The 450SEL goes back together

[TJ 450]

The amount of time that has passed since I commenced the project is tremendous.

The head gasket kits, air hoses, fuel injector seals and insulators arrived today! So I set forth and fitted the fully reconditioned right hand cylinder head.

I went over the block surface with a single sided razor blade again, just before fitting to remove the last traces of gasket material.

At last weekend, I scraped and vacuumed out the deposits in the bottom of the water jacket in the block. I did this with a section of garden hose attached to the vac. It was very effective, I must say, as there was nothing left by the end of it.













P.S. MT 6.9, I'll try and leave the other one until the weekend. I'm getting pretty enthusiastic though.

As another post script, can anyone spot the non-originality errors?

Tim

[1980450sel]

I can't spot errors but my wife usually good at finding them. I hope it all goes back together well for you. Did you recently do the right side?

Scott

[koan]

Incorrect nuts on the exhaust manifold studs?

What's that stuff on the valve stem in the last picture?

koan

[s class]

Did you blank off the air injection ports?

Very nice looking work though.  Those heads are magnificent.  Did they skim the exhaust and inlet manifold faces as well?

[TJ 450]

Incorrect nuts on the manifold studs was it, but there is also eight more studs than necessary.

The heads are Euro versions without the air injection ports.

S Class, there wasn't any skimming done on the exhaust/inlet manifold faces, just sandblasting. They went over and skimmed the top surface very lightly though.

Koan, that stuff on the valve stem is a smear of grease... It was done at the workshop. I applied grease to each cylinder as you did, too.

BTW, it was the right hand head.

Tim

[s class]

I know you said you vacuumed up the rubbish at the bottom of the water ways, but did you do anything to loosen it up first?

[TJ 450]

Indeed. I used a length of steel rod and scraped it all off. It was actually one of the rods out of a 116 HVAC box... the ends are rounded off so as to not gouge into the block if that were possible. Once it was loosened I vacuumed it up. I then repeated it a few times so that it was nice and clean.

To get rid of the inevitable few bits and pieces that remain, I'll be flushing the system with the citric acid a few times and will switch to MB coolant.

I couldn't help myself tonight and I'm back out there fitting the left hand one.

Tim

[TJ 450]

I collected the exhaust manifolds, having been sand blasted at "Performance Modifications", Osborne Park.

I decided to use VHT Flameproof Silver this time, as I thought it would look good with the fresh looking top end.





I won't be fitting them just yet though, as I need to tighten the cylinder head bolds to 60NM first (I have only done the 30NM stage).

Tim

[Big_Richard]

your timber decking requires a recoat

[TJ 450]

Hahaha, perhaps the ATF has worn off. 

Tim

[Big_Richard]

It must be time to rebuild another transmission in that case

[TJ 450]

Lots of progress has been made today. This was done with MT 6.9's assistance, and certainly not without WGB's valve spring compressor.

There's a few minor things that need to be sorted out. They are the correct exhaust manifold nuts/washers, and I'll need to sort through my pile of bolts to find some specific intake manifold bolts.

I have now mounted the rocker covers and will probably add a pic. Also, the static lifter adjustment needs to be checked and made if necessary.











Tim

[motec6.9]

Very impressive work there TJ so when do you and MT open up for business looks to be coming along great

[s class]

Very nice.  And good progress too.  Well done. 

[Big_Richard]

very, very interesting and very educational - I was only an apprentice on this occasion, to learn whats involved.

The procedure I'd imagine would be almost identical on the 6.9 and i plan to one day have those heads re-manufactured also.

It's an obscene amount of work and i bet things would be very cramped in a 6.9's engine bay.... something to think about anyway