So i was doing the valve stem seals today on my 84 300sd when i got to the cylinder nearest the steering wheel (furthest back) and the exhaust valve has no valve guide. On the three other cylinder the valve stem seals appeared to be good (which is strange because the car puts out a large cloud of white smoke every time it starts and through the first acceleration). On the back cylinder the intake stem seal was not seated at all and the exaust one was not only not seated, but worse there was nothing to seat it on!
The weird part is there isn't a lot of play in the valve. I would expect it to be pretty sloppy without the guide (confused)?
The car has obviously been the victim of so hack mechanic shenanigans judging by other fixes i have found throughout the car. \
Did the last owner/mechanic break the valve guide, remove it and put it all back together? Or is there something else that can happen to make a valve guide up and disappear (i hope its not in that cylinder). The car runs and sounds good so i'm thinking it isn't. Wouldn't it make some god awful sound?
Second, how thick is a valve guide? How much play should i expect from a valve that is missing its guide?
Third, what is the procedure for replacing a valve guide. My timing chain is good and i really don't wanna pull the cam. Can i turn the engine so the valve goes down most of the way (just before the valve would fall in), slip the guide over it, fish out the valve through the guide (with a magnet if need be), put a nut on it, turn the engine over again and reassemble? or is that not going to work for some reason?
Thanks in advance for all the help.