My 6.9's

[rumb]

I turned the crank until the right cam marks lined up and you were pretty close, it was 14 degrees off.

That far off I imagine I will feel the difference with the new chain.

[Max-NL]

And here is the valve lash.  I ordered stainless shim stock .031 inch which is .78mm.   will punch circles out of it to shim with.  The gauge red measuring line is @1.5mm and you can see that I am at the bottom or just below the red line.

While there will do the seals, my mechanic lent me the MB valve stem seal installer tools!

Hello Robert,

Quick question, is that a m100 test gauge or a m117 test gauge?

[rumb]

Hello Robert,

Quick question, is that a m100 test gauge or a m117 test gauge?
[/quote]

It is the M117, from what I have read, the m100 is nla and the M117 works just fine instead.

http://www.m-100.co/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=3902

I have also read that the aftermarket ones are quite off on the dimensions so you should only use MB original  ones.

Dont know what brand these guys sell, but it cost less from the dealer

Mercedes-Benz   117 589 06 23 00   Go-no-Go Gauge. Needed for checking hydraulic valve lifters. V8 engines 100.985 , 116 and 117. This tool replaced old tool 100 589 04 23 00 and old tool number 900 589 04 23 00.  (Picture 2)

PayPal - The safer, easier way to pay online!   $234.9

http://www.samstagsales.com/mercedes.htm

[Max-NL]

Thanks for the tip. We'll first ask around for one.

[rumb]

This page explains the accuracy of the aftermarket tools as well as why the PN changed.

http://www.m-100.co/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=8656&whichpage=3

[rumb]

Do you think exhaust manifold gaskets can be reused?  Pulled manifolds off and the gaskets look to be in very good shape and dont appear to be compressed.  I am getting new copper nuts though.

Also plan on sandblasting the manifolds.  Any particular hi temp paint to use?  I have used hi temp clear on clean sandblasted manifolds before and it turned them a medium grey - but they stay that way and doesn't oxidize. Should I just leave them bare cast iron? or get a high temp cast iron spray paint?  any suggestions?  Is ceramic coated worth it for reducing all the temps in the engine bay?

[ptashek]

I would replace the seals gaskets. They're not super expensive, and you'll have peace of mind that nothing leaks where it's not supposed to.

As for ceramic coating the manifolds - you may remember from my restore thread I had mine coated.



The guys doing the job warned upfront that the longevity of the coating is heavily dependent on how hot the engine runs.

After a good few thousand on the autobahn since, my manifolds have turned greyish brown in places, presumably hot spots. But the coating hasn't peeled off, just discoloured.

Was it worth it? Depends on cost. Mine cost just over a 100EUR to do inside and out. I think that's reasonable for the end result.

Heat reduction wasn't really my goal, so can't say if the claims (up-to 30% reduction) made by the shop are true or not. I've never bothered checking.

[rumb]

You forget that the M100 parts are more....

$105.60 for 8 exhaust gaskets.

I went ahead and ordered them after consulting with my indi.

Good news is valve guides appear in good condition and not loose.  Managed to drop an exhaust valve almost all the way into the cylinder, luckily the exhaust manifolds are off and I could get the tip of it with duct tape wrapped pliers and feed it back up through the guide! Took several hours to figure out how to use the spring compressor and everything else like getting the valve keepers out of a few stubborn ones.  Managed to stuff up a few intake stem seals so had to reorder a set of those.

Of note is they must be magnesium or stainless or something because they are not magnetic like the intake valves. I had .77mm shims water jet cut out of stainless shim stock.

[wbrian63]

If I recall correctly, the exhaust valves are sodium filled - don't know how that would affect magnetic properties...

[daantjie]

You forget that the M100 parts are more....

$105.60 for 8 exhaust gaskets.

I went ahead and ordered them after consulting with my indi.

Good news is valve guides appear in good condition and not loose.  Managed to drop an exhaust valve almost all the way into the cylinder, luckily the exhaust manifolds are off and I could get the tip of it with duct tape wrapped pliers and feed it back up through the guide! Took several hours to figure out how to use the spring compressor and everything else like getting the valve keepers out of a few stubborn ones.  Managed to stuff up a few intake stem seals so had to reorder a set of those.

Of note is they must be magnesium or stainless or something because they are not magnetic like the intake valves. I had .77mm shims water jet cut out of stainless shim stock.

Robert, if you say the guides are not loose, do you mean not loose in the head, or the valve stem not being loose in the guide?  If both then that is fantastic news, but I have found, as have many others that this is a known weak spot of older Benzes, seems the 6.9 in particular, having the guides wear prematurely causing the valve stem being loose in the guide.  So my advice would be to really check this closely.

[rumb]

I need a 52mm original style hose clamp for the top thermostat hose.

Would greatly appreciate if someone had one available. 

[rumb]

Today I replaced my timing chain, despite initial nervousness, it was really quite standard. After removing the tensioner, I used 3 narrow vicegrips to hold the chain to the sprocket. Most frustrating was those damn tiny C clips that hold the new link on, damage one, lost one completely and dropped the other 2 at least 3 times, found them on floor with my magnet.  they should really put 4-6 of them in each set. (I had two sets, very glad I did.

Split old chain, connect new and crank thru using 50mm socket on crank.

I had to fiddle and grind a bit off a 4 degree offset woodruff key to get the right bank lined up correctly.

After that I ran my finger down along the tensioner guide and felt big grooves and little bit of plastic crumbling off. I was wishfully trying to avoid that, but am pleasantly surprised how inexpensive the new ones are.  HAHA I looked the wrong ones up -  of course M100 are waaaay more. 6 rails and 3 gaskets are now $504!!! the tensioner one is $310.


2 question, 1. I dont need to order the metal backing part of the tensioner rail, just the plastic part, correct?It is a one piece on the M100 -$310!!

2. Is it advisable to do the two bottom ones?  lots of post's people dont do them,  is that just because their engine is in the car and it is a pain, or should I just go ahead with them while the engine is out of the car?

(I've done this job on my W126, so I am somewhat familiar with the process. - It took a lot of torque to get the front nut off that car. the rest wasnt that bad.

I know the bitch of this job is removing the front crank pulley - Is this really hard and/or requiring special equipment?

Here are some pictures, plated parts, cleaned up exhaust manifolds and top of engine with newly plated lines and linkages

[daantjie]

Hey Robert. Make sure you seat the tensioner properly. The one on the 6.9 is notorious for leaks. I used some "Form a gasket" with the paper gasket and on the advice of others applied slightly less torque on the closing plug. I think 10nm less from memory. Maybe you'll be lucky with following spec and no leaks.
Yup that nut on the pully spec is 400nm

[rumb]

I need a 52mm original style hose clamp for the top thermostat hose.

Would greatly appreciate if someone had one available.

Also need two 27mm ones.

Here is a detailed picture of the 52mm one.

[rumb]

Front crank pulley came off reasonably well,  one pulley bolt was a bit stubborn.  The puller worked well, was a bit hard at first and then went fine.  I knocked the big nut off with my impact wrench in a few seconds.

Getting the damper back on will be a lot more challenging from what I have read.  I've done this same job on my W126 so I am pretty familiar with it at least.

Probably will take 2 weeks for parts to get here, so I can finish cleaning and painting the rest of the engine bay during that period.