Does anybody have experience correcting a crankshaft counterbalance pulley which is 180 deg out of phase with the camshaft? The car is running fine. I've been working with Kent at www.**************.com and the best we can figure is:

1. The pins indexing the counterbalance to the crankshaft have sheared due to inadequate torque on the 27mm bolt or

2. A PO installed the counterbalance pulley or camshaft 180 degrees out of phase and the pins are fine. This is a 1983 300DT. Here are some pics of the present situation with the camshaft sprocket mark lined up with the mark on the camshaft tower (last pic is from MB Svc Manual showing position of first cam lobe when #1 is at TDC):

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It sounds like someone just put it on wrong. If you remove the radiator you'll have lots of room to work. You can get the 27mm bolt loose with a socket and bar jammed up against the frame, then just bump it over with the starter. Change the crank seal while your there.

Now that's a very good tip.

If the counter balance is 180 degrees out and everything works fine, why do you want to mess with it?

If the pin is broken from an under torqued bolt, there is a chance it can fail completely. Better to pull it off and retorque the bolt/fix the pin.

Use the search function to study up on this before you fix it. If done wrong and it comes loose, you can fubar the crankshaft. The magic word for searching is: Balancer .

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Palangi

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and if you fubar the crank you will be pulling the engine apart to change it. so check everything four times before tearing into it. putting on the hb is very tricky and it is easy to bugger your crank with the round pins.

i had an engine that i bought to rebuild and it turned out to have a wobbly hb and i ended up finding a crank as a part of the rebuild deal.

good luck

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

One should not forget that it would be wise to advise that there be an assistant present during the operation of loosening the bolt with the starter, whose job is to hold the stop lever down to avoid an accidental chance startup.....not like you can just disconnect the ignition coil on these things ya know...
Imagine the chaos that would ensue from a flying breaker bar @ ?rpm......

Thank you to all for the great advice!

I talked with Alain Gillot of Motorworks in National City (recommended in the San Diego area). He informed me the pins are offset, so there is no way it could have been put on 180 deg out by accident without a jackhammer! He suggested we leave it as is but to make sure it is tight.

The breaker bar starter idea sounds great to loosen the 27mm bolt. Is there any way to lock the crankshaft enough to allow you to tighten it to 250-300 ft lbs?

The two reasons why I had wanted to realign the hb to the camshaft were to check timing chain stretch and to have a reference for ip timing. I have decided to do the ip timing using the millivolt method since I will be running WVO and would probably need to advance 3-4 degrees from spec for optimum burn (according to HCII).

It will just undo the bolt and the bar will fall to the ground. I did that when I was an apprentice. I left a bar on the engine that I was using to rotate the crank. I was gonna drive the car out of the shop when that happened.

The pins are NOT offset. Whunter will back be up on this. Mine was 180 off as well and went right back correctly. If it is loose, you will see it when running. Don't let it scare you.

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Adam Lumsden
(83) 300D
Vice-President of the MBCA International Stars Section

Thanks rg2098,
I just thought of another good reason to fix it (besides the small oil leak from the front crankshaft seal.) The hb was drilled out to balance, I presume at the factory. It was balanced when the hb was in the correct position. I bet putting in on 180 deg out messed up the balance. I'm encouraged by what you said. I'll get it off with Omegaman's starter method. Is there any trick to tightening the 27mm bolt to 250-300 ft lbs?

Have a helper use a prybar/screwdriver through the torque converter port to hold it in place.

There are notches in the balancer. Jam a 1/2" extension bar or chisel through one of the notches so that the end catches on the oil pan lip. (This is specified in the 617 engine manual; it's wasn't my idea.) Tighten the bolt before you install the vibration damper and pulley.

I also have experience in a W115 gasser which was symmetrical (not offset) and had been assembled 180 degrees off. I can't say whether this applies to a 617 engine, but I trust whatever W Hunter says, he is is probably the most experienced person on the Shopforum.
I'll wager its off 180.

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