Right on mate! I was just having flashbacks to when MB techs at the only dealership within a million miles snub me any time I try to ask thrum a quick question.

I know what you mean about the ccu. I had mine go out in January during a cold snap when my sd was running daily driver duty for me to my old job. It was a very very cold ride to work many times. I tried resoldering my old ccu only to find I had failed and Noe the blower was dead. Got a reconditioned ccu from Phil, installed it, replaced the contact brushes on my blower, which cured about half of the problem. Uninstalled the ccu from Phil and disassembled it, wouldn't ya know... Cracked solder joints. Resoldered the dodgy bits and reassembled it. Reinstalled it, and now, finally, everything works BRILLIANTLY! Cold ac, hot air, functioning high, low and auto. Dash pods work, aux water pump (so far) works.

I would call that portion of my time experimenting. Lol

That's the best type of experiments..............the one's that are successful.

In my case, the SD give "lukewarm" defrost leak air and "lukewarm" air from the center vents during the heating mode. It also gives "lukewarm" defrost air during the defrost mode.

None of this makes any sense to me as all the pods work correctly and hold vacuum (they were replaced a couple of years ago).

I'm missing something where the system mixes outside cold air with the warm air from the heater box.................

I love the functioning climate control in my sd. I wish I knew what to tell you to fix yours. The only "issue" I can think of with mine is that the opening for the rear passenger area from the center armrest emits outside air only, but the lever will close it. I'm not sure if that vent is supposed to supply "conditioned" air though. I seem to recall in the back of my mind a factory photo with the airflow arrows coming from the vents and that particular vent was for "fresh air only" which usually means outside air. I'm tired though, so I could be mistaken.

I'm really looking forward to my third go at the IP tomorrow as I'm fairly confident that it will now result in success with the locking pin tool. Drip timing was a pain in the ass anyway. I'll et you guys know the results after I take my shower with dawn dish soap.

Thankfully, you have no issue. The rear passenger vent emits outside air, exclusively.

I'm looking forward to your success, as well..............

You know, those latex gloves prevent that problem...........

You should see my hands right now, they're beat to **** from the SD and farm stuff. On that note, I'm hitting the sack. When the timing is right on this beast it out to really boogie. And I've got a holset hx30, an intercooler, and piping just waiting to take advantage of all that lovely extra fuel. And thankfully a working pyrometer and boost gauge to make sure I don't **** the bed on any of this.

Sorry you choose to get your feathers ruffled, Turkey. In fact, I had formed no opinion on whether your timing was advanced or retarded. But I do not think that randomly repositioning the IP is a recipe for success. That was the point that I apparently failed to make.

............I could read your mind.............

Maybe I could send my wife to you for some lessons!!!

..............I don't have a wife.............


But, I appreciate your input.

Going off randomly is very rarely successful, as I well know in my own business.

I might consider setting the crank pully at the recommended degrees for using the riv tool. Fourteen deegrees after top dead centre or whatever it is. Look it up. I both do not own one of these injection pumps nor am positive of the setting for the tool.

Then open the timing port and using a mirror and light just have quick look to see if the tang is centered in the hole.

If so or realy close timing is not the issue. Since you now have the tool I guess you might be able to fine tune the injection pump on the engine with some care. If the tang is present and close to where it should be. If not you should question yourself as to what went wrong with the drip method if it is way out.

We ****ing did it guys! I started over from square zero this morning. Removed fan and shroud, removed oil filter housing, and pulled the ip. Cranked motor to 15 degrees atdc on the balancing disc. Here's the interesting bit though. The alignment mark on the pump itself which is supposed to line up with the wide notch on the driver is not in the correct location. Every time I installed the ip with those marks lined up there was insufficient swivel to get the pump to lock.

I pulled the pump again and inserted the lock tool. I cranked the pump over usi the 19mm nut until I felt it lock with the lock tool. I removed the tool and checked out the tang. Satisfied that the lock tool would work as intended, I reinstalled the lock tool and lined up the wide notch on the pump driver two notched to the right of the alignment mark. Installed the pump, swiveled toward block and felt the lock engage. Tightened everything down, removed the lock tool, buttoned everything back up and now I have a running car again. There is just a bit of smoke at idle (not the James bond quantity earlier) which is just fine as it serves to remind one that this is no ordinary SD.

I'm running with the Alda removed entirely and everything seems to be ace again. Thanks to those of you who offered assistance, it wouldn't have been possible without you.

That's a good outcome.

Can we conclude that the drip timing method failed, yet again?

I say, yet again, because it nearly always fails for those who are not very familiar with it............no offense.............it's just not a very accurate procedure unless a skilled individual performs it.

The drip timing probably failed because of the inaccurate alignment of the wide notch on the pump driver with the "alignment" notch on the IP itself. I was able to successfully drip time the old IP. That's why I was so flummoxed when I failed at it this time.

Lesson? Buy the RIV tool and never trust a new part just cause it's new.

I understand the inaccurate alignment with the wide notch.

However, the setting of the IP onto the splines with this error would simply result in the inability to find the proper drip timing at 24BTDC. The IP wouldn't swivel far enough to reach it.

The fact that you initially believed you had it properly set at 24BTDC confirms my original suspicions.

Also:

The error of two teeth on the spline doesn't bode well for the chain elongation. It's very likely that the engine is running quite late in camshaft timing, as well, due to the chain. Your conclusion that the IP, itself, is the problem is probably premature.

Doesn't the RIV tool only work on 84 and up IP's? Isn't the drip method THE method Mercedes recommends in the FSM?

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85 300D turbo pristine w 157k when purchased 161K now
83 300 D turbo 297K runs great. SOLD!
83 240D 4 spd manual- parted out then junked