A friend recently gave me an '89 300E with 116,000 miles for $100. He said he didn't want to mess with it since the parts were expensive and it has a "tick" in the top of the engine. He had taken it to his regular mechanic (who works on his Ford trucks) who took the valve cover off. He noticed that there was a valve "loose" and was able to "tighten it up". My friend said the "tick" got worse and decided he did not want to mess with it. Knowing I am fond of Mercedes, he decided to give it to me at a low price to get it out of his driveway.
Myquestions:
What did this guy do that made it worse?
Do I need to replace the head?
How much should I limit driving it (it runs nice and has not lost any power)?
I would appreciate any guesses, as it is in great shape runs VERY well and has low miles. I want to keep and repair it, but I cannot spend too much, as I don't have very much. Thank you so much for any assistance.

I would drive it till it won't go and then get another nice driving low mileage MB for $100. After all wouldn't want to spend money on a car with gas costing so much.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Very funny.
The point I was making is that if it is going to be too much for ME to afford fixing, I could sell it to someone who CAN afford to fix it. Not everyone has a huge reserve of money to spend.
I appreciate your advice and assistance. So helpful. I'd think if you know so much to make smart jokes, you would have used the time to possibly respond to my concerns.
Thanks

Investigate the tick yourself. This is why I don't rely on POs experiences if they are not mechanically inclined.



Do the basics. Oil pressure, Oil condition, Trace the tick to the specific cylinder. Buy a manual and so on.

General ticks are hard to find and fix online but if you need valve specs and tips on adjusting then were your Huckleberry.

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Satan creates nothing: he only ruins everything. He does not invent: he tampers. And his followers are no different ~ Archbishop Carlo Maria Vigaṇ

You want smart answers ask smart questions. Who the hell knows what it will cost till you find out whats wrong with it. But just about everything it could be will be more than $100.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

Thanks again, Steve. I didn't think my question was too broad, since I asked how tightening the valve that was loose made the tick louder. I was only trying to find out if he had done something that everyone here knows is totally wrong. But I am not a mechanic, and I am assuming that by your answer and credentials, it was a stupid question. I realize that I got a pretty great car for an amazing price, and that it will cost more than $100 to fix.

The point is that the valves aren't tightenable, they are hydraulic. Whatever they didn't accomplish can only be determined by evaluating what your condition is and maybe from that what it was.

The likely candidate is a collapsed lifter and is really not much more expensive to fix than your car cost. But it could be a worn cam which is a little pricey. If it is a lifter and it doesn't get fixed it will wind up needing a cam.

Someone who will know what to look for will have to take a look.

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Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

The "loose valve" diagnosis is bogus. The tapping is most likely tappet noise caused by excessive clearance. One or more of your hydraulic lifters are stuck, preventing automatic clearance adjustment. They can sometimes be whacked with a mallet to free up or by cleaning with something like Rislone, otherwise it's lifter replacement time.
At 116K, this engine should have plenty more life left in it, but you will need to maintain it regularly. I fgure a car always costs at least $200/month: either in average maintenance expense, or in regular car payments. You will also have extra to catch up on the "defrred maintenance" (aka neglect) of the prior ownwer.

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Prost!

Jed, does the ticking noise seem excessive to you? Have you compared the ticking to some other high-mileage Mercedes with the same or similar engine?

I'd give it a new oil change with the correct viscosity synthetic listen if the noise changes.

I think maybe you should just drive it till it drives no longer, could be another 100K miles.

...for helping me out. Another friend told me it was probably a lifter, but with hearing about the supposed "tightening of the valve", I was a little more concerned, since I am not a mechanic - it sounded more sinister than a lifter. I apologize for the 'rookie'-type question I asked, but appreciate your helpful answers. I'll be more careful next time and promise to pass on anymore $100 deals to you guys.
Jed

I haven't tried anything, as I just got the car on Friday. It does seem excessive, though I have nothing but my 240D to compare it to. It is pretty clear something is up. Thanks for the tip - I will change the oil to synthetic before I take it to get looked at. Do you realy think it will last and is even safe to drive? I know you aren't here and can't hear it - and at risk of again asking a stupid question...

Thanks a lot for your help.

a friend gave it to you for $100?.....I don't buy it Jed....really..what are you trying to pull here?

???????

Please explain

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

[QUOTE=Hirnbeiss;1997194]I fgure a car always costs at least $200K/month: either in average maintenance expense, or in regular car payments.QUOTE]

You and Paris Hilton are the only 2 people spending this much on cars!

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1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

I know, I know. Promise it's true. What's more is I had to make him take the $100. He bought it for his son (16), and when the mechanic told him about the valve, he wrote it off. I think he paid $1,200 for it, which is why I insisted on giving him something for it. I tried to tell him that it couldn't be too bad since, after all, it IS a Mercedes, and only has 116K on it. Almost anything wrong with it would be worth fixing (he DOES have the money). He went ahead and bought his son some SUV and called me saying "come get this thing out of my driveway - it's taking up a spot". I think a lot of the kindness came from the fact that my wife had just wrecked our '94 Jetta into something that fell off of a semi (no lisence plate recorded) and she has nothing to drive. Also, poeple who are used to driving american cars don't realize that 120K on a MB is considered 'low mileage'. He simply did not know what he had. I'll take and upload pictures...I am not pulling anything...Promise!!