Update: Thanks a bunch to everyone's help. I have about 300 miles on my new head from Metric. Tailpipe smoke hung around the first 100 miles and I got worried that I didn't fix much. But started fading and now I can observe that the new head has reduced my once embarrassing tailpipe smoke down to a gentle whisp. So far, can't observe any significant oil burning (Prior to new head, I'd have burned a half quart by now). I switched to Mobil 1 TD 5/40, so maybe that is contributing to that and the lesser amount of smoke--don't know for sure. The valves were shot! Carbon on everything under the guides. Couldn't tell if valves were actually burned, but they were definitely not seating with all that crap everywhere. Not even the ballsiest Italian could tune that one up! A few of the valves I could actually feel play in the guides. The car is much peppier now and starts right up in the a.m. I kinda wish we'd get a cold snap down in the teens or lower to see how she'd do--coldest we've gotten since the job has been down to 29 or so and fires on first crank.

Thoughts on the job itself. Not bad for moderate to slightly advanced mechanical ability. Takes a while, so I'm fortunate to have the Camry safety net car. Here's a few tips that I hope would help someone contemplating doing the same job I did. You seasoned veterans can stop reading right here, but if you've never done the job and you're contemplating it, perhaps my trials and tribulations can help. Manifolds should stay on when you pull the head--just makes it easy. Pull the head with an engine hoist. Remove fan and turn engine clockwise only with a 27 mm deep socket. Don't fool with turning with power steering pulley--that thing has to be removed for the job anyway. Paint marks on cam and timing chain and DO NOT rotate engine with cam gear off of timing chain. When turning engine over by hand, plug the chain tensioner hole with a rag, because that thing gets major oil pressure that spews out even just doing it by hand. Oh, FSM says to loosen up oil filter housing cap, but they don't say why. It's to let the oil in there drain to the pan. And when turning engine by hand, this will spew oil out as well if left loosened up. Don't worry about keeping tension on the timing chain while pulling the head out or after it's out--just lay it to the side (I laid it to the side and just to keep it out of the way tied it off with a bungee cord to the fender well). When loosening the cam gear bolt, block the back of the cam, because when that bolt comes off and there's no rockers holding it there, it will slide back and the timing washer will drop into the timing cavity. If that happens or if anything else drops down there, just close the hood and walk away until you're ready to continue which will entail pulling the engine. The IP and crank down below don't let go of the chain very easily. The rockers come off and go on in one position of the cam. If you're not on the right position, forget it. Keep turning. Seems to me the first set was about TDC or close on #1. And the second set was way beyond that on #4 or #5. But, reminder, don't do that unless you've got the cam gear on with chain attached. And when you're all done, turn the engine over 720 deg. just to make sure no valves are hitting pistons. Finally, keep plenty of Scotch around--satisfaction that it'd probably piss off a German Benz engineer that you're wrenching on his creation while savoring the drink of the technologically inferior Scottish.

Whew, I think that's it. If I think of anything else, I'll be sure to update. And thanks again to all you on this board that helped me out. I couldn't have done it without you.

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1998 E300D, 287k, barely broken in.