Finding and removing Vacuum Pump ball bearings from OM603 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

HinuWahie · #1 11-24-2019, 02:38 PM

In a previous thread the forum helped me find root cause for power loss, noise and heavy smoking in my 1987 300D. It turned out to be a timing problem resulting from a vacuum pump failure.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/400915-om603-14-cracked-head-head-gasket-leak.html

I was originally thinking the 11 lost ball bearings (1 fell out when I removed the vacuum pump!) would show up in a subsequent oil change.

If I needed to find more, I could "just" drop the oil pan and get the remaining ones. I'm finding that the procedure for dropping the pan is pretty involved and am wondering if there is a better first step.

Logic dictates that the ball bearings need to come out to avoid being pulled back up where they could do harm again.

1. Is this actually the case? Or are they fine sitting at the wherever they are?

The side pan seems pretty easy to get to. I'm considering starting there to see what can be reached thru there.

2. Is the side pan likely worth the effort?

3. Is there a way to get to the oil pump intake screen other than dropping the pan? My searches so far have not been able to find this info.

4. I thought about getting a magnet oil plug to help guide them out eventually. Is this folly?

Ive found no ball bearings so far with the first oil change.

TwoMuchBoost · #2 11-24-2019, 02:41 PM

Magnetic drain plug would definitely help snag em as they roll around and "hopefully" get within range of the magnet.

Any tool truck (maybe even Harbor Freight) should have those long bendable magnet sticks too that you could fish around with through the drain plug hole at the next oil change as well. Those are super handy for grabbing anything dropped assuming what you're after is ferrous.

Mxfrank · #3 11-24-2019, 05:01 PM

As a good first step, remove the side extension. That will get you access to the bottom of the pan and the oil pump area. You should be able to clear the screen. You won't be able to get to the rear area of the pan, and there's limited access to the area under the timing chain. But you can fish around the entire pan with an extension magnet.

If you end up having to remove the pan, keep track of where each bolt comes from, as there are various different sizes and lengths.

ROLLGUY · #4 11-24-2019, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mxfrank

As a good first step, remove the side extension. That will get you access to the bottom of the pan and the oil pump area. You should be able to clear the screen. You won't be able to get to the rear area of the pan, and there's limited access to the area under the timing chain. But you can fish around the entire pan with an extension magnet.

If you end up having to remove the pan, keep track of where each bolt comes from, as there are various different sizes and lengths.

My thoughts exactly. Thankfully you have the engine with the added side sump. Without that, removal of the pan might be your only option.

83w126 · #5 11-24-2019, 08:27 PM

It's not all that hard to remove the pan if you have to, it's a big job but if you can swap a vacuum pump it doesn't really require any more skill than that.

ROLLGUY · #6 11-24-2019, 08:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 83w126

It's not all that hard to remove the pan if you have to, it's a big job but if you can swap a vacuum pump it doesn't really require any more skill than that.

Agreed, I have done it before. The engine needs to be raised and held with an engine support. Post #39 in this thread:http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/diesel-discussion/362285-getting-my-newly-acquired-350sdl-back-road-3.html

HinuWahie · #7 11-25-2019, 01:16 AM

Good advice folks, thanks. I've got a 26" bendy magnet and a side pan gasket on the way. Should be able to do some bearing fishin in a couple days!

I'll update progress when it happens.

barry12345 · #8 11-25-2019, 10:19 AM

Best they come out of course. Will wait and see if you get them all out. If not I have a suggestion. My limited intellect never could figure out how a ball can make a hole in the oil pump screen.

Yet over the years they have tolerated me on this site. Apparently there have been a few things get through that screen over time.

I think my ideal is workable if it turns out you cannot get them all. At least it is cheap and easy.

Diesel911 · #9 11-25-2019, 02:31 PM

On the 617.952s there is a screen on the Oil Pump suction so no Ball Bearings are going to get inside of the Oil Pump or on down stream from that.

If the Balls made it to the oil pan you have escaped them doing harm and I see no way they could leap up and get into anything.

83w126 · #10 11-26-2019, 12:57 AM

Someone here has allegedly have them get stuck in the oil pump and snap the chain, but I haven't actually seen pics of that happening.

Diesel911 · #11 11-26-2019, 07:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 83w126

Someone here has allegedly have them get stuck in the oil pump and snap the chain, but I haven't actually seen pics of that happening.

Stuff getting between the Chain can snap chains. But the Chains are on the out side of the Oil Pump and the same with the timing chain.

I supposed it is possible for some prior owner to do something with the screen that messes it up. But I the screen is intact I see no way for a ball bearing to get into an Oil pump.

There ahs been some vacuum pumps on which the bearings had plastic bearing cages. It is possible for plastic particles to e small enough to pass through the Oil Pump screen and they are lightweight enough to move along with the Oil.

Bengoshi2000 · #12 11-27-2019, 08:21 AM

Another magnet idea... if you have an old speaker with a powerful enough magnet on the back you could slide that around under the oil pan and try to catch the ball bearing (then move it to the drain).

BillGrissom · #13 12-03-2019, 02:14 AM

I had the vac pump in one of my OM617 engines fail w/ the ball bearings lost. It had cut the arm half way thru in 100 mi of driving, so barely avoided catastrophe from that sliding into the timing chain. I recovered most of the balls in the lower oil pan, I recall by just sweeping a thin magnet on a bendable rod around. Might be ~3 left, but I figure they are just in the upper oil pan, which I recall has internal ridges. They might have come out in a later oil change since I kind of forgot about them. But, no harm in dropping the oil pan, since when I did that in my 1984 I found a bolt from the oil pump in the bottom of the pan and the tensioner on its chain broken and cocked, so a good find before that bit me.