I need a valve job on my 240d. Is there a procedure to follow that allows the removal and installation of the head without disturbing the timing chain and IP? I suspect this must have been covered a zillion times but my search returned no good leads.

Thanks for any hints that you can provide.

Remove the valve cover, turn the crankshaft damper CLOCKWISE until the timing mark at the damper aligns at TDC. Look at the camshaft tower and see if the notch in the cam washer aligns with the notch on the front cam tower. If it does, leave it in that position. If not turn it CLOCKWISE one more turn and see that the cam marks align. Once the cam marks are aligned, pull the cam sprocket after removing tensioner. Keep tension on the chain with a wire or something and carefully feed it through the head while removing.

Tie the wire over to keep tension on the chain. This will save time when reassembling.

Good luck,

I really suggest you get a factory shop manual... the 616 manual ( just got mine Saturday ) is much better than the 617 in my opinion...

The problem is there are about three options for everything .... not even easy getting it right with the Factory shop manual... the different bolts, the way they are torqued, what can replace what, which head gaskets can be used with which head, it just goes ON and ON..... and then you get into which precombustion chambers can be used with which pistons, what to do if the head is reduced in height, how to be sure the holes are the best ( updated) ones... if you need new adjusting caps ... which can be used with what... chrome, small head, etc... chilled camshafts, cast iron ones, rockers to match or mix...
They really have it to where you need the manual ( or your mechanic needs it) to keep from messing something up...
There are different length valve guides depending on which 240 engine you are working on..... etc...
One style of tensioner comes off one way.. one does not need to be removed... way too many options....

LarryBible and Leathermang, thanks for your responses. I think I will try Larry's method and if there is too much damage, to the head, or too many parts, in the parts can, I'll start searching the local Pick-n-Pulls for a replacement engine.

The #1 priority for disassembling anything so complicated is keeping everything you take out sorted. make a cardboard piece with a tracing of the head gasket like they tell you in the Haynes manual for the head bolts, put each valve with its related components in a labeled ziploc bag. same with injectors etc. The various seemingly identical parts are often not interchangeable.

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83 240D four bagger stick diesel 276K

Paint - you know those little orange paint bottles that junkyards use to mark their parts.....

Mark the timing chain to camshaft sprocket, the back of camshaft sprocket to front camshaft holder.... and you will be set.

Also Maxwell provides good advice about keeping the rocker arms in order to their respective camshaft lobes. I used an old ice tray for this and it worked great.