This is the pieces I found inside the valve cover and the damaged piston. The lifter was smashed and the valve stem snapped. Cylinder 6 the furthest from the oil pump, could it be the lifter was starved of oil? It has over 360K miles so metal fatigue may play a part?

I am going to put it back together with a spare piston and head and see what happen. Good luck to me.

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__________________
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! Was the valve spring intact? Was the cam damaged?



Plus, the valves on these OM603 turbo engines are sodium filled!

Can't find the valve spring anywhere. The cam is ok but I am going to use another one.

__________________
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'd be concerned that the cam towers are tweaked, when the contact occurred forces within the valve train where spectacular, the weakest parts failed but experience lots of force in the instants immediately prior.

603 doesn't have cam towers like 617. The cam is bolted directly into the cylinder head with caps

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.

only the exhaust valves are sodium filled, the intakes are solid.


He snapped the intake valve.