Benzmac/M.B.Doc help!!!!

[Tinker]

This has been like a comedy of errors. Installing the end cap on a ratched style tensioner... I dropped the end piece...Crawling under the car I find the end cap..the ball that goes inside the end cap..the retaining piece...another ball...and a little spring! Unbeknownst to me my girfriend, who is mechanically curious,had opened the old tensioner and all the parts had shot out. Does the end piece for the ratchet tensioner just have the ball and retaining piece or is there a little spring in the cap to keep pressure on the ball? Please help. I can not take another weekend under this car/nightmare. Thank you!!

[jeffsr]

The spring is necessary to keep the balls in place so the ratchet inner drum stays where it's adjusted to. I hope you found all the little bits that go in there and know how to get them back in place...

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Jeff Lawrence
1987 300e
1989 300e
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE

[Tinker]

Jeff, The spring I am talking about is not the main spring,it is a smaller one about a quarter of the length of a ball point pin spring. Should all those balls have a spring at some point to keep pressure again the port they cover? Thanks again.

[mbdoc]

Tinker on the modified version there is the tensioner(body), spring, rubber spacer, & closing plug. Your description is of the earlier non ratcheting tensioner.

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MERCEDES BENZ MASTER GUILD TECHNICIAN (6 TIMES)
ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN
27 YEARS DEALER M.B. Shopforeman
190E 2.3 ITS RACECAR
1986 190E 16V

[Tinker]

M.B.Doc It is definitely a ratchet style tensioner. Inside the end cap there is a little clip (holds the ball in place), a ball (blocks the oil passage) and I am thinking a little spring (???) to hold pressure against the ball. The spring is what I am not sure about. I can not tell if it belongs with the old or new tensioner?

[jeffsr]

If you can find a seat that looks like it would hold one end of the little spring, then it probably does preload the little ball. Make sure the spring when in place does not interfere with any of the other internal parts, otherwise, it probably doesn't belong there and the clip is all the ball needs to do it's job.

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Jeff Lawrence
1987 300e
1989 300e
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE

[This message has been edited by jeffsr (edited 07-30-2000).]

[Tinker]

Thanks for all the help. Examining the retaining piece, I could not tell if the spring belonged or not. When I took this part (end cap) out of the wrapping, I did not recall it rattling. If I put the retaining piece and the ball in by itself, it would rattle. I went ahead and put the spring in and installed it. My only concern is that I have not found the other (?) spring that belongs with the old style tensioner that came out of the car. ???????

[jeffsr]

It's gotta be somewhere. Maybe it launched itself into a little nook or cranny in the front of the car. If the tensioner is now functioning properly why worry...

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Jeff Lawrence
1987 300e
1989 300e
2000 Dodge Grand Caravan SE

[This message has been edited by jeffsr (edited 07-30-2000).]

[Tinker]

I was working on this in my backyard, so the spring could have gone anywhere. I won`t know if it works until I figure out my other problem (fuel injection) and get the car to run. Thanks again..

[mbdoc]

Just looked at EPC & just like I said before the modified part doesn't use any Balls & has only 1 spring. Only 4 parts & seal ring. Got a fax #, I can send dia.

[Tinker]

M.B.Doc. Trust me there is a ball and retainer in the end cap. It is all inclusive with the end cap piece (104-050-01-66). There are no seperate part numbers for these two (ball & retainer)little pieces. I don`t want to pull it off again, I wish I would have taken a digital photo. If you have an opportunity to look at another one, please prove me wrong or confirm if a spring is used. Also, there is an oil passage cut into this end cap. You don`t think they would left that open without something to obstruct or limit the oil flow as they didn`t on the superseded tensioner. Thank you

[mbdoc]

You are looking at early version tensioner, YES they do have 2 balls & springs!! But the only part that should be used doesn't use these balls & has only one spring~!! Just installed 1 in my 16v engine so am sure that only correct part is as described.

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MERCEDES BENZ MASTER GUILD TECHNICIAN (6 TIMES)
ASE MASTER TECHNICIAN
27 YEARS DEALER M.B. Shopforeman
190E 2.3 ITS RACECAR
1986 190E 16V

[Benzmac]

Listen to Doc on this. He was trained on these when they were new!! I put mine together with the new tensioner too. (no balls)

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Benzmac:
Donnie Drummonds
1991 GMC Syclone
ASE CERTIFIED MASTER AUTO TECHNICIAN
SERVICE MANAGER FOR 14 BAY FACILITY
MERCEDES SPECIALIST 8 YRS
PARTNER IN MERCEDESSHOP.COM

[Tinker]

Guys, I don`t doubt your wisdom, but the part numbers I ordered (102-050-17-11 tensioner & 104-050-01-66 end cap) along with the spring and the rubber piece came from you guys at PartsShop. It is the latest style ratchet tensioner from M.B. And yes there is a ball and a ratainer in the end cap. I know the older style tension has two balls and springs because that is what I took out of the car. The part that replaced it looks different and can not be compressed (ratchet) after it has been extended. Also if you look at the piston of the new style ratchet, there is a spring and ball sealed in the piston assembly visible through the oil passage, but that is a whole different discussion. The other end concerns me. Love Tinker