Forgive me for asking dumb questions But here Goes... I like to always double check when I'm not sure of something:

1. Is this Top Dead Center?


2. Is this the Cam Tower Timing Mark?


3. Is this the Camshaft Timing Mark?


4. How does this look for alignment at T.D.C.?



Note... I've attached the picture files to this forum (beside my picture hosting) for archive purposes.

Attached Thumbnails

       

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-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

I am pretty sure you are correct in all pics...it looks like your chain has little to no stretch based on the pics.....others will chime in I'm sure.

With a good oil change interval and such, a chain will stretch veeery slowly. My current chain has 58k on it and has only stretched about half a degree in that time period....with synthetic oil every 4-5k

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Can I do this same procedure on a 617?

It looks good to me too. This is the first time I have had the valve cover off of the 603 so I really want to be sure of what I'm looking at.

I change my oil religiously but I have no records from the last guy and I'm not too confident in his MB care. He said he loved that car but I see green coolant, I see that his 'mechanic' had some weird fixes for electrical things, and there are Junkyard 300E replacement parts on things like shocks etc.

But the timing chain looks good to me too. Hopefully it is fine. It's just a car but I'd prefer to keep it a while and the timing chain breaking would mean junk yard most likely in my case. I would not throw a new engine at this 300d.

I'm changing the water pump right now and removing the timing basket on my Vacuum Pump (it leaked a little oil when I left it in a few months ago while changing to the new Vac Pump). So I figure it's the most convenient time to make sure the chain looks good.

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

The timing chain and it's function (turning the cam and Injection Pump) is basically the same on most if not all MB engines. So there shouldn't be much difference between my engine and yours in this dept.

So it should be pretty much the same.

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/OM617TimingChainStretch

Picture 10 and 11

Dave

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2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

Thanks Dave,
Looks like the 603's cam marker and cam tower marker are a little different. Are my guesses at what they are in my original pictures correct?

Anyone know? Doesn't have to be specifically Dave

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

603 drivers, are you out there?

Before I bolt this puppy back together I want to make sure I have my terminology straight (see original post pictures/questions #2 and #3).

Thanks!!
Nick

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

you have your terminology right, but make sure to set the cam marks EXACTLY first, then read your balancer for degrees of wear.

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My drivers:
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Great! Thanks for the replies. Now if the tornadoes would stop for a bit, I could finish this job up. Can't beat these warm days in January though! Makes working on the car enjoyable. It's actually a hobby again!

Not the case on the 20 degree days I usually pick to get something done

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

Here's a couple of photos for the 617.952 timing mark and cam mark.

__________________
DJ


84 300D Turbodiesel 190K with 4 speed manual sold in 03/2012

The 2mm lift method is the only accurate method of measuring cam timing (either method is not a measure of absolute chain stretch, only cam timing).

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It looks pretty close. And, way too late to the conversation. Even a slight amount of stretch makes a difference. If you don't believe it, roll in a new chain. You WILL feel the difference.

Klann sells a cool tool that makes it an easy one person job.

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85' 190D 5-speed 150k

I would assume with no woodruf keys that if the cam timing mark is lined up the only thing that would make degrees of difference (assuming nothing on the cam and gear had ever been touched) is chain stretch. Wouldn't that make sense?

__________________
-E300d '99 350k
-Suburban '93 220k
-TDI Jetta '03 350k
Sold
-F250 '96 7.3
-Dodge Ram 12V
-E320 '95 200k
-E320 Wagon 1994 155k
-300d Turbo '87 187k miles
-E320 1994 200k
-300d Turbo '84 245k (sold to Dan62)
-300d Turbo '84 180k
-300sd '80 300k
-7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 15P Van 500k+ miles
-190d '89 Non Turbo 2.5 5cyl 240k (my first MB)
Tom's Imports of Columbia MO Ruined the IP in changing leaky delivery valve O-Rings - Refused to stand behind his work. Mid-MO MB drivers-AVOID Tom's.

Of course. Cant be sure of that since you cant see the key

__________________
http://superturbodiesel.com/images/sig.04.10.jpg
1995 E420 Schwarz
1995 E300 Weiss
#1987 300D Sturmmachine
#1991 300D Nearly Perfect
#1994 E320 Cabriolet
#1995 E320 Touring
#1985 300D Sedan
OBK #42