GEDaggett

My E320 has been pumping out 2 quarts of oil a week for the last 3 months so I have broken down and got all the gaskets on order and I am doing a top end. Going against my normal mode of operation I not going to recondition the head. I am not looking to keep the car more than a year as I am going to trade up to a 420 so I am doing a patch to sell. I will take photos and post them so you guys can see exactly where the little bugger bows the head gasket. I am goig to do it in about two weeks.

Quicksilver500

The headgaskets always leak at the back right. If you're going to take the head off just do it right, spend the 150$ machine the head. I am doing a head gasket on my bros 300E right now because they just buffed the head didn't straighten it.....

-Mike

GEDaggett

I always have the head reconditioned. I have aa great machine shop. This is my 5th top ender and I have done 4 full pull rebuilds. I totally understand what you are saying this is just a band-aid job. The valves are sealed and compression is at or above spec on all cylinders so I am just doing a gasket swap out. If I were going to keep the car for any length of time (one year plus) I would be doing the reconditioning. This car is just not the keeper 124. It was my starter car. I am looking for a 420 later this year and this car will be sold. Thanks for the input I 99 times out of 100 would be doing the head planing and dipping.

Bigpete123

dude, you're knowingly screwing the next owner to save yourself $150. c'mon.

pifcat2

Maybe you don't replace the gaskets at all, you can offer to rebuild it for more $. Will new gaskets add much value without the valves being done? You may also lose any MBW or other forum buyers by revealing this plan.

On the other hand, we tend to replace or refurbish things that aren't necessary. Where do you stop in refurbishing every wear part? You can use the old school method of only fixing what's broke but now we factor in bundling the high cost of parts and labor. If labor is no big deal then it's not as important. Unless, you lose family time...

GEDaggett

I am not screwing the next owner. If I take the head off and it needs it I will pony up the money to do so. Since the issue of the leak is the degrading head gasket and the engine is sealed completely I am very confident that the valves, seats, stems are all in good shape. I have done all the tests to verify this. (compression is sound, checked the intake for blow back, and I will do all the rest when I crack it off.) And it is not $150 to have a twin cam inline six MB head redone. My shop is very good and charges about $280 plus their preferred brand gasket sets ($219.00 for complete set) and there is a three day turn around time. So what I am accomplishing is saving $350.00 and I will be able to accomplish the job on my daily driver in 2 days over the weekend. I am fixing all the major issues to sell it as a solid vehicle. If I were dishonest I would clean the engine compartment and undercarriage put 60 weight oil in it and say nothing about the leak at all.

I will be fully disclosing everything I have done to the car when I sell it and adjust the price accordingly. I am an honest person and would not knowingly screw anyone over. I under sold my last car by $900.00 because I knew that there was that much that needed to be done to the car that the guy buying it would not have know (clutch and brake calipers) and fully disclosed it to the guy. Hopefully this clears up the situation.

Bigpete123

fair enough!!

GEDaggett

Car is in the Garage and in the morning I crack it open. I will post Pics tomorrow. I am looking forward to seeing the bad gasket.

childofjuly

good luck bro! don't forget pictures!!

GEDaggett

Things are going very slow as I had to run out and get a set of triple suare insert sockets for the head bolts. Now i am a bit stuck on the intake side chain guide. There is a guide that has to be removed in order to take off the head and I don't have a bolt that threads into it. The manual says to get the special tool and I have heard you can just use slide hammer but I need to know what size bolt to use on that threaded pin. Anybody know?

Real1shepherd

This place has a cheap 'tool' to remove the rail pin:http://www.mercedessource.com/

The trouble with a slide hammer (I've been told), is the 'room' to use it. Some people have modified the slide hammer just to use it. PM ps2cho and see what he used. I bought the tool from the above source, but still haven't done the job yet-you guys are ahead of me. If ya want, I can go look at the 'tool' I bought and describe it to ya?

Kevin

GEDaggett

I just need to know what size bolt to use for the insert. The tool is listed as a 6x50mm so I am going to see what I can scrounge up.

GEDaggett

DO NOT USE THE VALVE COVER BOLTS TO REMOVE THE CHAIN GUIDE RETAINING PIN. They are too soft and desighned to stretch too much and will strip the threads off the bolt...no need to ask me how I know. I have to go get a grade 8 bolt from the hardware store. i found a way of getting it off is to put a socket between the bolthead and the sleeve pin and tighten the bolt and it will pull the pin out. I just gotta get a strong enough bolt for the job. The so could have done this differently.

ps2cho

I believe this is what I used...Had to get some help figuring it out from my dad...



Its a bolt with a washer that has a different thread so it gets jammed enough.

GEDaggett

Got the little bugger with a socket and a 6m 75mm bolt and a buttload of washers. I posted another thread more specifically titled to help folks in the future.

appatula

Pitch & thread count just for future refrence guys hint, hint......

GEDaggett

Finally finished it up. Started right up and ran good till I developed a vaccum leak. I can hear it behind the intake manifold so I just gotta track it down and it will be good. Engine went back together like a dream I just had to find the time to do it.