Please watch and listen to the video. A ticking sound comes in and goes out about every 10 seconds at idle warm temp. What do you think is making the noise?? Winning post gets a free coke or pepsi. (if I can make the ticking stop)

1987 Mercedes 300SDL with intermittent ticking noise - YouTube

Sounds like normal slight injector nailing.

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1987 300SDL #1, 1987 300SDL #2, 1980 240D, 1982 300SD, 1994 S350, 1990 350SDL, 1991 350SD, 1985 300D, 2005 E320CDI

Gone, but not forgotten: 1981 300SD, 1982 300SD, 1987 300SDL, 1983 300TD, 1980 300CD, 1981 300SD #2, 1987 300D, 1987 300TDT, 1980 300D

I have the same issue. I've listened to the injectors with a mechanics stethoscope and I think some of them are nailing, but I wish I had something to compare it to.

But, if its nailing injectors then I now know what to do as well.


Does the noise go away when you increase engine RPMs? I know mine does. Its annoying to hear the ticking sound, makes me feel like I have a jalopy.

That sounds like it could be a sticky lifter. Sounds eerily similar to the sound I had on a SDL I owned previous to my current one. That went away after a few thousand miles on synthetic oil.

Something else to check would be the belt tensioner shock. Sometimes the grommet where it bolts to the engine can get worn or completely disappear and the shock will make noise as it vibrates against the mounting bolt.

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Joe

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1980 300SD - 495k miles - 'The Ambassador'
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Former Family Members
95 C280
73 280SEL
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The noise does go away when I increase the RPM

Try and isolate the injector that is nailing. You can remove it and move it to another spot and try to follow the sound. If the sound of ticking moves with the injector then you know what the problem is.This job will require you to buy new injector heat shields, but they are cheap.

[QUOTE=egretparadise;3011310]Please watch and listen to the video. A ticking sound comes in and goes out about every 10 seconds at idle warm temp. What do you think is making the noise?? Winning post gets a free coke or pepsi. (if I can make the ticking stop)

1987 Mercedes 300SDL with intermittent ticking noise - YouTube[/QUOTE


My 86 300sdl sounds the same. The ticking comes and goes. It is louder when the engine is cold. I attribute it to original injectors that are now 26 years old. I have a good hood pad, and all of my underbody panels attached, so unless I have the hood open, I do not hear it very much.

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John
1986 300sdl
1985 380se

Ether had the correct answer. It is a sticky lifter.

Care to share how you verified this?

I took the car to a gentleman who has been a mercedes only diesel mechanic for the last 40 years. He placed a screwdriver to his ear and then placed the tip of the screwdriver to each injector. He said they were all good. He then proceeded to do the same thing to other parts of the engine. He said that since the car has been setting up and not driven much, it is not a big surprise. He also said my vacuum pump was the new style and showed me what the old style looked like. He said he had not seen many like mine fail.

Another comment is that lifters stick more when idling and usually stop when rpms go above 800 to 1000 rpms because of more lubrication forced to the lifters under higher rpms.

Thanks for everybody's input