Hi everyone,


Been tracking down a front of engine rattle and isolated it to the vacuum pump. It's a pretty steady rattle like the pea in spray paint can. Anyway, got the power steering pump off (needs new seals) and got the vacuum pump off. The cam on the front of the timing device looks oddly worn, but not having looked at one before I'm not sure what "normal" wear looks like. I'd be grateful if you all could have a look and chime in. The pump itself pulls 23 inches of vacuum, but when I roll the cam follower / rocker arm bearing I can feel a pronounced flat spot where it will hang up, followed by another lesser flat spot. I'm thinking that bearing and / or rocker assembly is shot and probably whats caused the pronounced wear on the cam. Let me know what you think.


Thanks everyone

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Central IL
1977 450SL - Orange Julius

1982 300D - Blue Steel

2014 E350 Coupe
1992 Ford Ranger

That mark on the cam.. is it grooved at all? The two cams I have seen both had a similar mark, but they were completely flat and still smooth. I bet you're right about the bearing creating the sound. I'm suprised it's pulling such a healthy vacuum with that issue. Nice work isolating the noise!

Hi imgolden. The mark on the cam isn't grooved, its flat so based on what you're saying its likely normal. I was surprised by some of the copper colored marks on that wear line and when I was fiddling with the pump again last night I noticed some copper colored flakes or tiny nuggets in the pump body, ive got no idea what that could be.

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Central IL
1977 450SL - Orange Julius

1982 300D - Blue Steel

2014 E350 Coupe
1992 Ford Ranger

I dug up a photo I took a few years ago of a vacuum pump I pulled, maybe it's helpful. This motor had just under 200k miles, and wasn't well taken care of:
https://ibb.co/HVDySsh

Thanks for the photo. The cam follower in the picture looks like the one on my pump. Funny thing is I cant see the flat spots I mention above, but they are definitely there the wheel catches and hangs up in the same spot every time.

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Central IL
1977 450SL - Orange Julius

1982 300D - Blue Steel

2014 E350 Coupe
1992 Ford Ranger

Got my hands on a good used diaphragm style pump. Am i correct in thinking its interchangeable with the piston style pump? Anything in particular i need to think about before i install, other than running a line for the vent port?.

Thanks everyone

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Central IL
1977 450SL - Orange Julius

1982 300D - Blue Steel

2014 E350 Coupe
1992 Ford Ranger

There is different types of bolts on the end of the timer. The one pictured is not drilled down the center to spray oil but some are drilled. I have no idea which one is supposed to be used on a diaphragm vacuum pump.

You need to check the end/in and out pay on your timer. If it is too much it has been known to destroy vacuum pumps and sometimes the vacuum pump parts fall into the timing chain and gears and damage the engine.

Took the End Play On My Timer/Intermediate Shaft

I can't think of anything copper in the area you describe. The Timer/intermediate shaft Bushings are Brass

The timing chain tensioner can turn brown colored.
Timing Chain Tensioner Rail W123 No Good, see pictures

I had a rattling I thought was the vacuum pump. When I removed the valve cover, I found that the sheet metal guide the timing chain goes through was loose. And that is what was making the noise.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

That front engine rattle..... yeah.....it was the alternator belts.....


When I got the car the tensioner bolt was stripped and the belts had been flopping around for who knows how long, and the power steering pump was leaking at the shaft seal. Replaced the tension bolt a few week ago and thought I had it tight enough. Last week I replaced the seal on the PS pump, so no more fluid getting slung everywhere, so the intermittent rattle became pretty constant. After crawling under the running engine with my makeshift stethoscope I isolated the rattle noise to the crank pulley. A squirt of WD40 on the back of he pulley didn't cure it, but a squirt on the belts did...until it wore off. So, the alternator is properly tensioned and new belts are on the way and I can only suspect the rhythmic noise I was hearing thru the stethoscope on the vac pump is just the natural sound of the mechanism inside working. The pea in the spray paint can noise disappears completely with the WD40 on the alternator belts.



Soo long story short, don't jump to the worst case scenario and recheck the obvious stuff... I should know better..


PS.. if anyone is looking for a diaphragm style vacuum pump let me know.

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Central IL
1977 450SL - Orange Julius

1982 300D - Blue Steel

2014 E350 Coupe
1992 Ford Ranger

Thanx for the followup kind Sir .

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-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