They may just mean that it can rest inside the front cavity of the head until you remove the head. You just want to make sure that the chain doesn't slip off of any teeth down below. Zip tying it to the sprocket keeps you good up top. When I remove a head I usually keep the sprocket and chain tied together and after the head is removed I hold the chain and sprocket with a bungee cord attached to some spot around the right fender to keep it from falling down and risking a slipped tooth. Works for me.

You have 2 guide pins to remove, the sprocket and chain remain together with the zip ties and the sprocket unbolt s from the cam and slides forward.

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92 e300d2.5t
01 e320
05 cdi
85 chev c10

Index chain to sprocket, remove sprocket, remove head, zip tie chain to sprocket so you don't mess things even if the index marks disappear. The chain can't slip beyond your reach or off the IP or crank sprockets. You're at #1 TDC, right?

Sixto
83 300SD

Where is this second pin? I can send pics of the front of my timing cover but I didn't see a second pin. Yes it's at #1 TDC,I lined up the timing marks before disassembly. Head is now loose and ready to be pulled, it's just that the chain isn't allowing it to come off,hmm.

Pic of broken glow plug cyl #1,PB did the trick on the other ones and they didn't break off! Score


Pic of engine with headbolts removed

Ah,okay this makes sense. So you're saying I should put white-out on the chain/sprocket to index the position,remove the zip-ties and remove the sprocket so I can pull the head off then ziptie it back into position with the help of the white out.

Something else worth noting is when I was taking the headbolts out there was 2 or 3 that were only finger tight! Either this head is super warped or maybe that was the problem all along?

You have the upper pin out the second pin if you follow the chain angle lower closer to the vac pump it does not protrude.

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92 e300d2.5t
01 e320
05 cdi
85 chev c10

Got it out,thanks dieselbenz1!
It was covered in dirt/grease,I blew the threads out with the air compressor and it came right out.
I just marked the chain/sprocket with White out,I'm going to cut the zip-ties and give it a go.

that is a case of

check the threading in the block

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2012 BMW X5 (Beef + Granite suspension model)

1995 E300D - The original humming machine (consumed by Flood 2017)
2000 E320 - The evolution (consumed by flood 2017)

Haha yea,it shocked me a little bit no doubt.


Still got my fingers crossed that this engine is good,even if it's bad I'm going to see if I can't get lucky and source one from a JY. I saw a OM606 the other day that looked good,but these 5cyl variants are like hen's teeth.. I have a few more yards I could check out if need be,I go down to Tampa fairly frequently..

Whew,got the head off.
HG doesn't look too bad actually,it is damaged but not at all in the way I was expecting.I'd like to get some feedback on what I'm looking at,the HG didn't fail in the common sense,but it looks like it has burned/corroded through in certain parts.. All in all it doesn't look too bad,the rust isn't too major,I soaked it all down with oil right after taking these pics. My father checked the ring clearance with a feeler gauge and said it was 8 thousands,which he was pretty surprised by..
I'm going to clean up the head tomorrow so we can tell what we're really looking at.

PICS (hopefully tinypic doesn't rotate them all 90 degrees)

Did you leave the turbo in the car? Replace all exhaust studs not just the broken ones. Once cleand up do you have a machinists straight edge to check if warped? Which 2 studs were loose?

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92 e300d2.5t
01 e320
05 cdi
85 chev c10

Yes I left the turbo on the manifold on the car. Now that the head is off I probably could remove it very easily,there was a pretty good bit of rust in the exhaust manifold runners,which probably sums up why the turbo is partially seized.. None of the exhaust studs broke off actually,they all came out easily. I need to get a straight edge,all I have is a metal ruler. The head bolts that were loose were closer to the driver side,they were the outside ones closest to the IP,right in the middle of the head.

I think it's easier to pull the turbo with the head. Ugggg a partly seized turbo that's not nice. I look forward to seeing everything cleaned up and your findings. Maybe a good time to soak those cylinders with MMO.

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92 e300d2.5t
01 e320
05 cdi
85 chev c10

Thanks dieselbenz1,I am too it's still hard to tell but I think this engine is going to be savable! The head looks pretty warped though,


I'm going to drop it off at a friend's shop tomorrow morning and see what he thinks.

-fingers crossed-

argh,tinypic keeps rotating my images lol..

I'm going to be doing this job on a 617 very soon, glad to see someone else is jumping into the head gasket project as well! Good luck!