'83 300D Cylinder Head Overhaul

Kent,
I just got an email from Kaia telling me I should direct my question/request to you on the forum.
I am in the process of installing the head that I purchased from you on my '83 300D Turbodiesel. In the process I have removed several banjo fittings and I need new crush washers for them. The alda fitting and the little tube for the water pump and it seems I took off another one somewhere else. In any case, if you have the crush washers I will buy them from you. I had a nightmare situation a few months ago trying to find them locally. Nobody has the right sizes. I ended up annealing the old washers by heating them over a stove burner and dropping them into water. It worked, but it was not a good way to go about it. If you had some sort of collection of those washers labeled according to were they were used that would be fantastic. You never know when you might have to take off one of those banjo fittings.

Where possible I always use a torque wrench. I always get nervous tightening those banjo bolts because I know they will break if they are overtightened. If you don't take them tight enough you have a leak to deal with. Do you have any suggested torque settings for those bolts?

Second problem/question: This car has a oil drain pipe going from the cyclonic oil separator in the air filter down to a tube in the oil pan right next to the oil return line for the turbocharger. It leaks and it has some O-rings that need replacement. Do you have a kit for this with O-rings in it? I also discovered that there is a check valve in the tube for this. Does this check valve ever cause any problems? Is there a way to test it to see if it is working properly? I don't want oil leaking on my fresh repair work.

Thanks,

Michael

Forums

Diesel Engine Specific Aid

Chassis Model Number

W123

Recommendations

Hi Michael, most of the o-rings and aluminum washers you are asking for are posted for sale on our website. Just type " aluminum washers" or "o-ring kit" in the search box to find the products fast. We have the complete set of sealing washers in our engine block lower gasket kit. I included a set of o-rings and some aluminum washers in your current order and they are on there way.

I have never had that check valve apart so I cannot not advise on that issue. As far as tightening banjo bolts with aluminum crush washers I still believe "feel" works better than a torque wrench. Most leaks are caused by over tightening and crushing the washer. Lean to error on the low torque end. Tighten the bolt down once firmly, then back it off and tighten it down again. This will help "seat" the washer. It is shows signs of weeping fluid then just tighten a little more until the leak stops. Never "reef on it." :)

Hope that helps, Kent Bergsma

Oil return pipe for cyclonic oil separator, '83 300D Turbo

Kent,

Thanks for getting back to me. I have found out why that pipe was leaking. It had a bracket welded to it that attached to the steel support strap that goes from the bottom of the exhaust manifold to one of the studs holding the motor mount on the block. Vibration got to it and broke it off. Suggestions? Welding it back on? New part? Alternative repair? When parts like this fail, the replacements tend to fail the same way unless they have been improved. Case in point, the air filter bracket. The most important part of the cure that you came up with for that bracket was the rubber hose that broke the harmonic vibration that would start in the air filter assembly.

Thanks for your help and advice,

Michael
PS: Thanks for the washers and o-rings! mdp

Welding works

When you weld it - maybe weld in an extra piece of steel (gusset) to prevent it from breaking again. I have a good used pipe with good bracket attached if yours is not repairable. To purchase email sales@mercedessource.com

'83 300D Turbo head replacement

Hi Kent,

I have the factory service manual and several of your publications concerning my '83 300D Turbo. My problem is that in all of them the instructions for removal of the head end at 'remove the camshaft sprocket' and then remove the head. My question is this: what do you do with the timing chain? Clearly you don't want it to fall down into the bottom end of the engine. What do you do to prevent that? Do you remove the chain from the sprocket to get the head off? Do you have to remove the idler sprocket? How do you keep the chain on the same teeth in the engine? It seems it would be a big pain if the teeth skipped a few links on the chain.
Lastly, I am going to replace the timing chain. (200k miles and it lifts 1/16 of a inch off the cam sprocket) Should I do that after I install the new head?

Your advise is aways appreciated,

Thanks,

Michael

Link to information you need

Michael, you are not the first who has been confronted with this challenge, so I decided to write up a little "story" about cylinder head removal and replacement. Hope this helps.

CLICK HERE to view