cyl #1 location
 

Is it next to the radiator or fire wall?

radiator

in a 616 its almost a toss up :)

Sorry. I closed this thread inadvertantly without knowing that I closed it and wonder why it was closed till Brian Carlton pointed out that i closed it! Duh! I didn't know we have that capability.

Anyway I adjusted my valves for the first time today and it went smoothly. I hosed off the valve cover gasket area first then blew with compressed air to keep things clean. The valve cover came off surprisingly fast. I didn't think it would be that easy. The valves were tight! inlets were in the range of .001 to .002 and exhausts were .008 to .012. God knows how long ago the valves were last adjusted!:eek:

I didn't need to bend any wrenchs. There were plenty of room to work the regular wrenches. I did thin the bottom wrench with a grinder (14 mm Mercedes tool kit wrench which was perfect for the task). I used the valve cover studs or injectors as a stop for the lower wrench which made the job very easy since I am torqueing on one wrench only. Probably spent 45 minutes total including double checking the clearances. I spun the cam by bumping the starter by shorting the fusable link in the plastic covered box on passenger fender with a pair of long nose pliers. I did try a 27 mm deep socket on the crank nut at first but decided it was too much of a PITA and abandoned the idea. I adjusted the inlets to .004 and exhaust to .014. Put on a new valve cover gasket (no more leaks :)) and went for a test drive. Engine sounded the same nice sweet purr, idle is nice and smooth... whatever minor shake is gone, power- no noticeable difference. This car is slowly coming together.:)

I've yet to see an exception to the rule that the #1 cylinder is opposite the flywheel.

Old SAABs used to have the engine in backwards, flywheel up front and #1 plug toward the firewall. Fortunately, MB's are not quite so strange.

Saab
 

Yes - made it easy to change clutches, though. I replaced the one in my 1970 Saab 99 at least twice: everything was on the "front" of the engine:
Remove hood, grill, radiator (10 minutes)
Remove clutch cover, slave cylinder, throwout bearing, remove pressure plate and disc.
Compress the new pressure plate (I used a barbell bar & a piece of 2x4) & insert some ignition wire to keep it sprung.
Install the pressure plate, drop in the disc, slide in the little splined shaft - no need for a line-up tool, replace the slave cylinder -- get somebody to step on the pedal to compress the pressure plate -- reach in & remove the wire.
Replace radiator, grill, hood - pour coolant back in, start & bleed (bleed valve on the firewall - very handy)

Book time was maybe 2 hours - never had to raise the car or get under it.

Drove that thing for 10 years - very comfortable, great heater.