[merctech36]

Hi I have a 1997 C36, I just replaced the headgasket and reconditioned the head and the machine shop. I was installing the lifters in and the last lifter on cylinder 6 won't go in like its getting wedged/stuck 1/4 way in. The surface of where the hydralic lifter seats is smooth but do feel a Slight ridgeand I did use oil before I attempted to install it. The lifter is not the issue because it fits fine on any of the other cylinders. Do you think it's a good idea to lightly sand the ridge down with fine sandpaper or a dremel. I'm completely stumped , please help.

 

[CheckEngine]

I'd ask the machine shop where you got the cylinder head reconditioned. Sounds like an oops on their part.

If you do decide to go the sandpaper route, keep in mind that you'll now have a mix of very hard grit and metal powder in your formerly somewhat pristine head. At a bare minimum, you'll have to be positively OCD about getting all that out, or it'll cause problems down the road. At least one of the dangers of sanding is that you won't know when to stop, e.g., there's probably a rather specific spec about the exact size of that lifter bore.

A potentially better alternative to sanding would be using something like a brake cylinder honing tool. At least that will keep the sides parallel and straight, though it doesn't solve the grit problem.

But my first instinct would be to make the machine shop fix it.

Cheers,

Kim G
Boston, Ma

 

[merctech36]

I'd ask the machine shop where you got the cylinder head reconditioned. Sounds like an oops on their part.

If you do decide to go the sandpaper route, keep in mind that you'll now have a mix of very hard grit and metal powder in your formerly somewhat pristine head. At a bare minimum, you'll have to be positively OCD about getting all that out, or it'll cause problems down the road. At least one of the dangers of sanding is that you won't know when to stop, e.g., there's probably a rather specific spec about the exact size of that lifter bore.

A potentially better alternative to sanding would be using something like a brake cylinder honing tool. At least that will keep the sides parallel and straight, though it doesn't solve the grit problem.

But my first instinct would be to make the machine shop fix it.

Cheers,

Kim G
Boston, Ma

Thank you so much for your help! I'll keep you updated . Problem now is the car has its head torqued with the new gasket and the car is in my garage.

 

[CheckEngine]

 

[CheckEngine]

Thank you so much for your help! I'll keep you updated . Problem now is the car has its head torqued with the new gasket and the car is in my garage.

That's what I figured. Still, I'd lean on the machine shop. If nothing else, they know more than either of us about how to successfully fix this.

 

[John Jones Jr.]

Hi I have a 1997 C36, I just replaced the headgasket and reconditioned the head and the machine shop. I was installing the lifters in and the last lifter on cylinder 6 won't go in like its getting wedged/stuck 1/4 way in. The surface of where the hydralic lifter seats is smooth but do feel a Slight ridgeand I did use oil before I attempted to install it. The lifter is not the issue because it fits fine on any of the other cylinders. Do you think it's a good idea to lightly sand the ridge down with fine sandpaper or a dremel. I'm completely stumped , please help.

Wow, I've never come across or heard of that problem before. It seems a strange position to be in.

I'd hope a light sanding will do the job on the lifter recess and if so I'd doubt that it will cause any problems at a later date. But what I'd be more concerned about at this stage is what caused the problem in the first place.

Do update this thread with any news.

P.s. Just thinking about this. Did the machine shop fit new valve guides or lap in the valves? If so, they may have scored the valve lifter recess creating a lip within. Careful inspection required.

 

[alain Gillot]

Hi I have a 1997 C36, I just replaced the headgasket and reconditioned the head and the machine shop. I was installing the lifters in and the last lifter on cylinder 6 won't go in like its getting wedged/stuck 1/4 way in. The surface of where the hydralic lifter seats is smooth but do feel a Slight ridgeand I did use oil before I attempted to install it. The lifter is not the issue because it fits fine on any of the other cylinders. Do you think it's a good idea to lightly sand the ridge down with fine sandpaper or a dremel. I'm completely stumped , please help.

yes use some very fine emery cloth .those lifters at time are not willing to go back in , the tolerance here are tight .dont force it .NO DREMEL .

 

[plinker17722]

Try and pack the bottom of the hole to carch the particals with a magnet and dont use glass paper only emery .Sounds like what would happen to me,the job almost done and to have this hitch.

 

[alain Gillot]

Try and pack the bottom of the hole to carch the particals with a magnet and dont use glass paper only emery .Sounds like what would happen to me,the job almost done and to have this hitch.

very fine emery cloth , after you oil it will leave almost nothing .those hydraulic lifters at time dont want to go in easily .you are removing almost no material , just polishing the hole .this head gasket job has a few time bombs for the DIY that has never done one before .this is not a 250/8 .

 

[merctech36]

Hi everyone thanks for the help, I did use a fine polishing attachment on my dremel at low speed , I didn't apply pressure really and did oil before I polished and wiped away the debris. The lifter fitted in nicely as the others 👍🏻.

 

[CheckEngine]

Congratulations! I'd let everything run in with gentle driving for the first few few hundred miles before I let her rip.

Cheers,

Kim G
Boston, MA
Where I just ordered $530 worth of maintenance parts plus some things like engine mounts. More smoothness is on the way.

 

[plinker17722]

And throw the oil out along with filter after a few thousand miles . Fit outside magnet to sump pan .

 

[merctech36]

I have an issue now so the car started up fine I let it run to operating temp with the rad cap off . Today I started it to take it for a drive went fin and then 10 min later at operating temp it stalled said battery charge(I've been using an e320 w210 cluster since mines failed for 2 years) . And it takes multiple attempts to start then immediately stalls and no codes.. it is getting fuel and spark. The coolant temp on my scanner showed 112 degrees and the aux fans were spinning wildly. Any suggestions?

 

[merctech36]

I think the timing is off because before I removed the cams the crank was at 0/0 so I checked now the crank is at 0/1 and the dowels line up on both cams. Weird because the car started fine yesterday and ran till operating temp

 

[CheckEngine]

I have an issue now so the car started up fine I let it run to operating temp with the rad cap off . Today I started it to take it for a drive went fin and then 10 min later at operating temp it stalled said battery charge(I've been using an e320 w210 cluster since mines failed for 2 years) . And it takes multiple attempts to start then immediately stalls and no codes.. it is getting fuel and spark. The coolant temp on my scanner showed 112 degrees and the aux fans were spinning wildly. Any suggestions?

Check that the battery cables are in good condition and connected tightly. You'd be surprised how tricky these can be at times. Also, W202 is supposedly famous for being finicky about its battery and the state of the battery. A few years ago, I had a problem with my transmission after the car had sat in the rain for 3 months. Since it was likely 4 or more years old, my first step was to replace the battery with one purchased from the dealer. While I normally don't buy batteries (or much of anything else) at the dealer, I did buy the battery because I only paid about $25 more than I would have for an aftermarket battery, and I wanted to be sure that the battery I had was blessed by Mercedes Benz. As it turns out, the battery didn't solve the problem, but I don't regret buying it. The battery that it replaced was probably going to die soon enough anyway.

Sorry if this is too simple or obvious. I don't have any other suggestions for you. But if your battery is old and/or marginal, I'd definitely check the connections and maybe test the battery.

Cheers,

Kim G
Boston, MA
Where I've often wanted a C36 or, better yet, a C43.

 

[merctech36]

Ok so there were codes relating to cylinder 1 maximum retardation reached... all post errors . I reset them and they never come back . I checked my timing again and it was timed correctly. But once hot when the engine gets load like turning the steering fast to lock or ac or put it in gearand lights on it stalls ... cranks normally as it does but I have to give it gas and it idles . On live data everything seems normal

 

[alain Gillot]

I think the timing is off because before I removed the cams the crank was at 0/0 so I checked now the crank is at 0/1 and the dowels line up on both cams. Weird because the car started fine yesterday and ran till operating temp

IF THE CAMS WHERE OFF the problem would be there from beginning .there is a fool proof way to have the cam timing right every time while totally ignoring the engine position .also the chain tensionner is another major issue if not handled right .

 

[merctech36]

0/1 is top dead centre right? ... thats where I set the timing... originally the car was slightly off the reading was the next line which I think is 5 degrees off tdc. I installed the chain tensioner outer section first and then the inside section after. Oh and I hear a ticking sounds sometimes .

 

[John Jones Jr.]

Double check the tensioner is set up correctly. Do a search here or look on youtube.

 

[alain Gillot]

0/1 is top dead centre right? ... thats where I set the timing... originally the car was slightly off the reading was the next line which I think is 5 degrees off tdc. I installed the chain tensioner outer section first and then the inside section after. Oh and I hear a ticking sounds sometimes .

this is going to be ignored , but here it is .when you do a head r/r on a 104 , first you dont remove the chain tensionner , but the 10 mm plug and spring .the body stay in .now , as far as cam timing , you put the engine anywhere you want , the safe position is that no pistons anywhere are at tdc , so stop 30 or 40 before or after tdc , mark the spot , [ bic white out work best ] .now you have the front timing cover off .make a mini sharp chisel out of a small punch . the plan here is to mark cam position in relation to chain .mark cams position to head , make small indentations .mark timing chain [ one link ] in relation to one tooth .so you make a mark at a top of one tooth and same on link .do that at both cams .now you can remove chain .so when head is back on you have individual links to teeth .so no more guessing .you will see that with the spring out of tensionner there is enough slack on chain .[ no oil pressure ] .