Seems the M119 built in 93 or newer have the plastic tubes and your engine falls into this category. The parts are cheap and the labor shouldn't be too bad. If your lifter has a constant tick then as many have already mentioned it is most likely a bad tube. If you do get open up the engine have them change all the tubes to save on any future labor.

Let us know what you find.

lifter noise
 

Again I want to thank everyone for their imput on this problem, but you really start to get mixed up with the different tubes, I will find out next week when I pull the valve cover on the MB. again thank you all for your kind help and anyother imput would also be great for me and many others with this same problem. I am really surprised that MB did not issue a recall to correct this problem on their automobiles since they knew about the problem all along?? Oh well that is big business for you. Ben

Re: lifter noise
 

It's not a safety issue. Only in those circumstances do manufacturers issue a recall.

It's a minor complaint that can be easily and relatively inexpensively solved. Overall the M119 is one of the finest engines ever put between the fenders of any car made. The oil tube problem wasn't known at the time of design of the M119, and came to light some time later. And yes, even the early metal tubes are a failure item.

So BigBen - What happened ? My ML320 has lifter noise on start up.
I have Mystery oil in stock. Never used it in oil...only gas... Would like to know what your results were.

If it is a collapsed lifter, it is a cheap part (about $10) and an easy repair.

I watched my mechanic do it on my previous car: 1.) Remove the valve cover, 2.) press each rocker arm to see which one had the loose/collapsed lifter, 3.) unbolt the culprit rocker, 4.) pop out the bad lifter, 5.) insert a new one, 6.) reattach the rocker, 7.) replace the valve cover, and 8.) present me with a bill for about $40.00. :)

You have probably already spent at least that much $$ in time and effort on the engine additives.

I just realized this is a 5-year old post and the original poster is no longer a member, it appears. :o

Is yours powered by the M112 V6? I had a Crossfire (also powered by the M112) that intermittently ticked on start up. What fixed it for me was an oil change with fresh Mobil-1 0W-40, and an old fashioned "Italian tune-up".:D I took off hard and shifted it close to red-line a few times and the tick went away, never to return.

engine
 

I just know its a 1999
ML320 so, 3.2 liter V6.

When I changed the oil with fresh Mobil one 500 miles ago, it was gone then came back. I do drive like a grandpa...hey, 20 MPG Premium is $3.39 today..I'm a Realtor in Michigan ...nuff said ?
I reccon I can waste a quart of gas nailing it....as soon as the Ice is off the asphalt here.

sdanville, just so you know, I put almost 40k miles on my car living with that tick. The engine didn't seem worse for the wear. Like you, I drove it rather conservatively around town and it rarely went over 75mph on the highway, so the engine rarely saw the upside of 3,500rpm. After I drove it like I stole it the tick went away and the engine purred like a kitten for another 15k miles, at which point I sold it and bought my W140 sedan.

I know its considered as sort of an urban legend, but I do believe that the occasional red-line romp can be good for your engine. It blows out the carbon, dontcha know.:D

I don't get it; :confused: Collapsed lifters are easy, fast, and cheap DIY repairs, so why ignore it? Nonetheless, I am starting to appreciate the value of Italian tuneups, based on what I read here.

Where it is not feasible to cruise at 90mph for 30 minutes or so, would shifting into 2nd or 3rd and running at 5,000 rpm for a while accomplish the same thing?

I know this post is old, but I have ticking sound that is intermittent, coming from my 560SEL, and I can only assume it has a bad lifter.

Do I need a valve spring compressor to replace the lifters on a M117??

I don't get it properly.Can you explain this briefly...
Thanks....
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