Replaced head gasket - now a valve tick! - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Kestas · #1 04-23-2003, 09:35 PM

My car has been silent the past six months while I replaced the head gasket plus some other work. Yesterday and today I fired the car up and gave the car some exercise. To my dismay there's a definite and distinct valve tick (just one) that will not go away. It was NOT there before I replaced the head gasket. No other work was done to the head (not enough miles). Oil pressure is good and normal. I'm sure the noise isn't an exhaust leak.

What do I do now? The noise is embarassing on an otherwise fine running car.

#2 04-24-2003, 07:35 AM

Did you get all those little cupped disks back in place on the end of the valve stems?

Good luck,

Kestas · #3 04-24-2003, 08:41 AM

I never took the cams off. No disassembly was done to the head.

Kestas · #4 05-10-2003, 09:26 AM

I changed the oil and the problem disappeared! Must've been a foreign particle lodged somewhere.

haasman · #5 05-10-2003, 01:40 PM

Out of curiosity.... what oil did you change to?

Haasman

Kestas · #6 05-10-2003, 04:16 PM

I went from a 10W30 to a 5W30 dino oil. It was due for a change. Keep in mind I've put only 5 miles on the car since the head gasket, so it may not be oil, but perhaps a soft contaminant in the valve train that worked loose. I wanted to run the car a bit to trap all the contaminants from the head gasket work before charging it with new oil.

Only a few more things to do before it's ready for summer.

haasman · #7 05-10-2003, 04:34 PM

Just my opinion but 30w oil seems too light for summer driving.

Have you looked in your manual at the temperature range chart for the various oil weights?

I seem to recall that when temps get to 85f or greater a 40w is called for. But then again I am not as familiar with your car's engine.

Haasman

Kestas · #8 05-10-2003, 09:04 PM

The Factory Approved Service Product booklet shows 5W30 is okay for ambient temperatures above 86° for my car.

A lubication consultant I work with says engines normally don't need anything above 30-weight. He says even lower weights would be acceptable if they could be made cheaply. The problem with dino oils lower than 30-weight is that they would volatilize in the engine.

I normally use 10W30 because I prefer oils with less range. Wider range in an oil means it has more additives. It is these additives that quickly degrade before the base stock does during the life of the oil in your engine. I used 5W30 this time because I wanted the lower viscosity to hopefully help flush the contaminant that caused the ticking.