Yup, the FSM says to install the starter/ringgear lock. I figure the crank deals with much larger stresses under load than the static torque of the bolt tension. BTW, the old spec for the 10.8-grade bolt is 320Nm! Wow. Newer engines use an 8.8-grade bolt, torqued to 200Nm, then turned another 90 degrees...!!!

Look at section 03-1600 in the manual.




BTW - I'll read the casting number off my cover and post that here as well.

I received some of the parts for my repair job today. This time I got the Febi tension lever instead of the Lemforder, because it was more readily available for shipment. Looking at it and twisting the bearings some, to me the Febi seems to be the better manufactured part. So, if you're loaded and want to see the difference, order both and send one back. [ I'm not loaded just unlucky enough to have to buy the same part twice now. ]

Underneath the tension lever, I had a relatively large diameter, thick washer. Maybe an inch wide or so. Did others also have this washer on their cars?

Its interesting to compare the 602 and 603 tensioner levers. They both use the same part, and both switched from the same "old" version to the same "new" version. The washer behind the tensioner lever is sold for the 602 engine, but not for the 603 engine [ in the Performance Products catalog]. Since I presume the timing chain cover I purchased is the very latest version - is there any reason I might be better off if I buy the later tensioner lever?

Guess I might have to follow my own advice and order the later version and send one back. I'd also be interested, if anyone has the AllData recall notices or technical service bulletins for the 602/603, if there was anything in there about belt tensioner.........

Ken300D

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1982 300D at 351K miles
1984 300SD at 217K miles
1987 300D at 370K miles

Ken, that washer belongs there on pretty much all the OM602/603 models, up to a certain engine number (mid-90's break somewhere). I don't think any USA engines used the new (OM606- part number) version of the tensioner setup. I'm not sure if you can retrofit the new parts on the old engine or not - might be an expensive experiment. The later setup still has a washer, just a different (606-) part number. Oh, and the 602 & 603 both use the same washer, according to the EPC - the PP catalog must be in error.

On a side note, the belt SHOCK has changed numbers a few times and oddly, some engines roll from part X to part Y, while other engines retain part X, meaning it wasn't a straightforward replacement - I always wondered why. The correct, latest part number for our 603.960 engines is 604-200-02-14.

I still haven't touched my car yet - I need to re-assemble the E500 first, then move the cars around so the dead diesel can get the engine removed. That reminds me - you gonna attempt this with the engine still in the car, or will you pull it out? Seems like a lot of contortions and lower back pain to attempt this with the engine in the car, unless you have a lift...!

I've not ever had to remove the front cover on an OM602/OM603 but here are the three reasons I'd pull the engine if I were in your shoes.

1) You have the equipment and experience to do it without breaking a sweat.

2) From what I can see in the OM603 engine manual the lower cover shares a piece of the gasket used to seal the lower oil pan, removal of the cover could mess up the gasket and I would not want to re-assemble the whole engine and then find out I've got an oil leak in a totally inaccessible place. With the engine out you could replace the entire lower pan gasket and get a 100% chance of a good seal.

3) You are never going to be able to clean the oil off the engine and get it as clean as the rest of your engine - with the engine in place. Your engine pictures are posted on the walls of my shop as the gold standard for clean engines, everybody that sees them is just in awe. I would NOT want to have to tell them "well yeah those pictures look really nice but the lower front half of the engine is now totally awash in oil"

Tim

There are no Serpentine Belt tensioner bulletins but there are several on the Chain tensioner. Please let me know if you need any further assistance.

Rotfl.... I think you convinced me with that last item!!

Do you think that maybe somebody screwed up when they worked on it?

I had a '90 350SDL and when I first got it I had the bushings for the tensioner shock replaced (this is a common problem). The indy mechanic that replaced it cross threaded the idler pulley into the timing cover. I noticed that the idelr pulley wasnt parallel with the serpentine belt and I asked another indy mechanic if it was ok. He used to work with the indy that cross threaded it. He told me that it was ok and in his words "90% of the cars that come in here have it cocked liked that".

Well to make a long story short, on my way moving down to Florida from Michigan, when I got near Atlanta the engine started making a rumbling noise. Luckily for me, I called Benzmac at Autowerks and he took care of it for me. He pointed out how it was cross threaded. I had to replace the timing cover.

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Frank
84 500SEL EURO 101K ( JUST LIKE MY 1ST WIFE. GLAD TO GET RID OF HER! )
85 300D 310K (sold)
90 350SDL 184K sold
83 300D 118K (sold)
88 300E 153k (sold)
93 400E 105K (sold)

Frankie, what did it cost to have the timing cover replaced? Or if you did it yourself, how much fun was the job?

GSXR my dad still thinks the pics of your engines are from a shop manual. One day I hope to have an engine that clean.

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1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Oh wow, really? That's too cool. *blushes*

GSXR, The whole thing cost me about $1400 but that was for the timing cover, new tensioner shock and labor.

It gave me a good opportunity to check out Benzmac and Bill Wood's AUTOWERKS. It was a fantastic shop but too bad they had to shut down. I thought they had a good thing going there. Great location, great personnel.

I wonder what Donnie and Bill are doing now other than maintaining this website.

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Frank
84 500SEL EURO 101K ( JUST LIKE MY 1ST WIFE. GLAD TO GET RID OF HER! )
85 300D 310K (sold)
90 350SDL 184K sold
83 300D 118K (sold)
88 300E 153k (sold)
93 400E 105K (sold)

I started pulling the engine today. It's 90% disconnected, tomorrow I hope to have it removed from the car, then I get to start disassembling, cleaning, and listing all the parts I need to buy. More photos to come as I get things apart. I expect this is going to take 2-3 months total. I'd like to have the car back on the road before April, and sooner would be preferable of course.

BTW - my original timing cover is casting number 603-015-00-01. And, I found in the CD-ROM service manual that they did revise the cover several times, at least once to prevent cracking. Apparently MB removed the ribs on the driver's side and added one on the passenger side, or something like that. I'll take photos of old & new next to each other when I get them. I can't upload the PDF file because the forum has stupid 65kb limit and the file is 100kb. It's on the CD-ROM in the OM603 engine section, file 01-211.pdf.

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!

anyone who will do thos on new years eve is after my heart, i was out there too, t'shooting my volvo 940 turbo

Oooops. Apparently,I forgot to update this thread after getting the car back on the road. Here's a VERY late epilogue:

This job is much easier (like, 100 times easier, lol) with the engine out of the car. Yes, I know it's more work, but it also allows you to fix many other things at the same time with minimal effort. With the timing cover removed, you should replace ALL the chain rails, and replace the timing chain as well if it is anywhere near the stretch limit (mine was almost new, so I left it alone).

You MUST remove the cylinder head to replace the long "banana" chain rail. While pulling the head adds some time to the job, it only adds about ~$100 in parts for the head gasket kit, and besides it's not an option to leave the head on if you're going to replace the "banana" rail, which you are (right?). I also pulled the oil pan & replaced that gasket as well. The nice thing is, when you're all done, you should have a 99% dry engine (assuming you re-seal the injection pump (~$25 in seals) while things are apart). Since I was in there, and it was cheap, I also replaced the oil pump drive chain.

While the tranny was out along with the engine, I had the dealer re-seal it, and after re-seating one cover where the snap ring tried to escape, it has been leak-free. Total cost for the new timing cover, chain rails, gaskets, all new tensioner components, gaskets & seals, sealants, fluids, etc was right around $800, plus a couple of tools, engine hoist rental, etc.

In the end, my engine & tranny are 99% leak-free... I still have a tiny amount of oil weeping from the rear main seal, but I didn't have the special tools to do that at the time, and it isn't dripping yet, so I left it alone. 40kmi later it's still no worse, and I use Delvac-1 synthetic oil.


One tip: The 1000-lb engine stand from Harbor Freight is inadequate for an OM603 engine... it sags forward alarmingly. I added supports underneath to reduce the load on the stand (you can see this in the photos on my website). Get the 2000-lb rated stand instead. The 1000-lb unit may be ok for shorter engines (OM601/602, or even a V8) but the long inline-6 is just a bit too much.

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Dave
Boise, ID
Check out my website photos, documents, and movies!