Wow, thanks for posting these pictures! I didn't ever plan on going aftermarket for an important item like a timing chain, but this validates my feelings. The links and pins of the aftermarket one look half the thickness of the OEM! The rollers even look like they have a lot of side-to-side slop. I can imagine the metal quality is probably also inferior, so combine that with the thinner metal, and you have a chain that will stretch or break much, much earlier than the OEM one.

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Stop paying for animal enslavement, cruelty, and slaughter. Save your health and the planet. Go vegan! I did 18 years ago. https://challenge22.com/

DON'T MESS WITH MY MERCEDES!


1967 W110 Universal Wagon, Euro, Turbo Diesel, Tail Fins, 4 Speed Manual Column Shift, A/C
1980 W116 300SD Turbo Diesel, DB479 Walnut Brown, Sunroof, Highly Optioned, 350,000+ Miles

The iwis chain is just built sturdier and more precisely, stamped and assembled more cleanly.

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1985 300D-189k The 'UD', Ivory and Pinkamino
1979 300D-211k Dark Gray, Parchment
A 1980 Harley-~166k and
A 1994 Ford diesel pickup-349k and
A 1990 gasser Volvo wagon-145k

That...and anything that comes packaged with a Beck/Arnley label is crap. B/A is now, always has been and always will be bottom of the barrel crap.
I stopped buying from them in the 80s when I realized that nothing lasted more than a few months.

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-Louis

'87 300D Anthracite

...oh...and as far as interchanging master links- DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!

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-Louis

'87 300D Anthracite

When I replaced the timing chain in my W123 300D, I sourced them from the dealer. MB uses IWIS/JWIS:

W123 Timing Chain Replacement - a set on Flickr






Old original chain below, new JWIS/IWIS/MB chain on top, ready to go in:

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http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7271/7...144c3fc1dc.jpg

I haven't found that to be the case, though I would not buy BA and expect much from it.

For example, I have been buying BA tie rod ends for my 380sl from "hard stone" auto and they have turned out to be MOOG for $6 ea. But they're like Walmart- they'll buy from anyone so you just get lucky sometimes.

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80 300SD (129k mi) 82 240D stick (193k mi)77 240D auto - stick to be (153k mi) 85 380SL (145k mi) 89 BMW 535i 82 Diesel Rabbit Pickup (374k mi) 91 Jetta IDI Diesel (155k mi) 81 VW Rabbit Convertible Diesel 70 Triumph Spitfire Mk III (63kmi)66 Triumph TR4a IRS (90k mi)67 Ford F-100 (??)

Again I will say this...use genuine MBZ on critical internal components...FWIW

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Did you just pass my 740 at 200 kmh in a 300SD?????

1978 300SD 'Phil' - 1,315,853 Miles And Counting - 1, 317,885 as of 12/27/2012 - 1,333,000 as of 05/10/2013, 1,337,850 as of July 15, 2013, 1,339,000 as of August 13, 2013



100,000 miles since June 2005 Overhaul - Sold January 25th, 2014 After 1,344,246 Miles & 20 Years of Ownership

I do not have problem spending the extra money for any quality stuff. The issue is I like value for money plus the anticipated life expectancy of the car. I always use generic, aka cheap, stuff to do my repair. I never over-repair. The cars all have 300K miles and I am sure a B/A chain would give me at least 200K so it will be 500K by the time a new chain is needed again. I am not sure the rest of the car will last to 500K, or is cut short due to other factors.

I have not changed a timing chain so I do not know how long or how easy to swap it out. It should be doable within 3 hours, less time than to play a round of golf. It is internal to engine but it is not like changing a piston.

I bought the crimping tool, that is $200 a pop already so this job will be done. I will keep an open mind on it for now.

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Not MBZ nor A/C trained professional but a die-hard DIY and green engineer. Use the info at your own peril. Picked up 2 Infractions because of disagreements. NOW reversed.

W124 Keyless remote, PM for details. http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-used-parts-sale-wanted/334620-fs-w124-chasis-keyless-remote-%2450-shipped.html

1 X 2006 CDI
1 x 87 300SDL
1 x 87 300D
1 x 87 300TDT wagon
1 x 83 300D
1 x 84 190D ( 5 sp ) - All R134 converted + keyless entry.