Brand newbie here!

[Funky]

Hi members. Just an introduction of me to you all.
I now own a Mercedes (first one) and I am now 61. Bought it recently even though it has a problem.
The vehicle has only covered a mere 378,000 miles, and being an ex ambulance which was converted around ten years ago into a motorhome. I thought why not, I like a challenge! The problem is a chuffing noise which is definitely not a leaking injector. It sounds like a permanently open or a burnt out exhaust valve.
Any ideas if the exhaust valves stretch? Or whether the tappet can jack it self up enough to open a valve, or do they soccer from broken valve springs?
Thanks for any input.
In a past life I was a vehicle mechanic between 1983-2007 and aircraft engine fitter prior to that. Now I try to do naff all. But enjoy myself fixing things still.
Regards to all funky

 

[John Laidlaw]

Welcome Funky....any pics?

 

[Funky]

Welcome Funky....any pics?

Not ATM its dark! Though there is a bit of moonlight here in Wales.
Will try to add a pic or two sometime.

 

[brick10]

Hi, welcome to the forum, good luck with it.

 

[A.J.]

Hi Funky, welcome to the forum. Best of luck with your project !!

 

[davemercedes]

Hello Funky.
Welcome and good luck with your project. Here's hoping it ends up being something simple (and cheap to fix)!

 

[gramey]

Hi and welcome, not the typical first Mercedes purchase but something to keep you busy by the sounds of it, do you have access to a compression tester which should tell you if there's a problem with the valves sealing?

 

[Funky]

Hi and welcome, not the typical first Mercedes purchase but something to keep you busy by the sounds of it, do you have access to a compression tester which should tell you if there's a problem with the valves sealing?

I may have a Sykes pickavant tester somewhere in the workshop, though it is a few years old, it may have enough bits in the kit to test this engine. It will still entail removing the inlet manifold to access the injectors, but I suppose it will tell me which cylinder is chuffing.
I was thinking of removing the exhaust manifold and or cam cover to check valve clearances and view or hear the escaping compression causing the chuff!

 

[Funky]

Picture of offending ambulance

 

[Funky]

Hello Funky.
Welcome and good luck with your project. Here's hoping it ends up being something simple (and cheap to fix)!

Hi again! Twas a long winter!! Went to the South West of France in beginning of March, returned very late June, after my wife left hospital in France for a ruptured spleen, and other complications. She has been in hospital here in Wales for three weeks in total also. Found the problem with the Mercedes, rear most cylinder head gasket had gone on back of engine, began removing head, but the headbolt adjacent to the gasket leak was too tight and the spline drive stripped, so then it was engine out, bolt head drilled off and cylinderhead lifted off. Bolt then came out fine. Head skimmed, could see block had new liners and pistons recently, and new clutch too! All back in now, just doing a few weld repairs to front cross member and towing eye area, before refitting rad and intercooler. Could be ready sometime never;-)

 

[LostKiwi]

Wow you've had a time of it!
Nice to hear the project is coming along.
Hopefully your wife had great care in France too - I've always found them to be excellent.

 

[McDonald]

Hi Funky, Welcome to the forum. You seem admirably qualified to take on the project, so I'm sure you'll enjoy your Mercedes. Sorry to read your wife's had medical stuff to cope with, but we all have 'bumps in the road' -I hope she's recovering well. Did she think you were over-reacting to her health issues when buying an ambulance?

 

[Funky]

Yes she had excellent care. Just had the bill for it!!!!! They did save her life and diagnosed her with a blood cancer to boot! The bill is for the second time she went to hospital, after an infection. The first time was free, as it was life threatening.
Yes we did wonder if it was an omen! I am thinking of uncovering the blues and twos just in case!

 

[LostKiwi]

If you have an EHIC card the NHS should pick up the tab.

 

[Funky]

If you have an EHIC card the NHS should pick up the tab.

You would think so! But they say that I have to pay the bill as the 80% would have been taken off before the bill was sent. I now have to prove they never took the EHIC card into the equation even though we presented it to the hospital