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Advice

W126 (500 SEL)

180K Miles and puffing smoke in two circumstances....what gives? .... what needs doing?

  1. Standing for several minutes in stopped traffic, I notice cloud of smoke on pulling away from standing still.

  1. On agressive acceleration (mainly on kick-down in sport mode) same thing.

Otherwise it runs fine and doesn't trail a big blue cloud.

Suggestions as to cause (Valve-stems, cylinder wear / piston rings),

Uses 1.5 - 2.0 Litres of Oil a week (depending on mileage - i.e 500 -

1000 )

Ideas/suggestions anyone?

All will be gratefully accepted (except "ditch the bitch" - because I love this classic car).

Regards,

Dan.

Reply to
Danny Clarke
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Valve guide seals.

Paul

1984 500 SEL (250,000 miles)
Reply to
Paul McKechnie

Classic symptom of worn valve stem seals.

Reply to
T.G. Lambach

Your only option is to get the heads rebuilt.

Reply to
nick

Your only option is to get the heads rebuilt. ___________________________________________ I disagree with the above statement. I 'd say it is about a 98% chance that you only need the valve guide seals. About $500 to $700 job, maybe less at a good indie MB shop. It is a very common repair usually done about every

100K miles......
Reply to
Rockman59

What color is the smoke? Blue = Oil. Black = Fuel Rich Condition. White = Water. Blue is usually oil from the valve guides. Perhaps just seals, or perhaps guides. Guides usually require pulling the heads. White is almost always water from a blown head gasket, or sometimes a cracked head. Black means a fuel injection problem.

Lee

Reply to
Lee Sharp

My 1983 W126 (280SE) had a similar problem a few months back and my Merc mechanic replaced valve stem seals without removing the head. No smoke and no more oil top-ups. He said he used a special tool to stop the valve(s) dropping into the combustion chamber. price for this was very reasonable about AUS$ 200.00.

Vic

Reply to
Vic Palun

2 Litres of oil per week sounds more than seals, more likely the guides are shot.
Reply to
nick

Re: Advice My 1983 W126 (280SE) had a similar problem a few months back and my Merc mechanic replaced valve stem seals without removing the head. No smoke and no more oil top-ups. He said he used a special tool to stop the valve(s) dropping into the combustion chamber. price for this was very reasonable about AUS$ 200.00.

Vic xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx that tool is compressed air in the spark plug hole. holds the valves closed.

case

the case, minus a few cans!

Reply to
IF YOU CAN'T SWIM DON'T JUMP IN

Re: Advice My 1983 W126 (280SE) had a similar problem a few months back and my Merc mechanic replaced valve stem seals without removing the head. No smoke and no more oil top-ups. He said he used a special tool to stop the valve(s) dropping into the combustion chamber. price for this was very reasonable about AUS$ 200.00.

Vic xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx that tool is compressed air in the spark plug hole. holds the valves closed.

case

the case, minus a few cans!

Reply to
IF YOU CAN'T SWIM DON'T JUMP IN

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