jim
did you get her running? i was down at carriage house to today and they where still talking about the 7800 dallor head quote
i was wondering if that is you?
my buddy has a 87 16v that he just crashed,but the motor is perfect with 120k (runs) and last week carriage house
replaced the timing belt for 1500
good luck


1986 190e 16v
69 911

stuttgart,

That might have been our head they were talking about, as one of the paths they have explored is buying a rebuilt head, and that price sounds about like what the going rate for one of these heads.

We ran into a problem with the head when removing the valve guides. Seems one pulled a little extra cylinder head out with it and it needs the "4th stage of repair" intake guide in that location. The manual says there are such things available. Well, finding that part has proven difficult, and it looks like we will be making a guide to fit. I was considering sleeving a first stage repair unit but we will go with a custom made guide at this point. I am looking in the Fatherland for one of these also. And at $7K a head, I may get into the rebuilt head importing business, once I check the prices over there.

So, add another week onto the repair cylce. Peter is very anxious and worried his car has contracted a fatal ailment. I am still pretty optimistic and cannot believe a $50 part is holding the whole show up.

We will keep you posted. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

You can find a replacement head for about $800 via car-parts.com A very convient and useful site. The on line inventory of over 300 junk yards (I mean recyclers).

__________________
Jim Villers
190SL, 230SL 5-speed, 95 E320 Wagon, 01 E320 Wagon, MGB, Boxster 'S', 190SL "Barn Find"

Jim Villers,

Thanks for the pointer! Looks like the adder would be an order of magnitude less than buying a new or rebuilt head for $7K (the only quote the shop got for me). I will keep pushing them to make the guide though, and I have a buddy in the Fatherland looking for a stage 4 repair intake guide. Should come to a "head" shortly. Thanks again though, that site should be quite useful. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

I've been checking nearly everyday to see if your engine got put back together.

The waiting is killing me.

Any news to share?

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Well, things are looking up after a few weeks of fretting over the issue with the availability of the stage 4 repair inlet valve guide. The head is still being worked, but now by a shop that has the skill and experience to manufacture a guide to custom fit the condition of the head. The head should be back on the car by next Wednesday. Peter is pretty anxious as he was planning to use the car to drive his date to the Prom, which is next Saturday.

I did contact a guy at Metric Motors as recommended by Michael in another communication. He did not have the guide, but noted it is not unheard of to see a condition like this and suggested I should have just pressed in (shrink fitted) a sleeve that could be reamed out to the first or second repair size, then put a standard part in. He noted it is done without hesitation before throwing an otherwise good head away, or going through the hassle of making a special guide.

I was originally inclined to do this but upon the advice of many others I dropped it. I was wondering if anyone out there has sleeved a valve guide bore in a head before? I guess one concern might be that you create another potential leak path for oil to get into the intake manifold/combustion chamber, but with a proper shrink fit it is not clear why that would be any worse than the shrink fit of the guide. I think to get the job done correctly the bore for the guide and sleeve would have to be opened up a bit, maybe to 19 or 20 mm from the 13.4 for the stage 4 repair guide. That may cause a problem but I have not looked at the head to see if there is that much meat available. Just curious.


I will keep you posted and hopefully get over there to take some photos of the head before it goes on and then once everything is buttoned back up. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

I hate to bother you, but any progress to report in the past 9 days?

thanks.

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Unfortunately, there is no progress to report. Peter is having a lesson in patience that I don't want to share with anyone. Looks like Dad will have to lend him the E300D TurboDiesel tonight for the prom.

The mechanic (Art) working the job has a few other distractions, like racing the past few weekends, which has put this job on the back burner. The head is reportedly reassembled, but not delivered to Art yet. Peter is praying the head will be back and ready for reassembling the engine this week. All the other parts are in, and I believe we are ready to go at that point. I will let everyone know how the work turns out. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

It'll be fine...Art does excellent, uncompromising work. Sorry t hear of the delay-I feel his pain. But what the Hell, he's goin' in a Benz isn't he

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

Can you lend me your E300?

turbodiesel,

Next time you go to your Highschool Prom in your Junior year, give me a call and we'll see if we can work something out...

Peter returned the car unscathed before midnight, so who knows, I may do it again. Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Jim, you may have noticed this 2.3-16 head and engine parts for sale in the parts section by now, but I couldn't help but wonder if there's something you might need before the engine is put back together, just in case.

2.3-16 Head and Engine Parts For Sale

Btw, anything new and exciting to report?

__________________
Paul S.

2001 E430, Bourdeaux Red, Oyster interior.
79,200 miles.

1973 280SE 4.5, 170,000 miles. 568 Signal Red, Black MB Tex. "The Red Baron".

Paul and all,

Nothing to report, and strangely Art has been incommunicado for the last week. I will call him again this evening and see what I can find out about the delay. Without any information, Peter is assuming a delivery van ran his car over or something ridiculous.

Thanks for the pointer to the 16 valve coming apart. I had not been checking lately and will let Art know so while it is still in pieces if we need something we can try for a ready and available source. Thanks again, Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)

Art went SCCA racing this weekend-tough to catch on a race week

__________________
"If God had meant for us to walk, why did he give us feet that fit car pedals?" Sir Sterling Moss

Michael
2014 E63S Estate
2006 SLK55
1995 E500
1986 Porsche 944 turbo

Good news!

The head is back and ready to be put back on the engine! Art was racing this weekend, and left on Thursday, so he was a little hard to get in touch with for a few days. I spoke to him tonight and, unfortunately I am on business travel tonight so I couldn't get out to see him. But he said all is ready, so I will probably bring Peter out there Wednesday evening. The car should be back on the road on Saturday. We still have a few things to do, like change the fuel filter and the injectors, but that can wait until Peter gets the car in the shop at school.

I will keep you posted and take some photos of the old parts. If the head is not bolted down on Wednesday I will get some shots of the head too.

Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)