PhoenixOp

I have a ticking sound coming from 1 cylinder. Since I'm new to Mercedes and SL 500's, I'm not sure what I'm hearing, however I'm not new to cars. So here are the questions. Are these overhead cam engines? If they are, do they have some type of hydraulic mechanism (like hydraulic lifters in a domestic V8) that need to "pump up"? Or, if not, is there some type of adjustment that can be done to eliminate/minimize the ticking?

This is a 2002 R129 with 98K.

Yup, this is a newbie dump-a** question...

Thanks

Je Suis Moi

This tends to be a common problem:


http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/M119OilGuides

PhoenixOp

G R R R O O O A A A N N N ! ! !

The only up side to this is, it doesn't have 12 cylinders...

Thanks for the information, it is really appreciated - seriously.

Je Suis Moi

Relax Homie (I was also born and raised in L.A. the same time as you - does the Wich Stand sound familiar?), It's not as bad as it seems.


Many of us, myself included, have done the job ourselves and its not that complex, expensive or time consuming. If you like working on cars, it's a fun project.


Also, if the cam oilers are your problem, you should rejoice that it's nothing more serious.


Charles

PhoenixOp

I don't remember the Wich Stand. We used to cruise all the Bob's Big Boys in and around L.A. We would start at the Glendale Bob's, then Van Nuys, Toluca Lake, Pasadena, Sierra Madre, then check the street racing places. In those day I had a '58 Vette, punched 327, tunnel ram, straight axle front end, dual 750 double pumpers, 4 speed. You know, 4 miles per gallon. Chevron Custom Supreme - 104 octane.

There was Riverside Drive next to the Golden State freeway, the old river road (Forest Lawn Drive), then to **** off the low riders we'd cruise Harvey's Broiler in Lawndale. There used to be a place we would street race in Orange County too, but I don't remember what it was called. Used to race at Lion's in Wilmington, til they shut it down.

I've been working on cars for a long time. Still love it. Even wrenched on a few Hudson Jets in my time. I was hoping that I wasn't going to have to do anything drastic on the Benz right away. Just kind of wanted to adjust to it and enjoy it. But, we'll see.

So far the ticking is very faint, you almost can't hear it, and it's just on one cylinder, so hopefully it's not something I will need an emergency Valvectomy to fix.

Glad there are some other old farts here.
Sometimes you think their all kids...

Thanks again,
See ya

Je Suis Moi

I guess we are from different parts of L.A. I grew up around Baldwin Hills, View Park, Crenshaw, La Brea, etc. Dorsey H.S.


Getting back on topic. How's your oil pressure? Another symptom on a blown oiler tube is low pressure.

Rocman8

this is not an m119 engine. its an m113. no oilers here. you need new rockers.

Je Suis Moi

Rocman8 is right. I stand corrected.

PhoenixOp

Oh boy, this thing just went from bad to worse.

Is there no adjustment on these things or is this rocker problem chronic with 500's, kinda like BMW 850 seats?


My youth was wasted in Eagle Rock, Glendale and Pasadena etc.
My early youth >Junior High was down in the Rampart district in L.A. Rampart and Beverly, home of the Original Tommy's. Where the crooks are crooks and the cops are crooks. And a fun time was had by all...

cliffyk

HLAs (Hydraulic Lash Adjusters, no "lifters" on an OHC engine) get noisy for one of two reasons:

1. They are worn and collapsing too quickly under load;
2. They are "gummed" up and sticking in the collapsed position;

#1 can often be remedied by using a heavier weight motor oil, 10W-40 or 20W-50 will often quiet worn lifters.

#2 can often be resolved by just changing the oil two or three (or four or five) times to clean out the engine, or in drastic cases using some engine "flushing" snake oil product.

What is the history of your car, has the oil been changed regularly, what "weight" oil are you running?

When was it last changed? Multiple viscosity oil breaks down and often ticking at startup or low revs is the oil telling you it's time for a change.

If you are running 5W-20 weasel **** then change to 10W-30 or 10W-40 (read more about that here)

PhoenixOp

Here's what I know about the car.

2002 97K miles. Based on inspection, looks and gut, the car was maintained very well though I don't have any service records to back it up. It has the typical stupid SL 500 stuff wrong. Vanity mirror doors, 3rd brake light (I already fixed that thanks to this forum) and that's it.

I can't tell the viscosity of the oil by feel (yet, not that good), but it appears pretty clean so I can only assume it's been changed relatively recently.

Like I said, the ticking is so faint, I have to use my best ear to hear it. Have not noticed it doing it after it's warm because I didn't know what to listen for, but I will.

The car was a southern California car, however I bought it in Vegas, it's possible some moron put thin viscosity oil in it, although usually in a warm climate one would put a heavier viscosity oil in, but you never know. I always ran 20w-50w in all my cars no matter where I lived (L.A. or Boston).

Hopefully I can catch this before it gets bad. If not attended to right away what is the worst case scenario on destruction levels?

Thanks,
Mike

cliffyk

It is highly unlikely that a very faint ticking at startup and during warm-up will hurt anything.

I had a Corvette years ago that ticked so loudly for 30 to 40 seconds after a cold start you could hear it a hundred yards away. I tried different grade oils, engine flushes and a whole lot of wishful thinking--that was with 45k miles on the engine. I learned to live with it and it still did it (exactly the same) with 165k on it.

PhoenixOp

Cliffy;

Back in the 70's (Kinda hazy) I had a Dodge Van with a 318ci engine. They are famous for one hydraulic lifter not pumping up. We used to substitute a quart of Rislone at oil changes and it stopped them forever. Good stuff... Or maybe it was the drugs....

Thanks, it's relieved my mind a bit. At least I don't have to panic.

See ya

cliffyk

I had a '66 Coronet 440 coupe with the 318, not a bad car...

PhoenixOp

Was that in '66 or are you too new for that?

cliffyk

1968 IIRC--I'll be 70 in April...

PhoenixOp

Cool... I'm 68. How's that go? It's not the years, it's the miles.