I am currently trying to decide whether I should have the timing chain replaced. My 500E has 95K and is a third vehicle so it does not get heavy use. I have no noise or indication that there is damage but I am having suspension work done (replacing the springs/shocks/pads/etc...) and am thinking I might have him do the timing chain, upper rail and maybe lower rail.

Any thoughts? or Advice? My mechanic is telling my the lower rail is much more work and hardly ever has problems. Is this true? Should I exclude the lower rails?

thx

My mechanic also stated that the lower rails never fail on these cars, I'd love to hear others experience on this.

I don't know if I'd be concered about the chain as much as I would be with the upper rails. I've heard they get brittle at 90K miles and should get replaced.

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Afshin

Current:
02 C32 AMG

Previous:
92 500E
84 190E 2.3 5 Spd

What about cost? How many hours should this job take?

The parts themselves cost around 5-600 bucks...total job should be around 2 grand from my sources (dealer)...maybe a full day or two for the labor.

I'd wait a bit more with that mileage...but that's just me...my car will have 135K when its done for the first time...it just started to rattle for a second or two upon start up.

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Jim

1992 500E
2007 CLK63
2003 Audi RS6
2001 Audi allroad

Jim, what is the hourly rate for labor in your part of the country? Here, the dealer gets $105 an hour, and my independent gets $85.

Tom

It's funny how differently things are done down here. Ever since coming here I'm reading stuff about this chain going wrong and costing so much to replace, and this worried me so that I enquired my dealer to check on it at the last service.
They refused to do the job, saying that they're not the kind to charge the customers for a job that's not needed. They wouldn't even open the engine to have a look at it. They said that if the idle is fine and there no clatter, they won't even check...they said that if I take the chance and have a good chain changed, I'd get MORE risks of experiencing chain failure, as the less this area is tampered with, the better it is...

very old 500e owner saying : If it ain't broke yet, don't fix it... He He just joking I love my silver baby to death....

1991 500e
1963 Impala SS

I had my 500E timing chain replaced after 100K miles. My dealer took a little of the voodoo out of the decision - they measured chain stretch. They said that measuring the stretch is recommended after 100K miles, and anything more than 4 degrees of stretch indicated replacement. In my case, the chain and upper rails only were replaced. There were bits of the plastic tensioner rails missing. As I understand it, the engine is left in the car and the cam covers and upper timing chain covers are removed. The chain is threaded in and the upper tensioners can be reached without further disassembly.

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Mark Stetson
1995 E320 Wagon Moonstone Grey/Parchment 106K mi.
2007 E63 AMG Graphite/designo 75K mi

Tom...last time I went to my favorite dealer here in CT it was $78/hr (it may have gone up come Jan 1 though)....there's another dealer here at $98 but they are to avoided like the plague.

Manu...I totally agree with you and your dealer...one indy I know says he's never had to do a M119 chain...he's seen cars with close to 200K on them...I suppose its all in the way one drives. Some say have it done between 120 & 150K regardless..at least have it inspected and measured for stretch.

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Jim

1992 500E
2007 CLK63
2003 Audi RS6
2001 Audi allroad