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Valve cover woes

1481 Views 5 Replies 3 Participants Last post by  190E-Boy, 
Greg in Oz
With concours time now very close, I thought I would remove the valve cover (cylinder head cover, rocker cover) from my 190E and bead blast it to remove the remaining flaking black coating and repaint it. While it is off I can also fit new hydraulic valve lash compensators (lifters) to address the intermittent ticking during warm-up. A new gasket or seal would also address the oil leak from under the cover.

Great plan but it got de-railed. The cover leaks not because the gasket is faulty, but because the cover is distorted. OK I think, let's price a new cover. None in stock in Australia and price is over $700 AUD. Forget that plan. Let's chase a used one. Problem is they are all distorted like mine. Looks like I'll be re-painting mine and refitting it with a new gasket with some sealant. But that's not all. The oil separator for the breather under the cover is plastic. Heat has taken its toll and the plastic is all cracked and falling apart. Lets price the oil separator. That's available interstate at about $70 AUD but supposedly does not suit my car. They will get it in for me anyway but I suspect that the oil separator under my cover is considered part of the cover and not available separately. I won't know until I see the one they are getting for me. If that doesn't fit I guess I will have to get very creative and fabricate my own from sheet metal.

Why do they spoil these otherwise well engineered cars with such poor materials that distort or crumble like dry dog-do when exposed to heat and age. Have others had similar problems with their M102 (or M103 or M104) valve covers?
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1

· Registered
190E 2.6 , 1996 E300
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101 Posts
#2 ·
Valve cover gasket

Greg,
Sorry to hear your woes. I'm definitely not as well versed as you are (MB mechanically), but I recently had my gasket (valve cover gasket) changed without any apparent problems. It was dry rotted but who could complain with 12 years and 190000 miles (thats a little over 300K kilometers). Upon replacement the cover wasn't warped, but I agree it could use a refinishing job. On the otherhand my transmission pan/cover was warped. I had my fluid changed and it leaked due to a warped pan, that part was approx $75 USD.

The car is a 1991 190E 2.6, everyday driver (~130 per day) with 192K miles to date.

ssb
 
Thomas.Schumacher

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1985 300GD LWB 5 Speed
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1,073 Posts
#3 ·
2.3 1993 with 105,000 miles

I noted the paint flaking a while back, but had a leaky gasket after I have the head gasket replaced. While inside the engine, I replaced the timing chain and rails. This became a big job and needed to pull the engine and drop the pan. But, it all went back to gether very well.

Valve cover went back on fine. The only problem currently is that the plactic ignition wire holder that fits into the top of the valve cover, will not stay in place as it should, close, but not totally.

I have not yet bead-blasted and powdercoated the cover, but will one day soon.

Great engine, but flaky valve cover and wire arrangement. I like the ones on my diesels.
 
Greg in Oz

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350SLC, 500SLC, 300TE, 190E2.3 Sportline
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687 Posts
Discussion Starter · #4 ·
Plastic wire holder

Thomas,

Buy a new holder for the spark plug wires, they are not expensive. Mine was broken when I purchased the car so I replaced it. That on the 300TE is twisted and won't stay put in the valve cover so I'm going to replace it as well.

Greg
 
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190E 2.6 , 1996 E300
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101 Posts
#6 ·
Check out ebay

Greg,

Theres a cover on ebay for a 6 cylinder. No clue to its condition but its definitely used, looks like it has paint chips missing, pics aren't that close.

here's the link

http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=33627&item=2431327469


still 5 days left but its only $3 US so far

ssb
 
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