Doing the job now, please help
 

What is the proper and easiest order to replace the three timing chain guides, tensioner rail, tensioner, and lastly the new, unstretched chain that I am going to feed in from the passenger side? Is it easier to replace the rails with the chain slack? (tensioner removed). Since I have never done it before, I am very leary about messing up and not having a car to drive on Monday morning. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks
Woody

Oops!!
 

I forgot to mention the car is W126 with 500 euro motor.

Woody,

I'm not familiar with your motor, but I'd repost with a better description of what you are doing so you get some responses.

Such as: Replacing timing chain/guides - Help!

Check out this article in Import Car: http://www.babcox.com/editorial/ic/ic40024.htm

It should answer some questions. The rails can not be removed with the gears installed. This means that you do the rails then roll in the chain or you roll in the chain and then take the gears off to remove the rails. There are lots of pitfalls to this job, one does not need the added stress of a deadline to do this job for a first time. Make back-up arrangements for a ride and stop and ask if things don't go right; like ending up one link short when you have rolled the whole chain in. I recommend removing all the rocker arms (both for safety and to ease the force needed to spin the motor by hand). Unfortunately by doing this occasionally one won't recompress when the rocker is replaced causing the valve to be hung open and a misfire to take place. If you get in those positions back off and come back for help and use that ride.

I knew of Steve's article but really never read it till just now. I don't suppose it will be much help to you.

You will need to remove the alternator and P/S pump and brakets from the front of the motor. Someone recently stated that one must remove the distributor, been a lone time since I personally have done one so I can't say. That part is so easy I wouldn't have remembered.

You will need some sort of pin puller. We use a home made slide hammer made from a very long diesel headbolt with a 6mm bolt welded to the end (this lasts about one engines worth of pins before another bolt must be welded. The slide is an old press fixture that looked sort of like a minature angel food cake form. The cup area was filled with melted wheel weights and a top welded to the piece to seal it up as a dougnut sort of. Many have used a 6mm bolt pulling through a spacer. This works up to a level of force that will take out about 75% of the pins and don't stand a chance with the rest.

Since you probably will not have the feeder tool you will need help and patience with roling in the chain. Use two visegrips to make sure the two ends of the chain never leave the right gear as it is rolled. Clamp strategically so that you can get the largest rotation before having to relocate the pliers.

Thanks everyone
 

I just got two of the rail pins, not too much of a problem. The cam gear bolts are loose, so I am ready to take the chain off the gear and replace left side rails first, then other side. Then I will take Steve's advice about feeding in the chain, along with what Mike Tangas told me last night and with a little luck, I'll get it running on Monday, a little behind schedule. But as Steve said, not to rush the job. Not my style, but I had to do this job now. For an engine with 275k miles, it sure looks good!
Woody