I've been working hard to get my '87 124 diesel wagon back on the road. Original #14 head cracked and started mixing coolant into the oil a few years ago, so I found a used #17 head and started taking things apart...
Fast forward to August 2014. #17 head has been installed, using new MB head gasket. Next is exhaust, turbo, injectors, glow plugs, intake manifold, and numerous other connections. I realized after I'd mounted the head that I forgot to install a heat shield that runs the length of the head between exhaust manifold and head. I had cleverly installed the exhaust manifold prior to putting the head in place (left turbo in place when I removed the previous head), now I had to undo that work in-situ, which meant pulling the turbo-charger and ordering new exhaust manifold gasket, plus turbo oil line gasket. This #17 head came from an S-class which had the 5 degree inclined injection system, which uses different injectors (Bosch NA35X). I traded a used set of non-inclined injectors (NA36X) with Tim Crone, taken from Wilton's 126 engine with bad head. Mark Blevins in Columbia SC offers injector cleaning/testing/balancing for $20 per injector; he found that two of the injector bodies were cracked, so I had to source two more used injectors. Found a yard in SoCal willing to sell me a set of six for $150 plus shipping, which took them a couple of weeks to get around to sending, but finally they arrived and I sent two of the best looking up to Mark, who turned them around in just a couple days. While waiting for the new gaskets, I installed a new Nissen condenser (and receiver/dryer), pulled a vacuum, and added about 1.5 ounces of PAG-46 compressor oil and one can of R-134. I also removed the alternator, took it apart to test the rectifier, cleaned and assembled, and had FLAPS test it. They gave it a thumbs up, so it was re-installed. Installed a new Bosch solenoid on the starter, and installed the starter. Installed the used-but-nearly-new Nissens radiator I scored at the Richmond junk yard several months ago. Noted that the Nissens hose connections are pure plastic, whereas the Behr radiator I pulled out has brass inserts to prevent cracking. Got all the exhaust manifold / turbo stuff sorted when the gaskets arrived from the Classic Center (along with some rubber vacuum line bits and new seal ring for the timing chain tightener), had a new set of glow plugs that matched what came out of this head (but now I'm wondering if they are correct, need to check the numbers). Installed all the new injectors. I began to fret about contamination of the oil passages (this head has been sitting in my garage in a plastic bag since it came back from the machine shop a couple years ago). Decided that I would remove the camshaft and the hydraulic lifters, and then crank the engine to force oil to flow out of all the supply holes in order to flush any contamination. Used an extension from my 1/2 inch socket/wrench set as an axle to hold the camshaft gear with some tension on the timing chain, along with the official MB tool for holding the timing chain in place against same gear. This was a bit fiddly and made me nervous, really didn't want to have the timing chain jam and break and set me back further, but ended up working just fine. Rigged a under-hood wire to activate the starter (via solenoid) by touching wire to the battery positive (borrowed the battery from my '95 sedan, TWW battery is now six years old and dead with sulfate-covered plates). Plugged in the block heater. Removed all the glow plugs to relieve cylinder compression forces and get faster cranking (more oil pressured). Covered the head with a rag in case the oil sprayed with too much force, stuffed a rag into the hole left by the timing chain tightener, and commenced cranking. After 30 seconds of cranking, no oil yet. Let the starter cool for a minute or two and let the battery charger add some energy to the battery, then tried again. Now I had oil flowing into the #1 camshaft bearing supply hole. Let that flow thick and black for about thirty seconds. Rolled up a rag and jammed that between my cam gear axle and the supply hole, let starter rest and then cranked again. Now I had oil flow for all four hydraulic lifter supply holes for cylinders #1 and #2. Repeated a second 30-second flush cycle, then installed hydraulic lifters. Continued working down the line, until each supply hole for either cam bearing or lifter had seen good oil flow for two 30-second cycles. I had to use fingers to plug cam bearing holes to build pressure for the #5,6 and 7 cam bearings. Started to get pretty busy: Clip starter solenoid power wire to battery to commence cranking, start 30 second timer on my phone, plug holes with fingers, watch other holes and timer and timing chain, notice oil leaking off the side of the head, let go of holes and quickly remove power to starter at expiration of timer, wipe up oil and try to position rags better, insert hydraulic lifters as required, repeat until satisfied. Whew! Clean up mess, re-set the crank to TDC and install camshaft, timing chain tightener, valve cover, glow plugs. Getting all the intake / turbo / exhaust plumbing in place is a real pain on these OM603 engines. Finally had no more parts left over to install on the passenger side of the block, so moved over and finished up the intake side. Next day I started by plugging in the block heater again. Warm oil and more heat in the combustion chambers should be a good thing when starting an engine that's been dormant for six months or so. The original injections lines where a bit fiddly to install onto inclined injectors, but they went on. Left the top connections loose for purging the air. One last thorough look around the engine compartment to make sure all was ready. Disconnected the battery charger and hooked up the negative battery terminal. After two 30-second cranks with the accelerator pedal held to the floor, I had fuel at all the injector line fittings. Tightened all those down, and the engine started on the fourth 30-second crank. After a bit of roughness passed, she idled very smoothly. ------------- Max Charleston SC _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://mail.okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com All posts are the result of individual contributors and as such, those individuals are responsible for the content of the post. The list owner has no control over the content of the messages of each contributor.
