I have engine manuals and repair microfiche pruduced by MB. I have manuals for the 4.5, 3.8, 4.2, and 5.6 and none of them specify a number for excess chain stretch. They all say that you can use offset keys to adjust timing unless the chain is stretched beyond specs, but they never state how many degrees is too much. I'm looking for documentation from some factory bulletin or something I haven't seen. We've already had this discussion over in the diesel site. There are no specs for the OM617 engine either although the OM603 manual does give specs for that engine. Please don't respond with theories, and I know how to do the adjustments with the offset keys. The first time I used offset keys to adjust valve timing was at the dealer in the early 70s. I'm looking for cold hard documention if it exists. I have 3 cars right now that I bought cheap, because the chain in each of them apparently passed that magical point of stretch. I picked up an 82 380SEL, a 91 420SEL, and an 83 380SEC. I'm going to do valve jobs on all of them, because they all suffer from the classic broken rail slipped timing on the left bank syndrom.


Thanks in advance,
Peter

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