like I have mentioned in previous posts I am having a valve job done on my 87 300e. when labor charges were discussed he said $500 for the job including timing chain replacement.
he is adding an extra $300 to my bill because there is a plastic housing the chain runs in that also needs to be replaced. this dose not make sense to me because he needed to remove the timing chain housing to replace the timing chain anyway, i think? dose this plastic guide constitute $300 in labor?
( none of these charges include parts)
your comments will be greatly appreciated!
thanks,
adam

__________________
Current Stable:
01 ML55 AMG
92 500E (a few mods)
87 300E (lots of mods)
00 Chevy 3500HD Diesel Box Truck
68 18' Donzi Marine
06 GT i-Drive7 1.0 Mountain Bike (with GPS!)

PREVIOUSLY OWNED:83 300SD, 87 420SEL, 88 420SEL, 90 420SEL, 86 560SEL, 86 190E 2.3-16V AMG, 94 E320

When this rail is broken, you must remove the lower timing cover to replace it, it does take more time. I think we charge 4 hours to do this with the head off that is about $300.00.

__________________
Benzmac:
Donnie Drummonds
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 11 YRS

Donnie,
thanks for your fast responce! im guessing the timing chain can be replaced without removing the lower timing chain cover?
thanks again,
adam

Timing chain and rails cost $$$. If you're gonna chanege the chain might, well change the rails. The rails crack and break. You said they were plastic, right? I might have to do this to my car also very soon.

Well, fellas, this is the reason my 500SEL is down. They are plastic and when they break the timing chain loses tension. With loss of tension the timing chain can screw up the timing and what happens?......BENT VALVES!!!!

Rassin-frassin, fricken-fracken. This is what happened to my 500SEL. Now it will cost me about $4000 to fix unless I do it myself with help from mechanic buddies.

__________________
Frank
84 500SEL EURO 101K ( JUST LIKE MY 1ST WIFE. GLAD TO GET RID OF HER! )
85 300D 310K (sold)
90 350SDL 184K sold
83 300D 118K (sold)
88 300E 153k (sold)
93 400E 105K (sold)

the timing chain and rails don't cost that much. I received the whole valve head rebuild kit for less than $150
valve guides, gaskets, seals, chain, etc..! I do think Mercedes should have used a metal guide rail instead of plastic. im sure there is a reason why.

Adam,
Do a search on "aluminum chain rails", or search on posts by me. There was a HUGE dialogue on MB's past use of aluminum rails, and the aftermarket aluminum rails. (If you are interested.)

Slightly off the timing chain topic originally posted, sorry all.......

fz500SEL - how far from Orlando, Florida? Check traderonline.com. I saw a wrecked 560SL this week, maybe you can buy the engine?

My $.02 worth of butting in here, W126 driver on the W124 car posting....

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1989 560SEL (172k)
1989 325IC (122K)
2004 Suzuki Volusia LE (3500 miles)
2005 Yamaha Road Star (20 K miles)

As Donnie pointed out the lower cover must be removed to replace the rail in question. He pointed out that in his world that would add up to $300. What he failed to address was that he probably is charging 12 to 15 hours of that $75 hour to do the rest of the work. Anyone who is only charging $500 labor to do the original valve job doesn't live on the same block as the $300 timing cover replacement.

I think he is trying to get paid for the original job that he misquoted.

The rail in the 300 is not the same situation as the 500SEL. The chain rides on the 300E rail. It DOES NOT ride on the rails that cause problems in the V8. The rails in the V8 are there to guide the chain when it is untentioned. The problem is that they become brittle in 80-100K and during the occasional, unpreventable, untensioned slap, they fracture with pieces running through the works. It is the pieces rolling between the gears and the chain that jumps the timing in 90% of all of these failures.

__________________
Steve Brotherton
Continental Imports
Gainesville FL
Bosch Master, ASE Master, L1
33 years MB technician

My mechanic said that the tensioner rails should be replaced every 100K. He said that there is no way to tell when they are getting old and brittle (since they are plastic). If you purchased a used vehicle and there is no records that they have been replaced then you are better off to have them replaced to save you the $$ that it is gonna cost you to have it fixed along with the valve job it will need.

Guess the ol' saying of "an ounce of prevention...." is true (at least in the case of MB maintnenaince).

:

__________________
Frank
84 500SEL EURO 101K ( JUST LIKE MY 1ST WIFE. GLAD TO GET RID OF HER! )
85 300D 310K (sold)
90 350SDL 184K sold
83 300D 118K (sold)
88 300E 153k (sold)
93 400E 105K (sold)