It actually wasn't terrible at all, and my headlights look brand new. I used a box big enough for the headlight and then some, put a hole into the outside big enough to fit my heat gun nozzle in and placed another piece of cardboard as a deflector between the heat gun and the headlight. Stuck a meat thermometer into the box and set the heat gun to the lowest setting. Took about 15 minutes to get to around 150F, which was plenty to soften the glue and allowed me to pull away the lens and separate the strings of glue all around. Once off, just work very cleanly to not get any dirt into the headlamp as you're scraping out the old glue from the channel the lens sits in. I eventually got it clean enough, used some acetone to prep and filled the channel with a 3M Fast Cure Polyurethane adhesive usually used for car windows. a couple of ratcheting clamps held them tight until the glue set. Getting the lenses on with the glue in the channel is a bit complicated, definitely do some dry runs before. There is exactly one way how to angle the lens onto the lamp housing that allows you to slide it on without making a mess of it.
All in all it was much quicker than I thought it would be and the outcome is amazing for the $70something spent!

I added a protective film (don't buy the cheap stuff - you get a roll of high quality film for $30!) with a slight tint to the headlights because I like the way it looks and if it gets dull over the coming years I can just peel it off and put a new one on and the lens will still be fine. Thought it made sense using a $70 lens set of questionable quality from a popular online auction site :P

Unfortunately I didn't think of taking any pictures until I was in the middle of doing the film...DUH!

--Zax

 

Whelp. When I was removing the first valve (cylinder head) cover, I missed a bolt and tugged too hard.





A very, very careless mistake.

Interestingly, I put the part number in and it's been deprecated.

https://mbparts.mbusa.com/oem-parts/...ver-1560162005




The new part number is a plastic cover. And for anyone wondering, when purchased new, they come with gaskets pre-installed.





Which I've seen on later M156 engines (mine is 2008).

Anyone know why MB moved from Aluminum to plastic valve (cylinder head) covers?

 

Oh, and when I learned that the replacement would be plastic, I bought a match set (left/right), not just one.

 

Indy changed my drive belt, pulleys, and tensioner today. I also asked him to change my downstream RH Oxygen sensor with a new Bosch sensor. I was getting intermittent P0138 and P0421 and the right side exhaust smelled very rich. It resolved those codes and they have not returned. Exhaust still smells rich to me. Still have a P0300 but it runs smooth as silk and pulls at full throttle like a locomotive with no missing at all. Also had Tire Rack deliver two new Michelin PS4s for the rear.

Thinking about replacing the remaining O2 sensor on the RH side.

Car is running really well.

 

Yes I was gonna suggest that. My OCD would have killed me with having two different ones but you got it covered. Wonder how plastic compares to the aluminum 🤔

 

Black hides dirt better. Just go with it. LOL

 

So, I think I found the culprit.

The timing cover, camshaft cover, or whatever it's called has a gasket in it. There was sooo much oil under that area. All of the wires were drenched.

This gasket may be the big problem.



I got the tip to replace it from this guy:
When I pulled the old gasket out, it was stiff and about 2/3 the height of the new one.

I test fit the new valve cover and the fresh gaskets (outer and spark plugs) has it stand up about 5mm over the head before I torque the bolts down. Now I just gotta find the tightening pattern.

Oh, and one note. Remember when I was simply replacing the gaskets (before I broke the cover), the parts guy asked me if I had aluminum or plastic covers. I told him aluminum. I think they make separate sets of gaskets for aluminum and plastic. See here where the set I bought for the aluminum covers is black and green and the set that came preinstalled the plastic covers is orange-red:


Not sure if I just got some old stock or there is a difference.

 

I buttoned up the passenger side. There was a delay because the holes to receive the coil pack screws were not pre-threaded. They were just smooth plastic. The screws didn't easily screw in. So, I assumed that I needed some different screws that are self-tapping for the plastic cylinder head cover.

I went to the dealer to see about getting different screws. Nope. Even though they are machine screws, you make them self-tap into the plastic cover.



I buttoned everything up and test started the car. I was a bit nervous as this was my first time changing valve cover gaskets on any car. It seems like everything is fine! Now on to the other side...

 

Done.


The right side was a bear. More stuff to move out of the way and less space to do it. The bottom row of screws were tough.

I learned a lot, and even though I had to replace the cylinder heads, I still came out a few hundred bucks ahead.

Now I gotta figure out what this clunk sound is in the front left whenever the car's weight shifts from back to front when braking.

 

Sway bar end links! That's just my guess. Tell me how I did. LOL

 

Is that a Volvo Bertone 780 in the second photo next to your car? So rare, if so...want one of those.

 

What did I do to my car today? I took apart the back seat and side panels to replace the window weather strips/seals and windows. In addition to torn seals, my black trim at the front of the quarter windows have been scraping on the trim bracket, causing damage on both sides. I have a CL, if case you're wondering why a quarter window. Oh, and I subscribed to Benz Ninja and bought all the hardware.

 

I wish I could say it was, because I like those too! But no, it's a 1987 Mercedes 300E that I picked up for 500 bucks and been having a bit of fun with. It's still a work in progress.

--Zax

 

I have a S63 with ABC suspension. It's my understanding that these cars don't have sway bars. Is my understanding wrong?

 

You are 100% right. ABC has no sway bar. I have an S600 V12 with ABC and there is no sway bar. I would also comment that when people delete ABC and install coil-overs; they must install a sway bar or the car may not be safe on the road.

 

Bummer. That would have been an easy one for an airmatic suspension.

 

I watched Tavarish install coilovers on one of his ABC cars (one of his early videos) and he had to fight to get the swaybars in.

Does my car have accomodations for sway bars if I decided to do the conversion? Or is it not possible?

When I converted my W211 E55 from Airmatic to coilovers, I was able to get all of the conversion parts I needed from the dealership as they were just non-Airmatic parts for W211. Still available new.

 

It is my understanding that there are not accommodations to plug and play a sway bar, and fabrication is needed. I've read in the W216 forum that at least one shop is working on engineering a sway bar kit for cars with ABC coilovers. BTW, the W216 forum is almost a ghost town...glad I can be here, as the cars are almost identical minus two doors, but a shame there are so few active users over there.