The engine is burning some oil and I here a clicking noize on the passenger side of the over head Cam. I am thinking of sending the car in for new piston rings, Valve Stem Seal Kit, Valve Guide and Valve Keeper. Is there something I may be missing besides what I have listed. Is there a local shop in seattle that some one trusted. Or should I spend the money on a rebuild engine.

rcaron@nwdemarc.com

How many miles?
How much oil it burns? 1qt every 1000 or less.
Why you think it need piston rings and valve keeper?
If you are not the first owner, Do you have servcie record or repair history of the car?
It might be just valve stem seals, as for as noise is concern does it come in the mornig for few minutes or continueously as you drive. It could be just a chain slap, or oil is not reaching into the came area in the morning etc. What I am getting at is that do not start throwing money on the problem, first narrow it down to what it is. Give us more details about the problem you are having and may be some one can help you.
And by the way, welcome to the board.
Good Luck

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87 420 SEL
Looking for a nice mid 80's MB diesel.
87 BMW 528e (Sold)
99 TOYOTA 4Runner
1989 Honda Accord (Sold)
1988 Honda Accord (Total)

I would stop driving it as soon as possible. A cam oiler fitting or several of them has probably come loose and the cam is not getting properly lubed thus the valvetrain noise. Hopefully you haven't scored the cam yet. Pull the valve covers and see what you find. Might be time to service the timing chain, guides and tensioner anyhow.

Cam oiler tube fittings are definitely a wear item on these v8's. They will also cause an otherwise seemingly healthy engine to use oil, once the oil tubes pop off oil is pumped in massive amounts into the valve area but not onto the cam as it should, rising to high enough levels to overwhelm the valve seals which are probably weak anyways.

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Chas

Had a 380SL, 450SL, 380SEL, 420SEL, 500SEL

Got a Euro 500SEC right now.

Your problems are easily solved by replacing the valve stem seals and one or more hydraulic compensators. The symptoms you describe are quite common for these engine. I would not think you need new rings as these engines usually go over 500k before needing new rings. Your "bottom end" is fine im sure. Do your seals and have the valve clearance checked and fixed if needed. You will be fine.

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Fun, fun, fun

Does it just smoke at start up? If so then your valve stem seals need replaced. You can check for guide wear when replacing the seals. If the valve "wiggles" then you need to replace them - which would require removing the heads. The valve stem seals can be replaced without removing the heads.

Thank you all for responding!

To "BenzMatic"
How many miles 255,000
How much oil it burns? 1qt every 750 Miles
There is no servcie record or repair history That I know of.
noise For a few seconds in the Cold morning.

To "126nut"
The Car runs really good after i changed the sparkplugs I will take pic's of the sparkplugs and put them on a web site so you guys can see what is going on.

To "S Car Go"
Wow thanks for the info 500k miles is alot of miles. Chevy motors could not even touch that.

To "benzboy87"
It did smoke before I changed the sparkplugs. (I'll get the web site Up soon) After I change the SP the smokeing went away. What i do notice is that when you drive for an hour or so that you sorta can smell oil burning, but there is no noise to go with that. You really notice the Oil Smell when you get off the freeway at a stop light.

Here is what the car looks like. There has been alot of work put in to it.
http://www.nwdemarc.com/benz/mbenz2.htm

hi i just have a question. i see you've installed new speakers. the rears i can see their cover which look good. what about the fronts. i see the grille appears to be cut but aren't they covered??
tks
craig

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Thanks Much!
Craig

1972 350sl Red/Blk 117k
1988 420sel charcoal/Blk 140k
1987 420sel gold/tan 128k
See My Cars at:http://mysite.verizon.net/res0aytj/index.html

Pound it to fit then Paint it to match!

There is only First Place and Varying degrees of last!

Old age and deceit will overcome Youth and Enthusiasm every time!

Putting the square peg in the round hole is not hard... IF you do it fast enough!

Old enough to know better but stupid enough to do it anyway!

I'll second that opinion. I did my own seals, helluva job but stopped the oil burning completely. Also, try some quality top-end gas additive to see if that doesn't clear a clogged compensator, which it might, like Techron.
P.S.: Are those pointy things on the consol your addition, or the previous owner's?

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1986 560SL
2002 Toyota Camry
1993 Lexus

New valve seals cured the oil usage on mine. Trouble is, I also had to get a new cam (not cheap). If you need a cam, get new lifters while you're in there. And yes, passenger side...after reading posts here for the last 5+ years, I've come to the conclusion that it happens more than anyone would like to admit.

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

You might be able to pull a while without the stem seals, even though it burns one qt every 750 miles. You will eventually need them, it is a bit complex job but you can do it. It will cost you about $25 in parts and 8 hours plus labor. Do a search on the stem seals, you will get a lot of information. The best sign is to check first thing in the mornig, when you start first time and if gives a puff of blue smoke you need stem seals but if it stop smoking after first start, you can buy some time but eventually need to do it. This is a 100K miles item, an indie will charge you $500-$700 to do the job.
As for as burning oil smell, it very well could be leaking valve cover gaskit or leaking tranismission oil which drips overt he exhaust and burns.
Good luck and Keep us posted.

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87 420 SEL
Looking for a nice mid 80's MB diesel.
87 BMW 528e (Sold)
99 TOYOTA 4Runner
1989 Honda Accord (Sold)
1988 Honda Accord (Total)

With mine I did not get blue smoke at first start up but when it had been driven and allowed to sit for a while - then started up. There would be a puff of smoke. I think problems would be more than stem seals if smoke appears after sitting overnight - the oil has a chance to drain back to the pan overnight. Worn valve guides if it does this on startup maybe?

Well the Tweeters are too tall for the Original speaker grills so I cut the grills so that it was not pressing against the tweeters. I will be making some custom stainless dome grills for the car in the next few months… I have to program it in to the C&C Mill

Rob

LOL the spikes are what my wife and I added. We wanted to have alittle personal touch with the car.

It is funny you said "Cam's"
I have been thinking about replacing them. Here is the cost and you tell me what you think.
Camshaft left $303.37
Camshaft Right $294.37
Rocker Arm Laso $19.88 for one.

Rob