Maybe in a year or two I can get into one of the new creations. At the moment I am confounded by the existing OEM stuff.

The new connecting rod bearings came in and they have holes on both halves. And the holes are not round, they are oblong, and look like they were flame cut in the bearing shell. MB says they make all the bearings that way now.

So, we will use a plastigage tomorrow to verify we have an acceptable clearance and hopefully will be all set to put the bearings in and close up the front cover this weekend. We are wondering if we should take the main bearings out and replace them now too.

Well, if you would like to see some photos of these new bearings, let me know and I will take some and post them. They look much better in the area where the bearing and crank journals face each other, but having the extra hole, and having it look like it was cut with a flame is not encouraging.

A few more hours of cleaning to go and we will be getting ready for reassembly. The intake manifold assembly is coming out quite nice. We have only the wheel cleaner step to complete that item. I will take it to a car wash with the high pressure rinsing tool tomorrow. A little gasket scraping left on the water pump and the pan, as well as the block, and some general housecleaning around the areas where I threaded the pins to get them out, as well as all around the crank and connecting rods.

Jim

__________________
Own:
1986 Euro 190E 2.3-16 (291,000 miles),
1998 E300D TurboDiesel, 231,000 miles -purchased with 45,000,
1988 300E 5-speed 252,000 miles,
1983 240D 4-speed, purchased w/136,000, now with 222,000 miles.
2009 ML320CDI Bluetec, 89,000 miles

Owned:
1971 220D (250,000 miles plus, sold to father-in-law),
1975 240D (245,000 miles - died of body rot),
1991 350SD (176,560 miles, weakest Benz I have owned),
1999 C230 Sport (45,400 miles),
1982 240D (321,000 miles, put to sleep)