I just finished installing a redone head on my '85 euro 300TD, and rolled a new timing chain in. it seemed to go in without incident, until i was finished...now I SEEM TO HAVE AND EXTRA LINK. please see photo.

Is this an issue simply because i don't have the tensioner installed?

does anybody have any ideas as to what's going on here and what to do next? the chain i installed is an IWIS 50024208, Part Number 0039976294...i see it online described as a '136 link with master link.'

Could my EURO OM617 possibly have need for some 135 link chain? (though i can't find reference to such a thing online), or did i do something wrong during installation?

Please help

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-lee
'83 300CDT (286k)

former proud owner of:
'85 mercedes euro 300TD
'80 mercedes 300TD
'77 mercedes 280e
'80 mercedes euro 250
'82 mercedes euro 250

You're a half link off. The chain tensioner should take up the slack if you assemble what you have.

are we sure i didn't "skip a tooth"? (the DieselGiant site makes reference to this...but how in the world could you skip one?)

if we're positive it's just a tensioner issue, how do i get the slack back in there? do i just unclamp the tensioner side, drop 1/2 a link slack back into that side, and then install the tensioner?

__________________
-lee
'83 300CDT (286k)

former proud owner of:
'85 mercedes euro 300TD
'80 mercedes 300TD
'77 mercedes 280e
'80 mercedes euro 250
'82 mercedes euro 250

just drop the chain off the LEFT side of the cam gear (passenger side of car) looking from the front of the engine, thats the side your tensioner is on. I agree.. assemble with what you have. Once you do assemble it, crank engine over several times with the bolt on the front of the crankshaft only. Make sure there is no timming issues. When you get to TDC on the crank, look at the mark on the camshaft, just behind the cam gear on the side. So long as that is correct, you should be good to go. The tensioner can take up a fair amount of slack when the oil pressure is up. Do you know how to check your pump timming as well??

Yes, the tensioner will take up that slack.

Wouldn't the problem be, which way to go with the slack? I'd say, put the slack on the passenger side and install the tensioner. Then check the timing just to be sure.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

well...i dropped the chain off the left (passenger) side of the cam and installed the tensioner, and it took up the slack,
BUT
after rotating the engine around a revolution or two and aligning the TDC mark on the camshaft, i'm 20º out (after TDC).
does that mean i'm screwed?
now what????

__________________
-lee
'83 300CDT (286k)

former proud owner of:
'85 mercedes euro 300TD
'80 mercedes 300TD
'77 mercedes 280e
'80 mercedes euro 250
'82 mercedes euro 250

You're a tooth off at the cam. Relax the tensioner and slip the chain around the sprocket to get the cam into time.

how would one go about "re-setting" a tensioner. In the case you removed the tensioner when having a head rebuilt then reinstalled the whole mess, keeping the origional chain (for the time being)?

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". . .back before accountants designed cars"

-Current Stable-
'78 MB 450SL-C 107.024.12.020783 #3840 <Kayleen>
'85 FORD F250 6.9L Diesel <Allison>
'98 Lexus ES300 <Rachel>
Long Gone...
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'83 Chevy Suburban 6.2 diesel .....'99 SAAB 9-5
'90 Mitsubishi Eclipse GS............. '01 Chevy Tahoe
'98 Nissan Altima .......................'02 MB ML320
'88 Chevy Suburban V2500 4X4 6.2 diesel

am i really just to try to slip the chain on the cam sprocket? would that risk the chain coming OFF one of the other lower sprockets when the slack gets advanced forward?

should i remove the tensioner AND cam sprocket (with chain) and (while keeping the chain tight and separated from the sprocket) just turn the sprocket one tooth and reassemble?

also, if i'm 20º too advanced at the crank timing mark, which way does the cam need to turn?

__________________
-lee
'83 300CDT (286k)

former proud owner of:
'85 mercedes euro 300TD
'80 mercedes 300TD
'77 mercedes 280e
'80 mercedes euro 250
'82 mercedes euro 250

The same thing happened to me when I pulled the head on my daughter's 240D and installed a new chain. I "bunched" the chain and was able to move it on the cam sprocket with the tensioner removed. I wound up in the end learning how to time the IP.

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Chain stretch... 10 degrees BTDC?


if you now have 20* of stretch then you have definitely sipped a tooth on the drive side of the chain (the IP timing side).

the problem is.. you have no clue which side of the IP timing gear you skipped on. You have a 50/50 chance of guessing where it was. Most likely, it was between the camshaft and IP. So you can put it all back together taking the guess, or learn to time the IP like Stevo.

To tkae the guess: suck up that extra link on the driver's side on the camshaft just one notch. Then make the other side follow suit. Cross your fingers.

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It's first necessary to resolve whether you are early or late...............accuracy in your posts becomes mandatory from this point forward.............you're flirting with larger problems............

b/c of the amount of stretch he has, would it be safe to assume that he has skipped a tooth. This being the result of 18* + 2* (original stretch), while 18* - 2* would be the opposite, or losing a link on the timing side?

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If you're providing advice that can have catastrophic results for an engine, it's not safe to assume anything.