I am no expert but something tells me I would really think about a retorque. Especially with stretchable head bolts. Plus how would one do it with any certainty?

If you got the car used the head gasket may or may have not been done. If not it is due or almost overdue. Personally I would again think twice about this. Lifter failure is also expected. Yet again they may have been done and you may have just one or two that will not pump up and hold properly.

With these cars putting money where needed is enough without adding things. Or where average reliability is concerned is more productive. These are just my opinions though.

I'll hold off on lifting the head but I am going to look for a bad lifter. the motor has 245 k on it and when I changed the oil to the recommended 15 40 the noise was more noticable so I think the shifty SOB who sold it to me pored some really heavy oil in it to dampen the noise plus all the other probs masked the worst. I didn't mention the SOB rolled the OD back. there is a special place in Hell for people like that.

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1993 MB 300D 245K died.

Rod in a drill press against each lifter will find a marginal one pretty fast usually. You will pump them up and see how they hold under pressure in a submerged oil situation.

Easily done. Once again do not lose track of the lifter bores each lifter belongs in during testing.

These are the worse cars for true odometer readings. I use many other things to try to get a grasp of the probable total overall milage. This is not accurate of course.

got the lifters out IAW the thread above. No problem at all, now waiting for tomorrow. I did notice a couple of lifters had a burnt smell. Is that unusual?

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1993 MB 300D 245K died.

I was going to mention earlier that I might examine or blow out the oil feed passages if practical. The smelling burnt may or may not be signifigant. See how they test. Where the burnt smelling lifters next to each other? Where on the engine? someone on site probably is familiar with the oil flow passage set up for your car. From you first description I wondered if the cam etc might not be properly oiling at idle. No oil no proper lifter action. Again see how they all test first.

I already got the new ones sitting on the coffee table, just waiting for day light and weather

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1993 MB 300D 245K died.

The process was easy, thanks everybody, not one prob. bad news is changing the lifters didn't fix the problem.

I got a question about the chain tensioner, I could push the plunger down fairly easy, my thoughts are that would have a lot more resistance. how do I know if it bad or not?

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1993 MB 300D 245K died.

Did you verify the top of the engine is oiling properly? How did the old lifters test.? If low or no oil basically available the lifters will run in a collapsed state. Really noisey until enough oil is present.

I don't have a drill or bearing press, I replaced them all. I also blew out the ports to the lifters and they were all clear and oil is most definatly getting up in there. the oil pressure gage reads "3", now I wouldn't put it past the SOB that sold me the car tampered with that as well as the OD. Could it be low in some areas and not others?

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1993 MB 300D 245K died.

Should be same pressure thruout.

Did you test it at engine operating pressure?

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Jim

no the tensioner was out so I could remove the cam and old lifters.

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1993 MB 300D 245K died.

Again, going on memory, oil pressurizes the tensioner, pushing it out against the chain so I don't really think you can judge it by pressing on it. Disassemble it and inspect the spring closely. I have seen em wear where it looked like it could have eventually worn through and failed.

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Jim

with 245K on the motor what are the odds that it is worn out?

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1993 MB 300D 245K died.

Look closely at the spring for any worn areas where it has been rubbing the inside of the housing it is in.

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Jim

first thing in the morning, thanks

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1993 MB 300D 245K died.