Hi, i am going to replace the headgasket on my 1979 280s euro this weekend, can someone possbly tell me what i should be carefull for/watch out for, any snags, or possible problems?

what are the torque settings for the head bolts and is there a torque pattern?

kind regards

Before disconnecting any thing inside the engine take photos.
The timing chain tensioner resetting is critical.
Head bolt torque depends on the head bolts..ON that year ORIGINAL engine the bolts were allen bolts & they torque in 3 stages..20, 40, & 68 ft lbs

The head set should have torque sequence,,,start in the middle & work to both ends

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M.B. DOC thank you for the response, could i ask how do you reset the tensioner as for as i know the tensioner does not operate on oil presure but works with a spring?

Resetting the tensioner can be tricky. It is best to put it in a strong transparent bag as soon as you take it out. Reset it just before you reinsert it by reassembling it inside the bag. This prevents that part fly all over your workshop (don’t ask how I know). The tensioner should be assembled so that the inner part stays in, this may be easier said than done.

It is not necessary to split the timing chain, if you remove the rocker arms and the rear camshaft covers you can side the cams backwards. You will need some kind of valve depressor to remove the rocker arms. When reassembling make sure that the chain wheel bolds are properly torqued (100Mn, almost as much as the headbolds).

I would strongly advise to start now spraying penetrating oil on the exhaust bolds.

does anyone perhaps have the part in the workshop manual for remove and replaceing of the head gasket on the m110. i would greatly appreaciate it if someone could e mail me the extract my e mail adress is jpp@creditwise.co.za

One of the forum members has a M110 engine manual for sale in the parts section. Buy it or the CD from Mercedes for detailed info.

i need help please?? I want to remove the head on my m110, the chain has no strech at all, so i will be using it again, what i need to know is do i need to remove the tensioner prior to splitting of the chain or do i remove just before i refit the chain? do i first put everything back together and then fit the tensioner? please explain how do i remove the tensioner, i know you have to remove the cover with a 19mm hex, but from there please...???

If you have taken the cover off you will see a ring nut that holds the tensioner. It’s been a long time since I worked on these engines so I don’t remember the size but I used a large bold and two nuts to take it out.
As I posted earlier, it is not necessary to split the chain.

Sorry if i sound stupid but can you actually take the head and cambox of, without splitting the chain? i.e. by just pusing the cams back and taking the camfollowers out.

Yes You can.

You have to take the chain wheels off (see previous post).
I removed the cambox first and then the head. I think that was the only way.

O.K. so i removed the head, replaced the head gasket, ground the valve seats, replaced the stem seals, put everything back. engine started right up idles 100% engine starts much quicker, drives very well.
BUT

its smokes blue from the exhaust, on startup there is quite a bit, while driving i cant see any, but after ideling at an intersection and upon ecceleration there is a huge cloud of blue smoke, that WASNT THERE BEFORE I REMOVED THE HEAD.

i used a Victor Reinstz gasket set.

what is going on now, the engine didnt push blue smoke before i removed the head.

Did you change the oil?

The oil diluted oil might be getting past the rings.

I did change the oil, but i just looked on the fastlane and aparently you get a set of valve seals that is rubber (black) and teflon (white) the valve seals i used from reinz where all black, could this be a problem?

The old version of the 110 had exhaust valves with a slightly larger stem. For this engine you need the teflon seals. The newer version has the same diameter for inlet and exhaust and the same seals (black rubber).
If you use the new seals on the old valves they will stick to the stems and come loose of the head.
Even if you have the proper seals they may come loose from the head if there is oil between the seal and the head.

I have a 1979 model engine m110.922 but the exhaust valve stems are definately larger than the intake seals. However the seals where both black rubber, however there were 6 smaller black rubber seals for the inlet and 6 larger black rubber seals for the exhaust.

this sound wrong to me because the seals i took of the inlet valves looks like the white teflon seals on fastlane? Would using a non-teflon seal on this engine cause the exsesive smoking?

also i might mention that after cleaning the head, i put a little silicone spray on the valve guides so that i can get the seals over them without damaging them? Did i do wrong?