Ok long story short. I purchased a 99 E300D from the original owner, knowing that a shop he took it to broke one of the glow plugs off in the head. The car still started fine and ran great, only had 140k on it, excellent condition. I drove it for around a month before I decided to tackle the job. I took head off, had broken gp removed at machine shop. Got very busy and didn't get around to putting head back on for probably 6-7 months. Also replaced all plastic fuel lines, and the o-rings @ the top of IP for each cylinder. I didn't do any head work, just replaced head gasket. Put everything back together. Started up fine. Alittle loud but I figured it would quiten down. I have driven the car for around 1k and the motor is still very loud. I can't seem to pinpoint where it is coming from, I have cracked all injectors and none of them kill the noise. The tensioner is fine. I have purged the fuel system and no luck. I took the valve cover back off to make sure both my cams were in time and they were right on the money. I thought my IP may be off alittle in timing and be making the noise, which it was, I have the Mercedes timing tool and got it set in time but still have the noise. Do these motors ever have a problem with the lifters? I am stumped, the lifters are the only thing I can come up with but there are so many of them I don't want to spend the money if I don't have to. The sound is definitely in the top section of the motor. I have messed around with a few of these same cars so I know how they are supposed to sound and trust me this car is loud. I purchased another 99 E300 and it is alot quiter than this one. Any ideas are appreciated.

Forgot to mention car has always been ran on straight diesel. I have new filter also. Could it still be an injector even if cracking the lines doesn't make the noise go away. There is an extra little noise that is always there at idle and while driving, just much harder to hear the noise or how loud the motor is while driving.

The lifters will lock up. You can pull them, and exercise them in a vise with plastic jaw inserts or wood or whatever and they will compress again.

Don't know if this is your problem but it's a guess...

__________________
-Evan


Benz Fleet:
1968 UNIMOG 404.114
1998 E300
2008 E63


Non-Benz Fleet:
1992 Aerostar
1993 MR2
2000 F250

Probably not this obvious, but might as well throw this out there in case you have not got to the bottom of your noise.

I had the damper on the sepentine belt go out a few times on mine. Kept buying cheap non-OEM dampers (mistake) and when they don't dampen at all the racket is horrible, not to mention the vibration at idle.