Replacing a timing chain in '93 300D (OM602). The kit did not include a temporary master link for the feed through portion of the show, and I was afraid to use the master link unpeened, lest it fall off in the nether regions of the engine. So we fed heavy hanger wire through the holes, bent it up over the chain and hammered it down as flat as we could.

We got most of the new chain fed through, and with about one foot left to go, the chain bound up and would not continue. We put a lot of torque on the crankshaft but it would not budge. Back and forth several times, no help. Tried gingerly spinning the starter to free it, no help.

Soooooo...we tried to back the new chain out and start over - but it bound up going out too. There is about 4" of play between the two bind points. The chain is stuck and so are we. I am assuming there is insufficient clearance for our temporary pins through a guide somewhere that we can't see.

Anybody been-there-done-that? Any guidance would be appreciated - if not we are scr*w*d