Another misfire... My car this time!
 

So old faithful decided to develop a major hiccup today. At 560K it’s time for an overhaul. Going back to service records, I’ve been quite wrong. The head has not had a complete overhaul but a head gasket, and valve seals. So as far as I see this head is about all original.


I’ve had a slightly audible compression leak going on for a bit. Didn’t affect drivability, or power all that much. The turbo spools great and the car moved with good power. I went to go start it at work and it started missing pretty bad.

The compression leak was noticeable from the exhaust side near the manifold. Pointing to an exhaust valve. With a short drive, around 2k RPM it started to rattle around and knock a little. The sound is exact of a sloppy valve wobbling around. It does start rougher as well. Went the first crank, but it is a little more labored now.


Considering the body and paint are in great condition and everything else is maintained well (I’m 2nd owner and it’s been exclusively serviced at the same dealer since new) I will pull the head and overhaul it. I’ve also done a fair amount of work to keep the body and chassis rust free. Sectioned in rockers and repair patches to the quarter arches.


I feel as if it may be wise to check the sealing of the bottom end as well.

I plan to update the thread with tear down pictures and show the insides of a half a million mile Benz. I will also mic out the clearances and specs of the whole head to compare to factory specs to see how it’s worn and if anytjing is reusable such as cams. I have spare cams from an N.A. 606. They have more lift duration than the turbo cams but I don’t see that being a huge deal. The difference is minimal.

Stay tuned.

Not like I sit around waiting for a response to my post but I’ve noticed the algarhythm has changed. Only certain things get a response around here anymore. The forum has really died. I thought this would be interesting to people to see the tear down of a head with 500k and some pictures. Guess not!

There is no algorithm.

Well I am interested. What car is this BTW?

I'm subscribed, I'm keeping my E300 until I die, so your procedure with removing the head will help me out someday.

With the head off you might as well lift the short block and go to town. You're engine and engine bay will be so spotless and clean that it'll be the stuff of envy.

Also a video of the symptom would be nice as well, who will rebuild the head?

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Some sort of 98+ w210 E300 turbo diesel

Although I have done that exact job, I am still interested in what yours looks like with that many miles......Rich

It’s a 1999 E300 turbo diesel with 560k.

Yeah the more I think of it man, I mine as well pull the head and put it on a stand. The engine is COVERED in oil. I’ll take some pics of it and a video. It looks like a half a million mile engine. It doesn’t have a lot of blowby as well. And I’ve driven this car back and forth to Florida and South Carolina.

Hey rich. I am curious how did it go? Difficulties with the prechamber?

WOW mine with 260k is just a baby.

No, I have the puller and slide hammer. I do remember that some of the bolts were a little hard to get at, but still not the hardest job I have done. I think I have a thread here somewhere, I will look.

EDIT: Although not what I was thinking, this may be of some help:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/379795-another-606-glow-plug-removal-thread.html
and this one:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/379880-extractor-tip-removing-606-prechambers.html

Yeah it isn’t even close to broken in yet honestly. I’ve had many high mileage 605s with 300+k.
Lots of extensions and wobbles I’d assume. Did you use air to remove he head bolts? I’m doing the prechambers while the head is installed. It makes the most sense. I just did the glow plugs before winter so those will come easily.

Here’s a video of the engine now

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AJIbK9uE44o&feature=youtu.be

You would do well to degrease the engine and bay before starting on the repairs. Also, you may want to crack open each injector line to see which cylinder is the bad one (if you haven't already).

Thanks rich. I do plan to simple green and pressure wash it. Cylinder 2 is the cylinder 2 that doesn’t respond to a misfire. It also does not burn any oil which is a good sign too. And doesn’t leak much. I think a lot of the leaks I mention in the video are old stained leaks. The oil level didn’t change in 5k. Remarkable right? Only a 2 owner vehicle oil changed every 5k with synthetic 0w40 Mobil 1. So that’s what I’ve run in it. The compression leaks is extremely noisy at the manifold. And the valve sounds flappy at load at 2k RPM plus.

Man these engines are a last of an Era. The video was helpful too and it's a clear miss, I appreciate you uploading it.

Speaking of engine longevity, there are people on bobistheoilguy who go to great lengths to reduce engine wear as much as possible with bypass filters, pre oilers, and top of the line synthetic oils.

Sometimes I feel like doing the same but that'll have to wait.

Also I noticed sometimes E300's have different seats , your's are the one's with the old style vertical stitching similar to what was offered to all W124 Diesels, and yet mine is older with the newer style seats. Weird.

Did Mercedes offer some sort of interior package back in the day? Case in point.

Old style
https://raleigh.craigslist.org/cto/d/1999-mercedes-e300-turbodiesel/6766739274.html

New style
https://richmond.craigslist.org/cto/d/1999-mercedes-benz-e300-dt/6767660298.html

Also Jake, you're running European formula correct?

All that stuff is super silly. This car made it 560k on what is an original engine besides the document timing chains. It had the oil changes no later than 5k. Can’t ask for much more than 560k and I’m about 90% sure my bottom end is still solid. It’s quiet and doesn’t burn oil. And the head is decent! 5 cylinders still have good compression. This car never had anything modified to it, completely stock oiling system. Them guys waste their money, change the oil on time and you’re good. With synthetic.

Yes, I do run Mobil 1 0W-40 the German blend for BMW, Mercedes from Walmart. It’s $25 a bottle for the big bottles. It is also the factory oil this car left with. That’s the rule I follow. What it left the factory with is what I run it on. The M103 gas engines and diesel om603s left the Benz factory with rotella 15w40 Dino oil.

Also, you’re right they did have an interior package. My car has the vinyl MB tex, which has held up better than all my cars with leather. The leather has the stitching like the car with the tan interior. The leather was an additional $800 I believe.

I’d like to get some pictures of this car in the day time to show how well it had held up over it’s mileage and age. The fenders are rusted but I’ve fixed the rockers and quarters. Just hunting for two clean black fenders.