Kyle, I haven't tried any sort of diesel purge in the system while owning the car but it is a start. I am hoping that the noise is no more than a bad injector. The car idles and runs well and seems to have enough power and I have not noticed any excessive smoking. It only has some occasional missing during start up while cold.

Jim, your suggestions of checking the manifold to head joints sound relevant as well, the turbo and oxidation catalyst were replaced about 40K miles ago and some of the studs were replaced. The manifolds are not too different from the federal models. I have looked the engine over in the past while performing various maintenance items and I haven't noticed any soot on that side of the engine. I have stethoscoped the engine while running and revving it up, but since there is so much noise coming from the engine, it's difficult to really tell if the noises I have heard are out of the norm. Interestingly enough the "ticking" noise appears to be coming from the passenger side of the engine from listening from inside of the car. I haven't been really able to hear the sound from listening in the engine bay. This sound is not unlike the sound a loose rocker arm makes hitting a valve.
The air filter housing is the only thing that entirely different on the CA model. It sits in the area just behind the passenger side headlamp.
I sincerely appreciate these suggestions from the both of you and I will carefully check them out before I give up and try to find a knowledgable MB mechanic look at it. The closest one to me is about 50 miles away.
~DJ

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DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012