The timing chain guide broke on my 85 380SL and the engine jumped timing. The drivers side valves are clearly bent. The low-side repair estimate is $3500 because, per the mechanic, the engine must be pulled in order to remove the oil pan and recover pieces of the chain guide. Does this sound reasonable?

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Thom

Sort of.

You do need to either pull the engine or drop the front subframe to get the oil pan (really the lower crankcase) off on a SL. That's because the pan is one piece and the sump fits in between frame and suspension components.

But that shouldn't cost $3500. I would hope for that amount you would get new lower rails, which requires removing the front cover, which requires removal of the oil pump among other pieces.

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Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

The mechanic didn't mention lower rails. The high end of the estimate was $7000. "Depending on the damage we find." The mechanic knows I can't afford to take a $7000 gamble, and has been making tentative purchase offers. Low offers. I thought the statement about pulling the engine might be part of the game, but I guess not.

Thanks for your answer.

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Thom

Don't get intimidated. There are plenty of good used engines for under 2 grand.

And if you read Steve B on the subject, the damage is always confined to the valves. Good used heads go for a couple of hundred dollars.

You are not far from Duluth - why don't you get the car to Benzmac himself to get this taken care of?

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Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

Do you have a shop name for Benzmac. I did a Google search, but the hits weren't clear.

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Thom

It's MB Auto Werks - right on our homepage!

http://www.mbautowerks.com/

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Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

I found the info right here. Beats Google.

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Thom

I'll call AutoWerks tomorrow to see what they suggest. It's about 30 miles from where the car is now located.

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Thom

Just ask for Benzmac, aka Donnie Drummond.

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Chuck Taylor
Falls Church VA
'66 200, '66 230SL, '96 SL500. Sold: '81 380SL, '86 300E, '72 250C, '95 C220, 3 '84 280SL's '90 420SEL, '72 280SE, '73 280C, '78 280SE, '70 280SL, '77 450SL, '85 380SL, '87 560SL, '85 380SL, '72 350SL, '96 S500 Coupe

You can find many used engines and can get a rebuilt long block with waranty for less than sevenK.

Any mechanic that offers to buy a car at a low price after he has just given you a high repair estiment on is no better than any other con man, I would get your car out of that shop now...........

William Rogers.......

I can't speak for the rest of it, but MB procedure does recommend pulling the engine on the 107 series, because of the closeness of quarters. There is sufficient room on the 126 model. Pulling the engine isn't to recover rail pieces. There will be only 2 pieces: the big piece that is still attached to the two pins, and one small piece that is probably still impailed to the cam gear.

Peter

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