Hey guys,

So my 300TE has 123k on her now and the lifters are getting pretty noisy now and she's sounding more like a diesel at idle. The noise disappears at anything over 800rpm...The noise was there at 70k as a tick tick and clattering at startup only on really cold mornings, but its slowly gotten worse over the last 50k miles. I run 5-40 Synthetic Mobil1 HD Diesel Truck right now, but I was using 15-40 Delo400 before and it was pretty much the same, so its not an oil issue.

I know the pre 89's had the soft cam and rocker arms and I can see some slight scoring marks on the cam lobes when peering through the oil cap (normal? Or should they be completely smooth?).

I would like some advice on the best course of action.

1) Replace lifters and leave it for a while?
2) Replace Cam, Rocker Arms and lifters?
--2a) New everything?
--2b) New lifters, used cam + rockers?

Any thoughts on what to do? Need some input since I figured for a Camco cam, Febi rocker arms and Ina lifters its about $1k brand new parts. I'm fine spending the money, but is it best course to take?

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2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

Well first I think you need to post up some pictures of the cam and rocker arms - inspect them - take of the valve cover.

You might not need to replace everything...

...I found that the single camshaft for my OM617 was really quite cheap (even from the dealer) but rocker arms added up to lots and lots despite an encouraging per piece price - the other stuff adds up to quite a lot.

__________________
1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver
1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone
1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy!
1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing

I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior



Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits!

One or more of you hydraulic valve lifters may be worn.
If only one is worn you will hear 5 ticks per second at 600rpm
They are not that expensive:
1988 Mercedes-Benz 300TE Wagon - Cylinder Head & Valvetrain - Page 2

Rob

My advise is to get an accurate diagnosis of the noise and repair accordingly.


I'd go late version used parts assuming the worst case scenario.

__________________

90 300TE 4-M
Turbo 103, T3/T04E 50 trim
T04B cover .60 AR
Stage 3 turbine .63 AR
A2W I/C, 40 LB/HR
MS2E, 60-2 Direct Coil Control
3" Exh, AEM W/B O2
Underdrive Alt. and P/S Pulleys,
Vented Rear Discs, .034 Booster.
3.07 diffs 1st Gear Start

90 300CE 104.980
Milled & ported head, 10.3:1 compression
197° intake cam w/20° advancer
Tuned CIS ECU
4° ignition advance
PCS TCM2000, built 722.6
600W networked suction fan
Sportline sway bars
V8 rear subframe, Quaife ATB 3.06 diff

The noise is definitely coming from the top end I verified with my stethoscope. I'll pull the cover off tomorrow and get some closer shots.
This is what I have right now:


I don't know what would be considered normal though. Should it have any scoring at all or is it normal to have some level?

__________________
2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

Have you considered running a different grade of oil?

On my 93 190E when I had the 2.6 in there around 195k it got one lifter that was noisy. Running thicker oil seemed to help for a little while. Ultimately I had them all replaced.

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82 300SD 145k
89 420SEL 210k
89 560SEL 118k
90 300SE 262k RIP 5/25/2010
90 560SEL 154k
91 300D 2.5 Turbo. 241k
93 190E 3.0 235k
93 300E 195k

__________________
2009 Mercedes ML320 Bluetec

My '91 with 230K has lobes and rocker faces like shiny mirrors. I did have a lifter peck at about 150k, and changed all the lifters, all good since.

DG

ps,

I thought that the problematic cams were limited to the ''86 models, but my memory is not what it used to be.

If the engine is otherwise in good shape with good compression and oil pressure, the work you propose sounds quite a feasible and worthwhile project.

__________________
2001 SLK 320 six speed manual
2014 Porsche Cayenne six speed manual

Annoy a Liberal, Read the Constitution

I changed the oil tonight back to Dino Delo 400.

While doing it I was doing more listening and it seems I have been fooled. The noise is coming from the tensioner shock. The bushing is completely disintegrated...there is absolutely nothing left at all!!

So I continued listening because I was SURE it was coming from the engine, and going back and forth it seems that I still have ticking coming from the cam. So probably in the long run I am still going to need to get it changed, but for now problem averted for a little. Phew!

I have a brand new tensioner shock in my parts box so I'll get that done when the engine is cold. I should be able to swap the shock without removing anything right?

__________________
2016 Monsoon Gray Audi Allroad - 21k
2008 Black Mercedes E350 4Matic Sport - 131k
2014 Jeep Wranger Unlimited Sahara - 62k
2003 Gray Mercedes ML350 - 122k

ps2cho, try Mobil 1 15W50 in your 300TE.

__________________
Fred Hoelzle

I am running 5w40 rotella (for the last 33k) in my M103 and it only taps a couple lifters when very cold for maybe 6-8 seconds, then stops. 162k original on it. It is a November '89 engine.....

123k seems low for failing cams and lifters unless you drive the life out of it regularly. Admittedly ours doesn't see north of 3500rpm much.

__________________
-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

The lower bold may be a bit hard to reach (depending on the size of your hands).

I put a piece of rubber hose in mine, holds for 200K/mls

Rob