Sad to say I'm not the original owner, so I cannot attest to the care the previous owner bestowed on my beloved car. But I can tell you that it has 200k on it. I suggested to my brother that I have the rings done and he too said that I didn't need them on this car. I told him that I'm seeing little puffs of blue smoke every now and then. Can you tell me in what price range I'm looking at for a valve job(complete)and having the rings done? I'm in the process of purchasing a new home so I will need this car for at least another 2 years.

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Richie
1986 300E

I would not just replace the valve seals on your 86 300e . These cars had problems with guides also , I wouldnt worry about rings unless you have severly overheated the car. Check your front timing cover (lower section ) to see if it is leaking oil. If it is have it done while the head is off (it will be cheaper then) Make sure to use permatex (the gray stuff) I average about 15-20 cover reseals a year and none come back leaking. As for transmission leak have someone put it on a rack and clean transmission dry . Run car in air and find where leak is from . Sometimes it will look like pan gasket and end up being something like the control pressure pin seal. Seen that alot.
Good luck.

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euro 287
Mercedes Technician 7 Years (retired to Hyundai)
2000 Dodge Durango
98 Mazda truck

where exactly is the control pressure pin seal?
could you describe it? thanks.

On the passengers side of transmission you will see a cable going up to intake . That is the control pressure cable. Look directly below it right by the pan ( you will need a mirror.) It is small round pin that goes in transmission and is punched around the edges to keep it in .

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euro 287
Mercedes Technician 7 Years (retired to Hyundai)
2000 Dodge Durango
98 Mazda truck

Hi,

Well, I'll have them check this while I'm away. The leak is on the passenger side so hopefully, this may be the source of the leak.

Thanks Again,

Richard

Brother of the Benz,
As you have read or heard, the life of the valve guide and seal is good oil, clean oil.
My 1987 W124030 with 175,000 miles still has the original valve stem seals and valve guides.
Prudent 3500-4000 mile oil changes has proven to me to be effort and dollars well spent.
I change my oil from the top side using Donald's El Cheapo Oil Pump.
Happy Trails Beep Beep from The Spiderman in Houston!!!

[Edited by dlswnfrd on 05-13-2001 at 11:10 PM]

Other Brothers of Benz
I believe it is too late to save my guides and seals. My front 3 spark plugs have(what looks like sludge)on them,and I know for a fact that atleast the upper timing chain cover is weeping(I know this has nothing to do with the guides and seals). Back to the question of the rings. Is blowby one of the main results of bad rings? If so I do believe Ineed rings also. Sad but true. Unless someone can steer me in a better direction.

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Richie
1986 300E

You need to have a cylinder leakage test performed as well as a compression test .This will answer your question about your rings.On cylinder leakage test you can varify if the lower end is ok . I would perform this test if there was any question about lower end wear.
good luck,

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euro 287
Mercedes Technician 7 Years (retired to Hyundai)
2000 Dodge Durango
98 Mazda truck

It sounds to me like the ears on your oil pan are bent and consequently the rim of the pan where the gasket seats is warped. Solution is a new oil pan. People tend to over torque the pan to compensate for the warp but this only cuts the new gasget.

The ears I mentioned above are torque "Stops". Once they are bent from over tourquing they must be bent back level again but if severly bent they crimp the rim of the pan. Once the rim is bent or crimped then the pan must be replaced.

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Earl



1993 190E 2.3
2000 Toyota 4x4 Tundra

I too have a very small transmission leak. Each morning I end up wiping a very small puddle (no more than a dozen drops or so) up from the garage floor. The car shifts as smooth as a new car in all gears with the only problem being a 2 second delay before car moves from park to reverse and from reverse to Drive. I was told this delay is normal? Is it? Lastly, should this minimal leak bother me as much as it does? I just bought this 1988 300E and it is immaculate. Drives incredibly. I am in love and I am transmission retarded. Any help would be appreciated. The car has 109k on her and I have no maintenance records on her, She was from Florida and I bought her on Ebay. Is there anyway to get her service history? You guys are the best....Mercedes Rule!!!!!

Hi,

I know what you mean by being bothered by a few small drops.
I had my mechanic put it up on a lift for a whole weekend. Turned out it was a defective (old and worn ) "O" ring on the pump. Once we replaced that, everything was hunky-dory.

Richard