Ok, I pulled the I.P. - I only had to remove the top line from the oil filter housing, loosen all the bolts (5 I think, including 2 that I had to use a cut down 5mm Allen wrench on). I borrowed a 24mm flat wrench from the local bicycle gurus (I had to swear on my life to guard it, very hard to get this wrench, just try!) and purchased a 27mm wrench to get the top line off. What a bear. Anyhow, I pulled the pump. The "wide" slot in the splined shaft was not lined up with the punch mark on the I.P. body. Here's what it looks like:
http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/BeymMSfmDVXaTqY2ldTAVg?feat=directlink
or http://picasaweb.google.com/sugiuchi/Mercedes (picture number 2 and there are the pump ID numbers and a pic of how the oil filter housing looks moved to the side.)

The pink mark at the bottom is the wide slot, the upper mark highlights the punch mark on the body. Should they be lined up? Oh, I did make sure the engine was on the compression stroke at 24-25 degrees BTDC before I pulled the pump. Cam lobes were in the right place.

I gotta get that wrench back tomorrow so any quick advice would be great!

__________________
~Sugi
1983 300DT
1964 Triumph TR4 (back in the stable after 18 years- same car!)
2004 Pontiac Vibe
1986 Honda Elite CH250
1971 F100

I think you should have calculated how many degrees you needed to move the pump shaft, and in which direction. You also need to figure if you are working in crank degrees or pump degrees. (One crank degree = 1/2 pump degree). Then you would just pull back the pump out of the spline, rotate the pump shaft the correct amount in the correct direction and put it back in.

I don't know how your engine is designed. Perhaps you can align the marks you found on the pump, and then set the crankshaft to the proper corresponding position and reassemble. A manual for this engine should have that info. I think it is unlikely that the marks on the pump will correspond to the same crank angle at which the pump drips, but I do not know.

__________________
1987 W201 190D

Ok, It's running great! Here's what I've learned:

1. Don't drop the chain or move the engine when removing the head.
2. If you do, it's not the end of the world, you will just have to very carefully check the cam and injection pump (I.P. from here on) timing.
3. You have to remove the oil filter housing part way to replace the I.P. - I took the housing part way out to remove the I.P. but I hear you can pull it w/o doing that, seems very hard. I removed the top oil line going to the cooler, both brackets holding the lines as they snake though the engine bay, and the 5 or 6 Allen (internal hex) bolts to move the pump. The bottom hose stayed attached. I used a 27mm open end wrench and a 24mm flat wrench used to remove fork caps on some mountain bikes (borrowed this from my L.B.S.- local bike shop-supposedly took them a while to get this tool, brand is Techno Nankai, Japan). I also had to shorten the short side of a Allen wrench with a hacksaw to get a two of the oil filter housing bolts. You can't get the bolts pulled out until you remove the housing- I just got them all the way loose so I could slide the housing over a little.
4. All I did was to line up the gap on the I.P. shaft with the mark on the housing (looked like a punched in line/mark). The engine was set at 24 degrees BTDC on the compression stroke of the engine (front cam lobes facing up and out as seen through the oil filler hole on the valve/cam cover).
5. Don't drop the splined sleeve that couples the I.P. shaft to the gear in the engine. I did and got extra practice removing and replacing the I.P. DOUBLE DOH.
6. The OM 617 N/A engine will apparently start and run if the timing is one tooth off on the cam AND the I.P. is 20+ degrees out!!! That's totally nuts. Of course it's warm out and the engine is a fresh Metric Motors rebuild (not sure why the head gasket failed but there was a headbolt looser than the rest right near the leak).
7. The I.P. timing being way advanced made lots of smoke and it sounded like a Mack truck.
8. The folks on the forum here have been a great source of inspiration and help. THANK YOU.

Attached Thumbnails

 

__________________
~Sugi
1983 300DT
1964 Triumph TR4 (back in the stable after 18 years- same car!)
2004 Pontiac Vibe
1986 Honda Elite CH250
1971 F100

Congratulations! I think you have been very, very lucky to fix your problems as quickly as you have without having access to the factory service manual. But kudos to you!

I see you have a TR4... I'm envious. I'm really lusting for a TR-250. I had a TR-6 when I was 18 and I love the inline six but I love the look of the TR-4 body. So a TR-250 is just right for me!

__________________
1987 W201 190D