Over the past year, my engine has started to produce some valve chatter. First it would occur only when first started, then it started to last longer into the warmup period.

Then I got into the habit of adding a half quart of Mystery Oil to the crankcase, and the chattering is much better. Now I only get valve chatter at temps below 30F, and it goes away as soon as the engine is warm enough that the heater blower kicks in.

Will I suffer valve/engine damage if I wait a little while to have the valves adjusted? What is recommended valve adjustment interval on these 106 engines? 300E/300TE inline six

I don't know when it was done last. I bought the car with 153k miles on it.

Thanks ~

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Jason
1990 300TE
210k miles
Engine: 103.983
Chassis: 124.090
17/27 mpg
:

There is no external valve adjustment for the M103 engine in your 300TE. The engine has hydraulic lash adjusters. Are you sure the noise is valve clatter? You might have lost timing chain guide rail or the tensioner. Pull the valve cover and do a rough check of chain stretch.

What's the oil pressure reading through all this noise? How long does it take the oil pressure gauge to peg at 3 after a cold start?

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL
83 300SD ... $950, see cars forum

Oil pressure comes up to 3 right after I start it.

However, once engine is at operating temperature (80C), oil pressure is down to "1" at idle. This is with 20/50 weight oil. Quickly goes back up when rpm is at 1200-1500 and above.
With thinner oil, oil pressure is a bit lower, maybe dropping to 2.5 or 2 when rpm at 2000 or lower.

Could the noise be hydraulic lifters that are stuck, maybe dirty? I have tuned my ear to the car over the years, and I swear I can hear the difference between 1 lifter (or valve?) and multiple lifters being stuck, and chattering. I can pick out multiple sources of the chatter, then the engine warms, the oil circulates, and the multiple sources of chatter drop off to one source, then that source finally stops.

It was a curious event that my mechanic put 20W-50 oil in it at the last oil change in mid-October. I thought he goofed, as I should be running winter oil now, 5W-30. Maybe he did it because he knows oil pressure in my car isn't great. I have been going to the same mechanic (family owned business) for the past 3.5 years. They only over-charge me a little and they don't make up extra work that needs to be done.

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Jason
1990 300TE
210k miles
Engine: 103.983
Chassis: 124.090
17/27 mpg
:

You have some bad tappets. They are easy to replace on this engine, look into it. Not all that cheap, alas.

If the noise goes away when the engine warms up, you can live with it for a while. If it stops going away, you need to replace the tappets.

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

Ooh... ooh... this just happened to me and I don't believe I've forgotten already. Check the bushings in the little shock absorber near the coolant thermostat. The bushings of that little shock in my 91 300SE were shot and it made a heck of a racket. You can check it by applying sidewards pressure on the shock body and listening for the sound to change or go away.

Sixto
95 S420
87 300SDL
83 300SD ... $950, see cars forum
91 300SE ... sold

I have the exact same problem. Seems to be worse for me with thicker oil (I'm now using 10w40). I've tried synthetic, didn't seem to change much. I have flushed the engine prior to the last few oil changes and this has appeared to help but hasn't solved the problem. Looks like something we can figure out together with the help of the forum. I'll keep posting to your thread as I learn more.

__________________
90 300TE
00 ML320

Sixto,

I had the belt tensioner replaced a couple of years ago. I don't think that is the noise, but I will open the hood, and put my ear down there.

__________________
Jason
1990 300TE
210k miles
Engine: 103.983
Chassis: 124.090
17/27 mpg
: