I've got what I believe to be a bad lifter in our 300TD. If such is the case, how much of a task ($ too) is it to have a competent shop repair the problem?

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

Anybody care to chime in here?

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

Hi Soy,
Perhaps no one has chimed in because these diesels don't have lifters and pushrods... The engines are overhead cam engines.

Rgds,
Chris W.
'95 E300D

Yes, they have hydraulic lifters. Most of the people here do their own "minor" work like this, so a price for having it done might not be the first response you get.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Thanks Jeff. Yes I understand that most here do their own wrenching and would be hard pressed to come up with a definitive cost, but an estimate of parts and the time involved would go a long way in giving the question some attention... is someone so cared to do so.

Thanks again.

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

I've not done it.

I have pulled heads and camshafts from '87 603s though, it isn't a big job.

There is probably a gasket set available for camshaft service from the above parts supplier, call them and they'll know. It will involve valve-cover gasket, crossover tube seal, and lifters mostly. The cam gear will be zip-tied to the chain, pulling the cam will require doing it in the proper sequence to avoid damaging the cam, and the lifters lift out.

Probably Phil / Fast-Lane will be able to tell you what parts you need, likely the gaskets mentioned and the lifters.

As I remember it, pulling the tube, cover, and camshaft is about an hour to 1-1/2hours' work, replacement slightly more I'm sure as there's cleaning and aligning involved.

The other part of the equation is the "while I'm in there" stuff, timing chain and tensioner/guide rails, delivery valve seals while crossover is off, ALDA adjust, ... can bury yourself, good luck.

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Gone to the dark side

- Jeff

Before you go to the expense of cam removal, try a quart of RISLONE. I have wrenched for 40 years and it is about the ONLY additive that I have tried that works. I have used it on Mercedes, VW, and industrial engines that had a noisy hydraulic lifter. 9 times out of 10 it worked. No need to change the oil unless it is ready. Just add the quart and drive it.

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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.

The Mercedes labor guide lists:

01-5014 * VALVE COVER - 4/5/6 CYL. IN-LINE ENG., R & R / RESEAL - 0.8 hours
05-2013 * CONDITION OF VALVE LIFTERS - ALL- CHECK, PERFORM (VALVE COVER(S) REMOVED) - 0.3 hours
05-2313 * VALVE LIFTERS, ALL - (VALVE COVER REMOVED), REPL. - 1.3 hours

I'm not sure if this is the exact set of operations they'd perform but the time quoted looks approximately correct. There's no difference in labor to replace all lifters vs. just one.

Lifters are around $20 each online so you could probably plan on paying a shop double that (depending on where you get the work done). And don't forget charges for shop supplies, environmental fees, surplus surcharges, etc.

If you want to do it yourself, I posted instructions on another thread here:
602 hydraulic lifter replacement (300D 2.5T) - DIY? advice needed

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1989 250TD Wagon 5-speed, 160,000mi ::: Dark gray metallic / black cloth
1984 190D-2.2 5-speed, 287,000mi ::: Silver-blue metallic / black MB-tex ::: SOLD

What product are you talking about?? Can you please post a link.

Wow, ask and you shall receive. Great info fellas, those who reside here are indispensable. Thanks for the advice and info.

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

Mine cost me about $40. Or whatever a lifter and valve gasket runs these days.


Its a super simple job, you just need to pull off the cross over and valve cover. Than clamp the chain to the sprocket and back off the tensioner a bit. Unbolt the sprocket from the cam than unbolt the cam. Lift the offending lifter out and put everything back together.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

I only wish I had the knowhow/balls to do it myself.

Or a friendly guy who does that I could assist, and learn a bit.

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

Exactly ... when I had my lifters done by my indy, he also ended up replacing the timing chain and chain tensioner. So I couldn't tell you exactly what I paid for the lifter labor alone. When I get a chance, I could tell you what he charged me for the lifters themselves. Obviously, you want to replace all 12 while you're in there. I can try to sort out a guesstimate of what I paid for labor, but it's kind of complicated in my case because the car had to go in twice, and my indy ended up not charging me for quite a bit of the labor.

But it sounds SO nice now ...

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1987 300D, arctic white/palomino--314,000 miles
1978 240D 4-speed, Euro Delivery, light ivory/bamboo--370,000 miles
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited, light khaki/slate--140,000 miles
2018 Chevy Cruze diesel, 6-speed manual, satin steel metallic/kalahari--19,000 miles
1982 Peugeot 505 diesel, 4-speed manual, blue/blue, 130,000 miles
1995 S320, black/parchment--34,000 miles (Dad's car)

Just got a dignosis from the guys at the local import shop, which is injector #6 could use some attention. I could take them all out and have them cleaned and pop tested or I'm considering a whole new set, then get the ones in there cleaned and pop tested then set them aside for spares. That's a job I could handle myself and would enjoy.

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300TD W124, Two VW TDI Passat Wagons,Cummins Ram 250, Kubota Tractor
23 cylinders sipping the sweet sauce of the soy bean

You won't need spare injectors unless you plan on using some crappy fuel or something. I would have the injectors cleaned, pop tested and calibrated. Besides there are some poor quality injectors being sold as Bosch and you don't want to go through some of the experiences I have read about people that bought what they thought were OE Bosch injectors.
Running synthetic oil is recommended with hydraulic lifters (100%, not a blend) to keep them from sticking. You may find that a few thousasnd mile on an oil change using synthetic oil will reduce or eliminate a ticking lifter.
You didn't say how many miles were on the engine but if its more than say 150K and you decide to replace the lifters I highly suggest you replace the timing chain as part of the job. And the belt tensioner and pulley at the same time. And the water pump if its not new or close to it. And replace all the lifters if you decide to remove the camshaft and, , , "-.-" aw heck the list of parts is too long to fit here

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!