Dirty Pics (of cams!)

[stevesey]

My engine was subject to 12,000 miles services for the first 90k of it's life (now < 6K oil changes) - wondered what it look like inside so took one cam shaft covers off today to check breathers etc.





Plenty of muck there - now bad do people think this is? At least there isn't any gunge in the important places

I'm off to get some paraffin in a mo to clean up the covers.

 

[stevesey]

One more photo

 

[jaymanek]

not the cleanest is it! C240's tend to use a little oil, it never ran low by any chance did it?

 

[andy27168]

Hi,
My C43 rocker covers look exactly the same oily bits cam, valves rockers etc, perfectly clean, but under the little cover on the drivers side rocker cover and inside the covers exactly the same as yours, i just used a combination of brake and carbaretter cleaner and a pot scourer.
Don,t forget to use instant gasket on the little cover as there is no gasket for it, and the 2 small Allen screws that secure it to the rocker cover only just nip up as they are easily sheared off, as i found out.

 

[stevesey]

not the cleanest is it! C240's tend to use a little oil, it never ran low by any chance did it?

Not during my ownership (35K) but the previous 99K who knows!

Since I've been doing 5-6K oil changes (the last few with a dose of flushing agent prior to the change) the oil consumption has improved - suspect I may have freed up the rings a little.

Anyway covers now nearly clean, need to assemble them tonight ready for refitting tomorrow. Also have to clean up and remove old gasket from the head tomorrow. Then on to the other side (hopefully the easier one as there is more clearance - no fuel/air con pipes to work around!)

P.S. The tiny part-throttle breather hole was totally blocked.

 

[stevesey]

Cleaned up

 

[PhilL]

Out of Interest; what oil have you been using?

I have an E240 with 144K and have used Magnatec 10/40 for the last 5 years, but have no idea what the rockers look like.

Nice colour though! very sweet'n sour. How does the engine run? do you get a ticking each time it's started? I do!

 

[vijilants]

Do MB use an engine flush when they do oil changes ?

I had a Honda which had done 76,000 with a full Honda history, and I know they use a flush whenever an oil change is done as it is on the service receipt.

I popped off the rocker cover once and was stunned to see that the rocker gear, head area and cover were totally immaculate and looked as though it was all brand new !

Obviously the long term use of a flush on every oil change since new had kept the engine in a very clean condition.

 

[stevesey]

Out of Interest; what oil have you been using?

Me - a mixture depending what's on special offer at the time, some magnatec , some Halfords own brand (including fully synth went it's on 2 for 1). Whatever it is it's never left in for more than 6K.

Before - a mixture of Mobil 1 and Shell Helix.

I occasionally get some tappetty noise for a couple of seconds on start up - but I'm not sure it's the tappets themselves (pondering EGR or one of the other emissions valves) need to persuade wife to start the car each morning while I have my head under the bonnet so I can check the source (sods law of course says that whenever I try this it won't make any noise).

P.S. Engine runs sweetly

 

[Smiley]

Do MB use an engine flush when they do oil changes ?

I had a Honda which had done 76,000 with a full Honda history, and I know they use a flush whenever an oil change is done as it is on the service receipt.

I popped off the rocker cover once and was stunned to see that the rocker gear, head area and cover were totally immaculate and looked as though it was all brand new !

Obviously the long term use of a flush on every oil change since new had kept the engine in a very clean condition.

more likely it is because it was a honda.

 

[Uberwagon]

At 220,000km the valve gear on my 500E looked spotless, just some light shadowing on the cam lobes.

That rocker cover says to me that the car does a lot of idling.

Dave!

 

[WLeg]

go on....make me a detailed "how to".....I'm sure mine needs this !

 

[stevesey]

That rocker cover says to me that the car does a lot of idling.

Not during my ownership - 40mile (*2) Motorway/A road commute with very little stop/start. Before that the service history indicates it's always been about 10K a year, no idea what sort of traffic though.

When I first got the car it would give out dirty smoke if I redlined it on kickdown, but with the occasional visits to higher rpm and the oil changes this has gone away. So it could well be that the last owner did spend a lot of time in traffic and never really exercised the engine. Initially I was a little concerned, but as things have been steadily improving I'm not too worried now.

 

[imbck666]

I agree.. had the same problem.. few oil changes and high revs changed the outcome. No smoke at all under any circumstances..

 

[Chicanopride]

One more photo
View attachment 14720

put some lucas oil in it

 

[seymansey]

I occasionally get some tappetty noise for a couple of seconds on start up - but I'm not sure it's the tappets themselves (pondering EGR or one of the other emissions valves) need to persuade wife to start the car each morning while I have my head under the bonnet so I can check the source (sods law of course says that whenever I try this it won't make any noise).

P.S. Engine runs sweetly

I'm glad you're mentioning this, as my C240 does exactly the same also. TAP TAP TAP TAP TAP then silent as normal. I've always put it down to sticking tappets, never happens for the first few weeks after doing an oil change.