Working on my Benz is not like working on my race engines
 

It started off as a plugged ERG tube and turned into a top end rebuild.
One roadblock after another, wash hands every 5 minutes, too many vacuum lines......yuk, I will get through it I have the factory manual. Borrowing and buying mucho toolshttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1188240736.jpg
pecihttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1188240784.jpg
al toolshttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1188240817.jpg
.img]http://foruhttp://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1188240874.jpg ms.pelicanparts.com/uploads11/Cnv00771188240851.jpg[/img]

Nice looking valve covers!http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1188241181.jpg

Looks like a real hoot.

The engineering is excellent, but being used to working on my clean race engines where everything comes apart so easily this is a b*%*%.

Broke off bolts, parts everywhere, lots of grease.

I know - my SLK is the same way. Great and built like a tank, but it's a beyatch to get at some of the stuff. Heck, even just changing the coil packs & plugs took an entire day!

Yup. I work on my 911 so much that it is, well, easy to work on. Everything is clean, nothing is rusted, nothing is corroded, nothing is stripped, nothing is rounded off... Then we went to work dropping the motor on my son's newly acquired SC. Every single freakin' bolt, every oil line, every wire connection required some manner of extra effort. That was after we had spent a day getting the thing as clean as possible. Galvanic corrosion, rust, heads rounded by the P.O.; it had it all. It will be easier from here now that we have it all apart, but boy, that first time on an old car sucks.

So is that the '85 500SEC or the '91 450SEL? I don't know M-B for diddly squat. Always wanted a 300D turbo, though...

This one
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1188269925.jpg

I can tell you right now that it is the '91 420SEL. I have the same car in CA., mine is in the middle of a top-end due to the famous cracking chain rails leading to the left cam chain jumping a few teeth and taking out some valves on that side. It's an epidemic on that model, unless you pro-actively replace the rails they will fail. Only on the 420, though. The 560 has a longer(?) rail or some difference and they do not break.

EDIT: Oops... thought I recognised the tell-tale rubber spacers of the 420 on the VCs. My bad.

I am changing all rails, chain, rubber, vacuum, valve job, hoses.

I had an '88 300 sel, big tank of a car and w/ a straight six very easy to work on. It was a little on the slow side.

I've had 4 MBs over the years. I currently have a 240D 4-speed which has got to be one of the easiest cars on the planet to work on.

Good luck with your project.

Scott

I presume my 79 450sel looks the same. Any issues with tensioners on those? I need to pull the heads to replace the stem seals as it sucks oil so bad in once cyl it continually fouls the plug after 60 miles or so.

The plastic chain rails/guides are a common problem on the 107 SLs as well. Easily identified by a clatter for a few seconds after start up.

you dont need to pull the heads to change the valve seals, I had it done on my wifes 420.