjust it to 12° ATDC and see how it runs. To correct it to 14°, you'll have to remove the pump, and re-install it so the pump shaft is one tooth less advanced, on the splines which connect the IP shaft to the timing device.

Remember not to adjust the pump, or move anything, with the lock tool installed!!!

:stuart:

If I have to remove the pump will there be any o-ring or other type of gasket that will have to be replaced?
:o

If you remove the pump, there is a large O-ring between the pump and the block that should be replaced. It doesn't HAVE to be replaced... but if it leaks afterwards, you need to take it all apart again. If you have never re-sealed your IP, this is the time to do it... you can replace all external seals on the injection pump while it's out of the car. Costs about $30 (USD) in gaskets & seals... cheap insurance.

:zorro:

Hello. My name is Matrin and i come from Poland, i decided to replace hydraulic lifters in my '88 W124 200D on my own, and I faced problem similar to user mouramen. After some research i managed to solve it. I hope that will be useful to other people, sorry for my english but i will try to explain it.

Heres the thing: i did everything like it was instructed on this thread. Marks on camshaft, cam tower and crankshaft aligned (only 1* of chain stetch). When rotating engine manual, i havent noticed anything wrong. After assebling it, i started the engine, and it was not running like it was before. It looked as it was running on 3 cyliners, engine's work was very uneven, whole car was shaking, strange knocking noises from inside. I managed to drive to my home, in the mirror i saw a lot of white/blue smoke.
At home, i looked at old hydraulic lifters. I put them on flat table, and one of them payed my attention. It was shorter than another! Moreover, it was the only unoriginal lifter - all another had mercedes logo underneath.

I talked to my friend who is machinist. He said that in the course of time, valves can go deeper in their sockets in cylinder head. Its like hammering a piece of metal, if it was hit milion times, it squeezes. The same thing happens to valve sockets. Its normal process in high mileage engines. But some of people who want to save money, instead of regenaring cylinder head including valve socket regeneration, they just POLISH the specific hydraulic lifter so that valve can close.

Now everything is clear. If valve socket was worn, and i put the lifter of right size, the valve was constantly opened - no compression, smoke from exhaust. To make sure, i put the polished hydraulic lifter again - and engine was running normally. Of course then i uninstalled cylinder head and commisioned its regeneration. So if you replace hydraulic lifters, you can measure valve depth (ehh how to translate it? ;)) just to be sure about your valve sockets condition. Ahh, and it usually happens to exhaust valves - due to higher temperature.

I hope that someone will find it useful and it will save one's nerves. Greetings from Poland!