Maybe drop the oil pan and try to find the other keeper and the missing spring.

__________________
Greg
2012 S350 BlueTEC 4Matic
2007 ML 320 CDI
2007 Leisure Travel Serenity
2006 Sprinter 432k
2005 E320 CDI
1998 SLK230 (teal)
1998 SLK230 (silver)
1996 E300D 99k, 30k on WVO
Previous:
1983 240D, on WVO
1982 300D, on WVO
1983 300CD, on WVO
1986 300SDL 237k, 25k on WVO (Deerslayer)
1991 350SDL 249k, 56k on WVO - Retired to a car spa in Phoenix
1983 380 SEC w/603 diesel, 8k on WVO
1996 E300D 351k, 177k on WVO

Thanks, I mis-spoke it would probably be better described as cam bosses and their caps I suppose. As I mentioned it's obvious the valve train has suffered catastrophic damage. I can't be certain that the bosses or their caps could even be damaged. I am aware that the cam runs in an aligned bore that can be specified and measured.


I thought it prudent to mention the possibility of unknown damage that would render the cylinder head fundamentally unfit or even useless.



I'm on probably on my last OM60X engine car, I'm 31K short of half a million miles original engine and drivetrain. Never had the#14 head off this one. I love em all, 4,5 and 6 cylinders.

If you cannot find the spring I would have to suspect that. You need to pull the pan any how so maybe parts of it is in there.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

The valve spring can't find its way into the pan. If it drops into cylinder chamber then the piston would be in the way. If it popped into the valve cover then it would stay there.

Nevertheless, I can't find the spring anywhere. I can only surmise that it dropped into the cylinder chamber and disintegrated. I can see bits stuck to the piston. I have replaced the head, cam and piston. I am going to replace the oil pump as well. The head is back on. Will report back.

__________________
Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

WOW that's a huge repair

Yep. In lockdown, nothing better to do. I have a spare OM603 to harvest parts. It is a much simpler car than later years diesel.

__________________
Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

I'm assuming you did it with the engine in the car.

Did you replace the rings and hone the bore for the rings to break in?

or did you just put everything back on without changing anything?

in either case I approve

Engine in car, head off, pan off and pushed pistons from top. Clean up everything and put them back in. The spare engine is only a spare, with unknown mileage and was left in the environment for a long time. So don't want to chance it. If engine fails again then I may put the spare in or just junk it to thin out the herd.

__________________
Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

The spring has no way of dropping into the cylinder does it? The springs sit above the guide. I don't imagine it could get through the guide. An intact spring can't make it through the oil drains in the cylinder head. I can't believe an intact spring would make it down through the timing chain chase at the front of the engine. Maybe missing the chain and sprockets!? That's hard to imagine.


I've got a head in storage along with my manuals but I don't remember any other route out of the cylinder head/valve cover area.

Update on the post. Car is alive and running again. This is what happened and what has been done.

1) valve snapped and shattered the lifter. The lifter is very heavy duty and you can imagine how everything flew inside the cylinder.
2) piston damaged with embedded metal.
3) cannot find the valve spring?? Very strange, may be shattered in pieces. Damages to engine head but not the cylinder sleeve.
4) replace the head, 1 piston, check lifters and replace if necessary. Check and clean all other pistons.
5) put everything together and engine fires up and runs great.

Not a lot of miles yet and will report back in 6 months or anything happens.

P.s. now the A/C crapped out. This is life.

__________________
Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.

The combination of good engineering and top quaity raw materials and build quality makes this possible .

Many decades ago we used to have portable cylinder boring bars and crankshaft grinders that could service one cylinder or rod bearing journal with the engine block still in the vehicle, a boon for fleet operators and used car lots...

Take car of this and it'll prolly work out fine .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better