Hey all. Long post ahead, but I promise that I get to the point.
I’ve been struggling wrenching on my 119.970 M119. It’s an 8/91 build w140 (please don’t ban me) After curing my startup rattle by updating the valve in the oil filter housing, I focused my attention towards a ticking noise I had been hearing at hot idle.
I pulled the cam covers and inspected what I could see of the guides. Looked good. Pinned cams. Within spec for chain stretch. Replaced top most guides anyways. Etc.
But when I was feeling behind the back of the heads by the firewall, I found a loose cap? plug? freeze plug? not exactly sure what the term is. You can see it in the attached photos, deformed from likely rolling against the cam. I have a photo of it compared to the new ones I ordered. It came off of the camshaft itself, apparently its a filler plug that, if it falls out, causes the cam it fell out of to lose oil pressure. 3/4 total had fallen out and were resting within the valve cover. I found the new parts and want to install, but the only good way to access the back of the cams are to remove them (with engine in the car). So I started following the FSM, I got to the part where I needed to turn the cams with the unobtanium baum 26.5mmx27.5mm wrench (p/n BM-119-0001) that I don’t have, and progress ground to a halt. This was last weekend.
I figured I would consult the experts at this point. Has anyone ever run into this issue, these plugs falling out? How did you take care of it? Ideally I just need to find something to turn the cams with without mangling them, and slack the chain and remove the cams one by one. But after that, what’s the right way to install new plugs? I managed to redneck install one new one with a pry bar and a mirror, but it is not pressed in far and I fear it will come out again. You can see the missing plug in one pic from my endoscope, and another with the cap I redneck installed.
If you have read this far, I am very grateful. I love this car and am excited to get it back on 4 wheels again so I can resume chasing my front end shimmy.
I’ve been struggling wrenching on my 119.970 M119. It’s an 8/91 build w140 (please don’t ban me) After curing my startup rattle by updating the valve in the oil filter housing, I focused my attention towards a ticking noise I had been hearing at hot idle.
I pulled the cam covers and inspected what I could see of the guides. Looked good. Pinned cams. Within spec for chain stretch. Replaced top most guides anyways. Etc.
But when I was feeling behind the back of the heads by the firewall, I found a loose cap? plug? freeze plug? not exactly sure what the term is. You can see it in the attached photos, deformed from likely rolling against the cam. I have a photo of it compared to the new ones I ordered. It came off of the camshaft itself, apparently its a filler plug that, if it falls out, causes the cam it fell out of to lose oil pressure. 3/4 total had fallen out and were resting within the valve cover. I found the new parts and want to install, but the only good way to access the back of the cams are to remove them (with engine in the car). So I started following the FSM, I got to the part where I needed to turn the cams with the unobtanium baum 26.5mmx27.5mm wrench (p/n BM-119-0001) that I don’t have, and progress ground to a halt. This was last weekend.
I figured I would consult the experts at this point. Has anyone ever run into this issue, these plugs falling out? How did you take care of it? Ideally I just need to find something to turn the cams with without mangling them, and slack the chain and remove the cams one by one. But after that, what’s the right way to install new plugs? I managed to redneck install one new one with a pry bar and a mirror, but it is not pressed in far and I fear it will come out again. You can see the missing plug in one pic from my endoscope, and another with the cap I redneck installed.
If you have read this far, I am very grateful. I love this car and am excited to get it back on 4 wheels again so I can resume chasing my front end shimmy.
