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  #1  
Old 03-14-2007, 03:06 PM
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W124 Head gasket repair in progress (pics)

Went over to my indie to see theprogress on my W124. The head is at the machine shop for milling and inspection for cracks.

Thought I'd post a few pics of the block and pistons...



Need new timing chain guides...grooves are prevalent.


Factory cross hatching is still visible...these MB engines are amazing!


Grime will be cleaned up just before it's all buttoned up.


More pics to follow as things progress..

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  #2  
Old 03-14-2007, 03:31 PM
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Replace that leak-prone little gasket on the top of the lower timing cover while you're in there.
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  #3  
Old 03-14-2007, 03:56 PM
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I'd do the water pump too, if it were mine.
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  #4  
Old 03-14-2007, 04:17 PM
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Good time to clean out the EGR tube while it's easy to get to or better yet, replace it with the new version that is an updated design less prone to clogging.
Also Joel's suggestion is a good one if the water pump is the original.

Last edited by Rick76; 03-14-2007 at 06:49 PM.
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  #5  
Old 03-14-2007, 04:29 PM
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I'm sure your mechanic will do the full gasket kit along with the head gasket: valve cover gasket, intake manifold gasket, and the gasket at the front of the head where it meets the timing chain cover.

I'll second the motion on the egr tube.

It's about $100, but it's worth it since everything is off.

The original tubes were too short, causing the carbon build-up problem where the tube inserts into the intake manifold.

The new tubes are longer, sticking further into the intake manifold, which apparently solves the problem.
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  #6  
Old 03-14-2007, 05:14 PM
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Don't replace the EGR tube

It's only a real problem for Californians and their overly stringent emissions testing. Clean it out while it's accessible if you want, but I don't think Dallas requires sniff testing on your car.
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  #7  
Old 03-14-2007, 05:49 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Hirnbeiss View Post
It's only a real problem for Californians and their overly stringent emissions testing. Clean it out while it's accessible if you want, but I don't think Dallas requires sniff testing on your car.
Testing required or not, if it gets plugged up, it will trip his check engine light, which he will have to live with.
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  #8  
Old 03-14-2007, 06:02 PM
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g-benz

nice pictures,just asking about the area just under the carbon ring, is that shinny metal or is the cross hatch there also?
how many miles on the engine?
thanks
larry perkins
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  #9  
Old 03-14-2007, 06:24 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by larry perkins View Post
nice pictures,just asking about the area just under the carbon ring, is that shinny metal or is the cross hatch there also?
how many miles on the engine?
thanks
larry perkins
Engine is at 170K right now. Cross hatching was visible in the area under the carbon ring (hard to see on the pic).

Indie plans to replace all gaskets on the mating surfaces...especially the lower timing chain cover. He didn't say anything about the EGR tube, but I'll mention it.

He also inspected various wires and connections and will be replacing the brittle ones.

Water pump was replaced at 120K...so far so good.
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  #10  
Old 03-14-2007, 06:59 PM
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i am guilty

g-benz,i am guilty of asking a question that i thought i knew the answere already.
i see a lot of cylinders and have noted that at the area where the compression ring takes the pounding of ignition is always worn past the cross hatch. so i say to myself,a chain is just as strong as its weakest link so why would i want to do all this work and leave the area that does the most work as the weakest link.
its just a suggestion,why not measure the area and compare to specs and, if one observes cross hatch you will find that as a cylinder wall wears,not all hatch cuts are equal,so one could be just looking at the deepest cut ones.
i suggest that a engine wears real fast at the end of good compression,oil is forced away with blow by gasses.
larry perkins
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  #11  
Old 03-14-2007, 11:16 PM
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Unfortunately, while I'd like to recondition anything and everything I could find while stuff is apart, this is an "unbudgeted" issue...meaning I'm spending money I shouldn't getting this work done.

I will get what i can get done until I've killed the last penny I've got, and no more. Plus I have a W208 that only this week decide to have the convertible top operation crap out! So it's gonna be an expensive month!

Sometimes it would be nice to have "Jay Leno" pockets and get to fix everything no matter the expense!
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  #12  
Old 03-15-2007, 06:50 AM
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What was leaking on the head gasket anyway? Just an oil leak, or was there a coolant leak into a cylinder? I didn't notice any spot that that looked obvious.
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  #13  
Old 03-15-2007, 08:11 AM
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Oil leak was significant. Slightly hotter temps, but cold weather kept things nominal. Left a nice oil puddle anywhere I parked.

No oil in coolant, but over time, needed to refill coolant tank in more frequent intervals. I lived with it as long as I could, until a heater hose burst.
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  #14  
Old 03-15-2007, 08:56 AM
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g-benz

believe me i know about unforseen cost,just was pointing out some things i have had experience with.
question,on your head at the head bolt contact area,was there any indication that the aluminum had deformed where the bolt or washer is?
i have seen some that had been so hot that the aluminum had softened. a study of aluminum heat treating verified that the metal will soften if heated above 320deg f and left to cool to ambient slow. a local shop put one of those soft heads back on after the machine shop did the rebuild with bad results,after 3 times they got another head that showed no deformation at the head bolt contact surface and job was a suscess. best i can figure is the metal should test in high 80 on rockwell b scale.
larry perkins
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Old 03-15-2007, 12:09 PM
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Since the head just went to the shop, I have no technical info yet. Again, they are doing a dye test for cracks.

I hadn't gotten the engine to severe overheating at least during my ownership, and I don't know whether the head is warped or not. I know my indie has had some heads come back that didn't need any milling at all despite breaching the head gasket.

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