But how can you tell? Will a visual inspection suffice? If I noticed no wear, as Whunter suggests, am I in the clear?

__________________

Speaking as someone who hasn't been in there yet:
The OD is the wear surface. The tolerance and smoothness of the ID just decide if it's a tight slide or a light press fit. The ring rotates with the shaft, so the sliding surface is at the seal ID and the ring OD.

I haven't found an allowable wear spec. FSM just calls for visual inspection of wear.

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

A visual inspection will suffice.
Any trace of grooving, scratch/gouges, distortion, etc, etc..

If there is ANY doubt, replace it...

It is doubtful that "wear item" is an official MB term. Can you find an official MB source that confirms that brake pads are "wear items?"

then you should direct that opinion to the OP who used the term. This is wear my question was referred to.

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Seems to me that the OP has a clear understanding of the concept, wearever he got it.

i put that in there just for you tnago

__________________

Only my opinion. Having faced the parts count / serviceability tug of war, I assumed the designer or his boss went with a big savings on the back end (potential replace worn $10 part vs. lower end rebuild) as opposed to a small savings on the front end (certain add $10 part to bill of materials). When you design 1 off or 10 off, sometimes the extra noodle scratching doesn't pay for itself, but when it's millions, it's a drop in the bucket. Thank you Fritz, wherever you are.

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Cleaned up to 3/4" of caked oil off of engine- plenty of citrus degreaser, purple power, break cleaner. Access to all parts was mostly as expected. Had to drill out 1 cap screw on pulley, shifting the condenser & rotating the shaft gave me visibility & a good shot w/ the drill. The seal didn't really want to come out. Clumsy on my part -> some burrs on crankshaft, smoothed down with a stone.

Spacer/wear/whatever ring was worn, and wear zone lined up w/ new seal. It could be pried away from the shoulder using a bent screwdriver, a bit more using another one, didn't want to come off any further. No puller I found could gain access to the part. Made a puller out of a nut, bolt, washers & 14ga stainless straps a friend in a sheet metal shop made for me, worked exactly as designed.

New ring was .001 or so larger on ID than the old. Would be a light press, but slid on easily when heated to 250F in toaster oven.

BDC mark on balancer was aligned with pointer, prior to removal. Cleaned off balancer & shaft, heated to 250F, lined up BDC & cranked on first try.

Bent screwdrivers & puller will be posted on loaner page, drawing of puller is free, PM me for PDF

__________________
CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?