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Old 01-25-2010, 11:01 PM
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116982 - Valve stem seal job success!!!

Hi all, Have not posted on here really, have been mainly taking in the experience and insight of others to get myself up the curve on these old Mercs. From the great tips and advice in many of the posts here, I have been able to do a number of important and necessary jobs..thanks to all and I hope that I can now start to contribute a bit back.

Have just finished replacing all valve stem seals.
Background: 1971 350SL, great compression (around 170 psi on all pots)..but with the dreaded smoky exhaust. Had worked on everything vacuum, timing and anything D-Jet wise hoping it would be fuel...but really knew that the light blue color out the exhaust pipe was oil based.....esp after idling etc.

So finally decided to do the job based on the many posts here. Got all the parts and most critical tools as suggested (that OHC valve spring compressor is a beauty!). Well, after 2 weekends and a back that has had more than a workout, I cannot get the grin off my face with the results...Smoke gone and running so smooth. I won't comment much here on the procedure specifics unless anyone wants to know, but basically I followed the DIY and advice posts elsewhere on the forum.

A couple of items though:
Pulling off the first inlet 'old' stem seal...white colored type with steel wound spring at top and bottom...crikey!...the seal was as hard as bakelite, and how the hell it ever sealed on the stem...no lips to be seen anywhere. Would be curious to know if this original type had sealing lips when new back in the early 70s...anyone know? Comparing to the Elring viton type I was about to replace with, I thought I could only get improvement...turned out to be quite the case! All other seals were exactly the same.

I reckon the idle and running smoothness improvement is also due to setting the valve lash as part of the procedure...quite a few clearances were out. I didn't have the special valve gap adjustment tool...so using that trusty OHC spring compressor, pushed down on the valve/spring to remove the rocker arm. That allowed the use of a conventional 17mm socket and tension wrench (torque check only) to make a 'judged' adjustment based on how far out the initial gap was, then installed rocker and rechecked..repeat etc...a bit slower but did the job.

One downside though was the discovery of a couple of exhaust guides (cyl 6 and 7) that were not that great, not alot...but some stem lateral movement, so know one day I will have to remove the head, but for the next few years at least should be fine with the miles I do!


Last edited by Stumps; 01-25-2010 at 11:07 PM. Reason: socket size is 17mm
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Old 01-26-2010, 09:44 AM
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great, good wrench, gotta love these ol gals, how many miles on yours
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2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth
2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond
Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING !
99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD
62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD
72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD
16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR
19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels
14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green
84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD
71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD
73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace
81 380 SL - Rest in Peace
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Old 01-26-2010, 04:09 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by meltedpanda View Post
great, good wrench, gotta love these ol gals, how many miles on yours
Thanks Meltedpanda. yeah, there is something about em eh!
I cannot get an accurate idea how many miles, speedo has been replaced. The previous owner is quite elderly and I was unable to get the full story.... it had spent a few years under a cover (can see the marks in the paint), and has had some sort of body restoration many years ago, but the engine/drivetrain appears to be untouched till I come along. I would guess at 100 -150000 miles. But she loves to go out on the freeway, and starts great cold or hot and now alot cleaner .
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Old 01-26-2010, 08:21 PM
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good deal, lots of fun in your future, I love mine, drive it every chance I get, winter now so just gets regular starts and up and down drive. They love to lay down the salt here, fortunate enough to have a daily driver , my trusty 300SD , 200K and going strong.

enjoy , and keep the top down!!!
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Ron
2015 Porsche Cayman - Elizabeth
2011 Porsche Cayman - Bond,James Bond
Sadly MERCEDESLESS - ALways LOOKING !
99 E320 THE Queen Mary - SOLD
62 220b - Dolly - Finally my Finny! Sadly SOLD
72 450SL, Pearl-SOLD
16 F350 6.7 Diesel -THOR
19 BMW X5 - Heaven on Wheels
14 38HP John Deere 3038E Tractor -Mean Green
84 300SD, Benjamin -SOLD
71 220 - W115-Libby ( my first love) -SOLD
73 280 - W114 "Organspende" Rest in Peace
81 380 SL - Rest in Peace
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  #5  
Old 02-01-2010, 02:56 PM
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Location: Brisbane Australia
Posts: 18
Quote:
Originally Posted by partsman225 View Post
i just did v seals on a 560 sel at 246K it was a smoker too. v seals did the trick. i got the tool too.sweet indeed. my sels where baked too. did you notice if difference in the old seal hole from the new one , i was like dam! my guids where a little on the loose side too. but didn't want to pull the heads off, this is a fixer upper car to sell so trying to keep cost down
Welldone Partsman. Yep, the old stem seals weren't much of a snug seal around the stem, reckon it was basically a oil feeder hole...especially on the inlet valve. I've done a few miles in mine now and all looking good.

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