560SEL Valve cover question
 

My timing chain and related parts arrived today, so I got started. I'm having difficulty getting the right valve cover off. There are two hoses the cross over the cover, appear to come off the AC manifold with one hose going to the fuel distributor the other to a solenoid next to the distributor.

http://www.pe.net/~mktangas/2hoses.jpg

I can't work the cover out with these hoses in place. Am I safe in removing them or will I lose freon? I really need to get at the guises, the guide on the other side is beyond beer bottle brown, it's damn near black.

Found the answer in the M117 manual. They are fuel lines coming from the fuel cooler. Have already disconnected and popped the cover off. Finally a chance to use my metric flare wrenches ;).

Back to work.

Hey, a heads up on those hoses....

When I removed them to do my timing chain, I shoved the hoses out of the way, behind the accelerator linkage, and the ends were hanging out of sight, at the rear of the engine. A few hours later, I smelled gas, and low and behold, a huge puddle below the car! I couldn't move it, as most of the front of the engine was apart. I wiped up this fire waiting to happen, and connected the lines to the fuel distributor, for lack of any better ideas. I had no plug or hose to stop the fuel from leaking from the hose. I pulled them off again when I was putting the valve cover back on.

Have fun!

That's what baling wire is for. I wired them in a stand up position, no leaking. :D

On several MB’s that I have owned, (but different chassis) I found areas of wear from rubbing, or the beginning of degradation & cracking on those fuel cooler hoses. You do not want to have them leak or come apart on you - spraying gasoline onto the exhaust manifold isn’t exactly an ideal situation.:eek:

May I suggest that you take the old hoses to a hydraulic line shop, where you can have them use the original fittings & replace the hose sections. I did this for both my 107’s – it was cheaper to have all three hoses done with braided stainless hose versus the cost of 1 single new hose.

RTH

. . . One little trick I learnt from my father years ago when working on fuel lines has stuck with me and often proves useful. When working on the fuel system, I fill the tank with petrol ( gas to you lot ! ) and when I home with the car in the garage, remove the filler cap and cover the tank neck with a thick plastic and then replace the cap. This will prevent air re-entereing the tank and eventually ( hopefully ! ) the dribbles will stop. I agree with the comments on the hoses, always worth a second glance when working with the bonnet ( hood to you lot ! ) up. I replace mine with Aeroquip lines where possible and new ones from the local hydraulic shoppe ! Good luck . . .