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  #1  
Old 06-26-2003, 07:19 AM
zhandax
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Valve Job update

I finally made time to remove the head Sunday. After putting up a 5-hour fight, when I got to the last step, the head popped off like a champagne cork.
Which brings up the first question...the gasket momentarily stuck to the head, then dropped with a metallic clank onto the block. I was expecting a workout with the scraper to clean the head. It looks like I can clean it with carb cleaner on a rag. Something does not square with the accounts I have read here, but having not done this before I cannot identify what it is.

At least the job required a minimal contribution of blood and only around $100 in educational expense.

This is the result of the distriutor bracket being stuck. None of my pullers had small enough arms to get behind it. I tried to pry it out with a screwdriver. Big mistake. Cracked the orange plastic piece that sits behind the rotor and seals the distrubutor cap.

In the end I used a rubber mallet from the rear of the timing chain cover to try to loosen the bracket. It broke off one of the bracket arms. I went ahead and broke the other two and disassembeled.

In retrospect, if I face this situation again, I will take a Dremel and cut the rotor bracket off. The orange plastic piece is $60. It will require taping off the opening below the bracket to keep metal filings out.

The other problem was with the fan bolts. They will not budge. On the bench with a 100 ft/lb impact wrench.
I pulled the radiator to ensure I could get the center bolt out to avoid a disaster.
This done, I decided to rinse the radiator once more upside down to make doubly sure there was no citric acid residue from the prior weekend's flush.

I recognized the transmission cooler fittings, but without analyzing, thought they carried water. I rinsed those out with fresh water. Realized my mistake when I saw a pink drip under one of the disconnected hoses.

Question:
If I take the suction pump I bought to remove some excess trans fluid and force a couple of quarts of ATF thru the trans cooler fitings on the radiator, will this get any remaining water out?

Here is a pic of the head...

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Valve Job update-300e-head-016.jpg  
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  #2  
Old 06-26-2003, 10:08 AM
I told you so!
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Motor City, MI
Posts: 2,853
Be very careful with any water left over in the trans cooler lines. Water in ATF will attack the glue used to attach friction material to the clutch pieces and will easily destroy those assemblies.

Flushing with ATF is a good idea, though it may miss some water collected at low places and float over it (water is heavier). You may want to consider running compressed air beforehand to try to dry out the moisture first. We're in a heat wave (at least where I am). You may want to bake the radiator all day in the hot sun. Anyhow, use your creativity and do whatever it takes to get the moisture out.

I spend lots of time doing the prep on sealing surfaces, such as head decks. This is because I insist on doing jobs ONCE (no redos!). After careful scraping of gasket material and a good inspection, I like to finish the surfaces with Scotchbrite wetted with oil. Make sure not to nick the surfaces. Don't rush through this job. And don't take any shortcuts.
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  #3  
Old 06-26-2003, 12:26 PM
sixto's Avatar
smoke gets in your eyes
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Eastern TN
Posts: 20,841
Re: Valve Job update

Quote:
Originally posted by zhandax
This is the result of the distriutor bracket being stuck. None of my pullers had small enough arms to get behind it. I tried to pry it out with a screwdriver. Big mistake. Cracked the orange plastic piece that sits behind the rotor and seals the distrubutor cap.
One of the techs here helped me with that recently. Dousing with WD40 helped. Only a couple of scratches to the orange plastic plate in my case.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE ... Marie Antoinette
87 300SDL
83 300SD
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Old 06-26-2003, 02:43 PM
zhandax
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Thanks, I will shoot compressed air through there. The radiator has been simmering in the garage all week with temps in the 90's. If the weather holds up, I will give it a good bake in the sun also.
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  #5  
Old 06-26-2003, 03:57 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: westchester, ny
Posts: 747
Orange disc

Sixto,
Sorry to jump in here, but in changing the distributor cap & rotor on my '87 300e I noticed that the orange disc had been chipped on the edge, about one inch long. The car has run great for one year since I bought it from the PO. Is this going to be a problem? Thanks for your input.
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Old 06-26-2003, 03:59 PM
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smoke gets in your eyes
 
Join Date: Jun 2000
Location: Eastern TN
Posts: 20,841
I'm not sure exactly what that piece does other than serve as an insulator. If your car runs well with the piece in that condition, I wouldn't touch it. I don't intend to replace mine.

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD
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  #7  
Old 06-27-2003, 06:22 AM
zhandax
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That is all I can see that it does, but it, along with the gasket, seems to form a moisture barrier to the distributor contact/rotor chanber of which it constitutes the rear wall. High relative humidity can cause tracking inside a distributor cap. I crunched this one along the edge enough to be concerned about the moisture seal.

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