85 380 head and intake bolt patterns needed - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

#5 09-14-2004, 07:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lesrrt

Hi Dan. I wish I could have found a service manual for my 380 sel too. I had to settle for the cd which covers th 126 class. Also, when you purchase your new head gaskets, they will have the specific torque pattern as the moderator described above. I pretty much did the same thing you are doing; I had to convert single-to-dbl t-chain. A copy of this can be attained via the dealer, or you can get the internet version from ebay. The diff in $ is about a 100$ but the quality is lacking; you get what you pay for. There are however, written manuals that some service people have that are probably worth a substantial $. With that said, us average folk have to settle for whats we can get! Finally, don't forget about the tools you will need. Search the internet: you will need a guide-rail pin puller as well as the special, extention sockets to remove the head bolts beneath the cam. Keep us posted; I could have not done my job w/o this site.

les

Since the heads were comming off anyway I took the risk of damaging the bolts and used an allen socket. When I stripped one of the bolts my resourcefull brother drove a 5/8 inch impact socket on the round outside of the headbolt and turned it with ease. I took a small bolt with an assortment of sockets and washers and removed the guide rail pins. I am so ashamed to work on such a fine car with such primative methods.

At this point I have the heads back from the machine shop with four exaust and one intake valve replaced, new stem seals and milled .00001 in. I replaced the front seal and the timming cover seals. Reinstalled the water pump and the balancer and pullys along with the air and smog pumps.

HOWEVER, while waiting for the arrival of the exaust valves (purchased from mid-tenn) The damage that was done to the no5 piston began to wear away at my soul. I have decided to replace it. It has deep marks where the broken valve turned upside down and poked it many times. Some say it will only cause compression change (obviously) but I can't go on without it.

I am waiting on the piston and rings. This is the first time I have been inside a Benz. If the body wasn't black and almost flawless and the darned thing didn't ride so good, and everyone who sees it thinks it is so perfect, I would not go through all this apprehension.

Am I making any sense?