300Es leaking oil - advice on a valve job?
 

My mechanic says both my '89 (178k) and '90 (150k) - 300Es could use new head gaskets and a valve job. They run strong and have good, even compression but both leak oil from the head gasket and timing chain cover area. Oil consumption is consistently 1 qt./1200 miles on each. I want to eliminate the mess on the garage floor and the smell of oil burning on the exhaust manifold.

What are the essential 'must dos' in performing a good valve job? Some shops I called say they send the head out for refurbishing; others say they check for flatness and if OK, put it back on with new gaskets.

At home: Is this a job that can be handled at home by a weekend mechanic? Any special tools needed? Where could I get a procedure to follow? Can any good automotive machine shop refurbish the head?

At a shop: If I have it done at a shop, what is a reasonable price?

I appreciate any advice.

I plan on keeping my 300TE for a long time, so a year ago I popped for the whole deal at 163k-valve guides, seals, lifters, re-seat valves (don't know details; done by MBZ tech), head gasket, rolled in a new timing chain, replaced water pump & most/all hoses. Plus all attendant seals. Head was sparkling clean, BTW; synthetic oil works! Too bad mine had very early guides, so they were gone. Plus it was run on Dino oil for its 1st 68k, so who knows how much synthetic might have helped.

Car now runs as-new, and shifts better perhaps because of favorable/more consistent vacuum from the engine. Get a few quotes, but this job done properly will set you back $1,500+; I think I dropped closer to $2k because I threw in a lot of new parts- my car's 14 years old, and needs to be absolutely dependable so I maintain it within an inch of its life. I think it knows;)

I apprecite hearing your experience doing it via. the MB shop route and the price seems reasonable considering all you had done. Good point about the timing chain and the lifters - Makes sense to do them while the unit is open.