Setting initial timing
 

O.K I read the service manual on the M103. It either wasn't clear or I didn't understand it. It shows how to set timing with the front cover on. Are there any line up marks or a technique to set the timing after the head and valvetrain, including timing chain, have been replaced before putting the front cover on? looks to me like you would have to install the chain on the lower gear, hang it up on something, install front cover and then line up the camshaft gear with the cam. Also, what marks are used to align the cam gear to the cam?

yeah
 

I need this information also. I just completed the head job, but the car needs to be timed. It cranks but takes awhile to start and when I give it gas it shuts off. Also, the aux fan came on pretty quick so I figured the timing was off. The job that I completed was: valve guides and seals(machine shop), rails, tensioner, tensioner rail and new seals on injectors.. Can someone tell me/us how to set the timing?

TIA

Well, first you need to set the crankshaft to TDC by way of the harmonic balancer 30 | 20 | 10 | 0 | T | 10 | 20 the mark between the 10 and 0 is TDC.

Now set camshaft to TDC by aligning the mark on the lip of the cam (either a hole or a dot depending on MY -- I'll post a pic tommorrow, don't have my shop manual with me) with the dot on the rocker #1. If it's an inline six, cylinders one and six will be at their crest.

Now wrap the chain around the crank sprocket and set the right side of chain in the rail leading up to cam. Make sure the slack is coming off the left side of the sprocket into the tensioner rail, then install the chain tensioner to keep timing in place.

With both crank and cam at TDC, and tensioner ratcheted up enough for chain to not jump a link, turn crankshaft with 27mm socket until back at TDC. Compare the two .... as long as they're within a couple of degrees after the two cranks you're ok. If dead on even better.

This advice applies to a 103 engine and I'd imagine the 104 too along with any other inline 6. 5cyl diesels and V8's I have no clue.

Good luck!

~Paul

_____________________
'91 300E, 212K miles

I just did this on the E320 last night. The chain on it has colored links that line up with the cam sprocket marks when the crank is at TDC. In addition I never let the chain get "out of sync" with the crank sprocket so I never lost that relationship. Cap'n I would think that you should be able to find some marks on the cam shaft that line up when the crank is at TDC.
Working on this engine makes me want to purchase another W123 :)

My original post was on May 9th. When I didn't get a reply by the 10th, I figured it out by myself. I have that behind me now. :) I hope to finish assembly this weekend( if that dang golf course will leave me alone).;)

I'm not
 

I still needed the advice. Thanks for responding. If I can get my brother over here (my house) this saturday, I'll show him thess responses and let him take over. With my input(from this board of course) and he/we should get everything back to normal. Hopefully. I'll keep you posted.

I'm not very good at saving PDF files and the transferring them to this forum, but a lot of guys out there are! If we need to we'll post the file from the service manual. It's really not that difficult to set the timing. It's harder for me to translate (understand) the service CD than to actually do what it says. :o Just don't get it wrong and crash those freshly ground valves into the pistons!!!:eek: