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  #16  
Old 11-05-2002, 01:44 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2000
Posts: 460
Wait. Did we even answer the question whether something has to be done with the tensioner before you roll the new chain in? If you DO NOT have a ratcheting tensioner, then I suppose you can just roll the new chain in no prob, but if you DO have a ratcheting tensioner, then it will be too tight with the new chain.

So the question remains, assuming you DO have a ratcheting tensioner, how do you replace the chain? Remove the tensioner first? Loosen it up somehow? I don't have the shop manual, but my Chiltons and Haynes say to "loosen the tensioner lock nut." I've never taken the tensioner out, so I don't know what that means exactly.

Greg
'84 300D

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  #17  
Old 11-05-2002, 02:16 PM
Coming back from burnout
 
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: in the Pacific Northwest
Posts: 2,274
Peening?

I wouldnt chance it!
Go to your Mercedes dealer. Ask the Chief Mechanic to borrow the tool, look him straight in the eye and tell him you will return it. Thats what I did. Give him a call. If you are shy, I will do it for you. Give me your address , I will look up the dealer for you.
Finally, a lot of things will make better sense as you do the job. Dont be afraid to remove other parts to get more space to work with.
I remeber once I took off my Vacuum pump to get a better shot at removing the banana slide. I also took off my lower oil pan to make sure No 1 piston was at TDC.
Please dont peen. That isnt too safe.
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  #18  
Old 11-05-2002, 03:30 PM
Old Deis
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Good advice from Carrrameow I am sure. Not only does the tool crimp the new master link on correctly, but just getting the link put together in place would seem to be a problem. Figure this. That new master link comes with the new end piece (name?) and it doesn't just slide onto the link. Needs to be pressed on. I take it from those that have use the peen method it can be done. But I wouldn't want to be working on the top backside of the cam gear trying to hold the link on and then peen it on correctly.
Be sure to get the temp link also before you start. Need to have something to secure the new chain to the old when rolling it into place. Real secure.
Wouldn't worry too much about the tensioner. You leave it in place when rolling the new chain in. It is a simple matter to get to it later. To test it just remove it and pull the long shaft out and push it back into place from the backside. Then test it by applying pressure with your hands on the end. If it stays where it was set to it is fine. If it slides back, it is worn out. But you can get to the tensioner at any time. It is externally mounted.
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  #19  
Old 11-05-2002, 08:47 PM
geojer
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I've been sitting on my hands waiting for the tool to arrive from performance products (the rental tool). Seems it's out and will be back within 21 days....this is bad, means my cars in the garage partially taken apart so I decided to poke around (would have gotten into less trouble if the woman of the house had been home, less poking going on there). Anyway removed the large bolt holding the spring that holds the slide, the tensioner. Very difficult to get back in, that spring is really tight, doesn't ratchet by the way, just direct pressure from the spring to the slide. Tough to see down very far on the slide, I assume the bottom part would wear more than the top part and I can't see if it is grooved. Seems like it's made out of the same "stuff" that brake material is made from. Anyway I will assume slide is okay.......and probably won't mess with the tensioner since it seems to be putting tension on the chain at this point (man that spring is really tight and long, what a pain to get it back into the hole.) Really like the idea of going to the dealer to ask to borrow the chain tool, gotta find the balls first.
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  #20  
Old 11-05-2002, 10:58 PM
Coming back from burnout
 
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: in the Pacific Northwest
Posts: 2,274
what is the condition of your chain/.pdf file for changing the chain from service CD

and why are you replacing it? How may miles are on your engine?
I know on my 300D engine, after I replaced the chain with 230,000 miles on the car, it really helped and the engine now sounds like a swiss watch.
On my 240D engine, I have 180K on my chain, but the engine runs great and I wouldnt dream of touching the chain..

Since you will have the valve cover gasket off, go ahead and reset your valves while you are waiting (Haynes has the procedure) I will email you the .pdf file with the steps for changing the chain from the Mercedes CD ROM. Please send me your email address. THIS WILL REALLY HELP YOU. Please give me the year, the engine number, model number of your car
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  #21  
Old 11-06-2002, 11:29 AM
Old Deis
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geojer, I think you can rent the tool from Performance Parts also.
The slide would be very clearly grooved if it were worn out. Have read on other threads that the slide will not wear unless there is a problem with oil, like too long between changes, or running the oil level too low.
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  #22  
Old 11-06-2002, 11:37 AM
LarryBible
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Putting the link together is the problem? Putting the link together is the same whether you peen it with a hammer or use the tool. You push the link in place, push the plate over the two link pins and you are ready to press or peen it in place.

If you cannot figure out how to put the link in place, you should not be working on your own car.

If you follow the instructions and have just a little dexterity and enough strength to pick up a hammer, you will have no risk with the peen method. If you have no experience with tools in your hand, don't use the hammer OR the expensive tool. Hire someone to do it right.

BTW, loosen the tensioner while you are rolling in the chain.

My $0.02,
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  #23  
Old 11-06-2002, 11:47 AM
Coming back from burnout
 
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: in the Pacific Northwest
Posts: 2,274
Mr. Bible:

We have spoke many times and I really respect your opinion (including my feelings about my fellow "nice" MISers, the last bunch of people who I would want to be in the Army with) but when you really inspect the finish that the Tool puts on the link pins vice a peen, you will realize that only the Tool is appropriate for someone doing this the first time.
The tool puts anice barely visible ridge on the pins that makes it almost indistinguishable from a Machine pressed Link. Who knows what a bad peen shot could do!

Also please dont discourage the guy! If I had listened to everyone who told me I couldnt do it along the way, i would still be having my oil changed at Jiffy Lube. One day I got po'd at a mechanic who told me I couldnt do it and who overcharged me and I went and did it.

Doing it is just a matter of attitude.
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  #24  
Old 11-06-2002, 01:47 PM
LarryBible
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I'm sorry if I discouraged anyone. I was only warning that if he doesn't understand the simplest part of the job, he should consider letting someone else do it.

I didn't mean to come off negative.

Have a great day,
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  #25  
Old 11-06-2002, 04:10 PM
geojer
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alright I could probably peen this thing if I had to, but given that my life revolves around Murphy's law, best to use the tool for $34. The car is an 84 300DTD with 150kmi. I am changing the chain because I checked it and has 5 or 6 deg. stretch, and runs quite rough when warm....yeah there are other problems like algae in the fuel tank and the valves were way too tight....but seems like a good idea to change the chain before driving (I just bought the car) and while I've got the valve cover off.

Now the question is pull the tensioner or leave it in? Don't have the car in front of me, but if memory serves me correctly won't I have to drain the rad. to get to the 3 tensioner bolts? isn't the thermo. neck right in that area?
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  #26  
Old 11-07-2002, 07:47 AM
LarryBible
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I don't remember if you can access the tensioner bolts and nuts on the turbo or not. I know on the nonturbo, it's pretty easy to get at it.

I personally would not try rolling in a chain without loosening the tensioner. I expect that you might be able to do it, but the small amount of work you would save in not loosening the tensioner would be a fraction of what you might get into if you lose the chain.

My $0.02,
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  #27  
Old 11-07-2002, 07:55 AM
Coming back from burnout
 
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: in the Pacific Northwest
Posts: 2,274
I need your email address

to send you the CD rom files from the service CD. it will tell you how to do this job very descriptively.
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  #28  
Old 11-07-2002, 10:53 AM
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Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: central Texas
Posts: 17,281
Geojer should be well taken care of by the information sent by Carrameow so this is just for general knowledge sharing...

First, I think the original question wound up blurring the fact that Crimping and Peening are two seperate operations...

The MB chains are very tight tolerances and the sideplate is a tight fit... hence the need for some force to apply it ... many regular chains, like ones for old motorcycles are not that close and can be installed by hand... including the clip to hold them in place... (as an old mx rider I say thank goodness for that )

With the MB chain a double row.. meaning it has an identical "sideplate" in the center... it takes very little peening of the pin to hold the sideplate in position.. there is almost NO side pressure on a chain of this type... and anyone who deals with tight fitting metal will recognize that the combination of close fitting hole with respect to the pin means that it does not take much spreading at the end to keep the sideplate on for the length of the chain wear...

As an old blacksmith no one loves a good peened rivet head more than I do.... but it is often talked about in chain replacement threads as if it is actually holding the force of the working chain... where it is really just operating like a cotter pin does on a tie rod end.. not letting the item which is really doing the work leave the work area...
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  #29  
Old 11-07-2002, 11:47 AM
LarryBible
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leathermang,

Here, here! Thanks for pointing out what I failed to. I'm like you, I see this operation as no big deal. Pressing the plate in place is not a big deal either. A pair of pliers will get it done.

If there is any warning appropriate here, it would be to MAKE SURE YOU DON'T DROP ANY PARTS DOWN INTO THE CHAIN CAVITY!

Good luck,
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  #30  
Old 11-07-2002, 02:31 PM
Old Deis
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I still doubt that end plate can be put on reliably with pliers on the double row chain. Has very close tolerance. With the link and plate in hand it would not seem that the plate will ever fit over the link. The tool is also close tolerance and hold the link while the assembly is sqeezed together. Takes some pressure to sqeeze these both in place.
I am certain from both Larrys comments and from what I have read in past threads that the this can be accomplished with a hammer and peen. However that is in my mind not the best approach.
Been fun though. Stay in touch.

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