As promised 103 head/valve job pictures...
 

I hope this works!
http://www.walmart.com/agt/bounce.gsp?ID=28411A2C5AC8C54B8658EBF5400604726CA1&sharee=georgehi%40bellsouth%2Enet
:D

Wow , looks good J.H. ! The jet coating on the exhaust manifolds looks great , I wanted to paint mine with a raw cast iron paint but didn't . Did your's weather to a pinkish hue ? Thanks for the pics , it would be good to do a DIY 103 head re & re article , now that we're experts:D .

J. H.

Thanks for taking the time. Will come in handy for alot of folks.

Why did you use a hoist, block and tackle, or whatever it was to lift the head? It can't weigh over 30 pounds or so with the manifold disconnected and cam and rockers removed.

Leaving the intake manifold in place is the only way to go on the 103 IMHO.

Good job,

Thanks guys!
 

Kyle,
The exhaust manifold was looking old and rusted so, since it was out, I just went the extra mile $$.
Larry,
Believe me, the head weights more than 30 lbs! You need at least two people to manipulate the head without breaking anything. Also, I did not remove the rockers. The head was taken to the machine shop complete. They returned the head in the same assembly condition (complete).
The intake left in place saves time and the chance of loosing/breaking something. Obviously it worked for me.

Again, thanks to Neumann for helping me out. I think his foot made one of the pictures...:D

Note: The pictures will stay up for 30 days, after that, they will NOT be available for viewing.:(

Why do some M103s have EGR and some not? More importantly, why does mine have EGR?

That's a lot of shoes you have :)

Sixto
95 S420
91 300SE
87 300SDL
83 300SD

Sixto,
 

I did notice the shoes in one of the pictures. It must have been shoe heaven that day...;)

Re: Thanks guys!
 

I'm with Larry on this one. I left the intake manifold in the engine bay. It saved disturbing wiring and fuel lines. Without sounding like I'm boasting, I lifted the head off and replaced it by hand (no hoist) with camshaft, rockers and exhaust manifolds attached. No, it isn't light, but it is possible unless you have a bad back. Mind you, while watching me replace ours, my wife was convinced I would end up with a bad back! I did it in two steps. First I lifted the head and placed it onto a length of timber I had sitting on the driver's side (here in Oz, passenger's side for most of you, ie. exhaust side) of the egine bay. Then, with gaskets located on their dowels I lifted the head across onto the block. Maybe not the most elegant solution, but without a hoist one must improvise.

The head weighs no more than 30 pounds or so. If you leave the exhaust manifolds, cam, rockers, etc on the head, then it does indeed weigh alot.

That said, the manifolds, cam, rockers, etc must come off before going to the machine shop anyway. Also, at least for me, these parts are easier to remove from the head with the head in place. The bare aluminum head is as light as a feather.

Thus my question regarding using a hoist to remove the head. Even with all that stuff on the head, I would use Gregs method in spite of the fact that I have a walking beam with a chain hoist running down the middle of my shop with a balancing apparatus hanging on it at the ready at all times. It's just quicker and easier to manhandle a head, any head than it is to mess around with a chain hoist.

BTW good job on your engine work!

Have a great day,

After working in the health care field for the last 20 years, I would recommend a pulley to get the head out even if it weighs only 30 pounds. This is based on the physics of the movement. Also, there is no such thing as a "bad back", there are such things however as having your tendons torn, ruptured disks, etc, things not to be taken lightly.

What did you have done to the head, and how much did the machine shop charge for it?

Did you have the guides and seals replaced? Valves ground? Etc.?

Thanks. My 190 2.6 will be needing guides and seals in the next 25k or so and if I can pull it (as you did) have the head done then reinstall, I can save mucho $.

brook,

The going independent shop pice for a turn key valve job on the 103 is something in the area of $1,600 to $2,000. The machine shop labor and gaskets will probably run about $400 or so. This makes for pretty simple math.

For a competent DIY'er with adequate tools, I would call the R&R of head about a 16 hour job.

These engines come apart and go back together real well. You did need to be aware of a few basics such as tightening the rocker arm assemblies onto the cam gradually by tightening each cam stand a little then go to the next and so forth. If you just tighten one all the way then go to the next you will strip bolt holes and possibly break the cam.

Good luck,

More...
 

For Brookspw,
The head job at the machine shop is around $350 plus gaskets, sealer and maybe tools (depending on what you have).
In my case, the machine shop did an excellent job. They removed and re-install everything on the head. I did ask before I took it in. They said they could it so, I did not mess with it. They replaced the guides and seals and checked and refreshed the head in general. They shaved 3 thousands? off the head since it was warped. According to them, overall, the head was in good shape.
The "pulley" did cost $8.00. Just a piece of nylon rope and a fence metal post from home depot for $5. Two people pulling up on the post across the engine while another person guiding the head. Total for the pulley only $13. It is your money...and back.
I hope the picture works!

Larry estimated 16 or so hours for a DIY. What was your experience?

JH,

You left out the most important part;
How much better does it run?
Any speeding tickets yet?