Rookie mistake, Having never worked on a classic gasoline engine before, or pulled off a distributor, I didn't set it to TDC. I pulled it at random.

Is it possible to set the engine to tdc, and align the distributor after the fact? How would that be done?

80' 450sel m117.986 usa

It looks from this video at 5:30 mark that there is an identification mark on the distributor: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wtyFthnt62w

Looking at this photo one can see the alignment mark for this model's distributor: https://i.ebayimg.com/images/g/f9kAAOSwOD9bZcZR/s-l1600.jpg

I think one would align the rotor with the indent at the 12 o clock potion, judging by the first photo in the 15-510 manual it looks like their is another indent on the rotor itself to align the mark on the distributor housing.

If this is true on the 1980 distributor, then these procedures should have to be followed here for the specs: https://handbook.w116.org/Engine/107/M117_45/15-501.pdf and here simple removal and install: https://handbook.w116.org/Engine/107/M117_45/15-510.pdf

Lesson learned for the day: When pulling anything out of the engine, align it to TDC, or look it up.

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Nosce Te Ipsum "Know thyself"

Rotate the motor (without spark, and preferably without fuel) to TDC on the crank. Then open the oil filler cap and look for “bunny ears” to assure you aren’t at TDC on the wrong stroke.

Intake
Compression
(spark)
Power
Exhaust

Valves should be closed on the compressions and power strokes. So the #1 cylinder lobes should both be pointing up.

The set your rotor so it points to the mark on the distributor when it’s about centered on variability that is available for rotating the distributor.


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Past mb: '73 450sl, '81 280slc stick, '71 250, '72 250c, '70 250c, '79 280sl, '73 450sl, parted: '75 240d stick, '69 280s, '73 450slc, '72 450sl,

THANK YOU!

__________________
Nosce Te Ipsum "Know thyself"