Head Gasket Replacement on '99 C280
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Joined: Dec 2012
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'99 C280
Head Gasket Replacement on '99 C280
I need to replace the head gasket on my 1999 C280.
Some background, initally I noticed the coolant level gage turn on then the check engine light. Looking deeper I found coolant in the oil and low compression in cyliner #4.
I have never done this relacemement on a MB. The only instructions I have so far are form ALLDATAdiy.com. It looks like I have to take apart the whole top half of the engine + radiator to get to the gasket. Since this is a pretty big job I am looking for some experience form the membership and comments on how to get this job done with minmum mess and problems. Do I need the special tools for handling fuel and coolant drain? Any precautions I should take - outside of the usual timing chain topics? Are there better instructions out there and where can I get them?
Thank you in advance.
Some background, initally I noticed the coolant level gage turn on then the check engine light. Looking deeper I found coolant in the oil and low compression in cyliner #4.
I have never done this relacemement on a MB. The only instructions I have so far are form ALLDATAdiy.com. It looks like I have to take apart the whole top half of the engine + radiator to get to the gasket. Since this is a pretty big job I am looking for some experience form the membership and comments on how to get this job done with minmum mess and problems. Do I need the special tools for handling fuel and coolant drain? Any precautions I should take - outside of the usual timing chain topics? Are there better instructions out there and where can I get them?
Thank you in advance.
Member
Joined: Oct 2012
Posts: 244
Likes: 1
From: Columbus, OH
2002 E55 AMG, 06 C55 AMG, 72 350SL
Do both. The left takes less than 2 more hours than the right. A lot of the labor is the same. Doing them both at the same time, will be a lot less work. Then doing one now, and one later.
Thread Starter
Newbie
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
'99 C280
Stumped
I pulled both heads and don't see any signs of coolant to oil leaks. The only irregularity I found is a .010" step between the block and timing cover where coolant returns to the thermostat - see pics of the block, cover, and gasket.
The driver side valve cover and vent line to air intake show signs of milky oil - likely result of evaporation from oil pan? Lack of compression turned out to be a leak on intake valves - seats look good I'll lap all of them before reassembly.
At this point I'm stumped - with 2 liters of coolant gone in 2 weeks + no appreciable oil level change + no signs of coolan in exhaust, no signs of coolant path to oil in the head gasket, heads flat, no signs of head crack on the fire surface. What can it be? Has anyone seem anything like this before? Is it possible that the coolant leaked from the return passage into the timing cover to the timing chain slot and evaporated out of the oil pan at a rate where it would not raise the oil level drastically? What should I do to find the smoking gun?
The driver side valve cover and vent line to air intake show signs of milky oil - likely result of evaporation from oil pan? Lack of compression turned out to be a leak on intake valves - seats look good I'll lap all of them before reassembly.
At this point I'm stumped - with 2 liters of coolant gone in 2 weeks + no appreciable oil level change + no signs of coolan in exhaust, no signs of coolant path to oil in the head gasket, heads flat, no signs of head crack on the fire surface. What can it be? Has anyone seem anything like this before? Is it possible that the coolant leaked from the return passage into the timing cover to the timing chain slot and evaporated out of the oil pan at a rate where it would not raise the oil level drastically? What should I do to find the smoking gun?
