I am a newbie and may have taken on a task slightly above my level of expertise when I decide to change the timing chain on my '84 380 SL today. The set up went smoothly. However, there was a miscommunication with my 'assistant', and the new chain wasn't held flush to the passenger side sprocket as the engine was rotated. This happend twice within the first 14 links, at which point, we stopped.

I know...this seems ridiculous. However, given my current situation, i am in need of some sound advice to remedy the problem so I can finish the timing chain replacement.

Once the chain jumped the sprocket, I pulled the chain back into place. The second time i had to pull harder to get the chain to seat in the sprocket. It appeared that I had taken out the slack, and the chain was correctly situated. However, as I tried to turn the engine, after a couple degrees of rotation, I encountered resistance, and can no longer turn the engine.

The chain on the passenger side is pulled taught...to me it seems unnaturally taught.

My friend and I debated 2 possibilities of why the egine is bound.

1) When the chain jumped the sprocket, the engine turned, but the passenger sprocket did not, resulting in it being possibly a tooth or more behind the engine.

2) When I pulled the slack chain back and pressed it back on to the sprocket, it forced the passenger sprocket to rotate ahead 1/2 tooth or so.

I am assuming whether the passenger sprocket is ahead 1/2 tooth or behind 2 or 3, the result is the same, that the pistons and valves are out of sync resulting in interference, and preventing further rotation.

Since I have only turned the engine ~180 deg past TDC, my thought was to try to measure the angle rotated on both the right and left sprockets to determine if it the passenger sprocket is ahead or behind. I was attempting to do this with a piece of thread from the notch and mark indicating top dead center on each cam tower, but it became to dark to work.

If anyone can suggest a way to get the sprocket back in sync, that doesn't involve a dealership, I would be extremely grateful.

Thanks,
Justin

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Justin Ford
'84 380SL
'05 Jeep Grand Cherokee