Woodruff Key, 190SL

[bstreep]

I'm about to place an order for some parts, and thought I'd get a woodruff key. Looks like I need a 5 degree offset (I'm showing a minus 5 degree varience), BUT, there may already be a key in there?? Is there any EASY way to tell?

[Jim Villers]

You can see the key by sighting down the shaft. You need to remember that if you have an offset key, that will change the cam with respective to the sprocket. It will not change the alignment of the timing mark on the sprocket and the cam tower.

[bstreep]

OK, Jim, NOW I understand... Thanks for pointing this out. To look at the shaft, I have to pull the 22mm bolt, correct? Is there a good way to secure the camshaft to remove the bolt so it doesn't stress the chain?

Thanks,

[Jim Villers]

Exactly ... secure the sprocket with a small hammer handle through the hole in the sprocket and rest it against the cam tower while you remove the bolt. By the way ..... be SURE that you torque the bolt before drivin the car so you don't need to explain how dumb you are (like me).

[bstreep]

Hey, you don't happen to remember the torque on that bolt off of the top of your head, do you? I'm sure I've got it SOMEWHERE around here... I'm SO good at doing dumb things. Remember the electronic ignition write up? It only took me a half an hour to realize I didn't have the rotor on the distributor, and THAT's why it didn't start!

Thanks,

Torque for camshaft bolt is 59ft.lbs. If you need the MB part no. for the offset keys, I can send it to you.There are only four sizes. Good luck.
Bill Lewallen Lexington,Ky.

[Jim Villers]

Bill .. Thanks for providing this thread a little serious detail. To understand the very subtle humor, check out: http://mbca.org/virginia/190sl/jim_prob.html

[bstreep]

Jim,

I had forgotten that that is what broke your camshaft... Ouch!! Thanks everyone, for the help. Again, this place is great! Bill, if I order the woodruff, I'll get the guys at Star to pull it up - thanks for the torque spec.

Wow! That's an impressive story Jim! Sorry to hear you had the bad luck in the first place, but amazed at how quickly your were able to do the repair work (twice!) and also how nice our fellow Mercedes enthusiasts are!

I think it would take me a whole week to r&r the head...maybe a month. I see you have wrapped your headers with kevlar wrap and polished your valve cover. Two nice touches I plan on doing to my 190sl.

Eric

[Jim Villers]

Eric ... You have close eyes. The valve cover is not polished, smooth aluminum casting, cleaned with Mothers aluminum polish. It is not a polished shine, just clean smooth aluminum. The exhaust wrap came from a speed shop and its primary purpose is to lessen the heat in the passenger compartment and to keep the carburetors a little cooler. I also lined the underside of the rugs with a half inch of roll insulation to keep the passenger floor cool in the summer.

Glad you enjoyed the write up. Think about coming to Leadville CO for this years convention, the last weekend of July. Betty and I plan to drive from Virginia Beach, VA so distance is not an excuse.

[bstreep]

Everyone for your help. Turns out, there is no woodruff, so I'll order one (or 2). Any thoughts on doing this? I wondered if I could do this by simply removing the tensioner and pulling off the sprocket, replacing the woodruff, and then back together... Or will I have to remove the chain??

Jim, are you really going to make the drive? Cool. I'm a bit closer, and, assuming we're going (kids, etc.), I've pretty much decided NOT to drive a 190SL through the Sonora Desert in the middle of the summer to get to Colorado...

[Jim Villers]

Bill ... Yes we are going to make the drive in our 190SL.

Removing the chain sprocket is easy. Depress the chain tensoner with your super tool (or big screw driver) and slide the sprocket off of the cam. A tap with a small hammer might help. Installation is the reverse. You can turn the cam a little with water pump pliers to aligh the key if needed. No need to remover the tensoner unless you want to.

[bstreep]

Ordered both 4 and 5 degree offset keys from Star. Didn't have any in stock, but they'll have them by friday. I swear Robby had a post about how many degrees there are in a "link" or "tooth", and I did a search but didn't find it.

Anyone know?

Bill, thanks for the torque spec on the cam - it WASN'T in any of my books! (it is now...)

Thanks

[Jim Villers]

There were a whole series of emails on offsets last fall (Oct 25-30). I'll forward them to you if you still want them. According to Robby, one link is 18 degrees. Unless you are trying to keep the valve from hitting the piston, I am not sure the purpose of the exercise. I drove my 190SL for 20 years with the timing retarded one link because at the correct position, the valve touched. It ran a better after a rebuild and the valve timing corrected. My thoughts are that a degree plus or minus is not that critical, just an enjoyable technical exercise.

[bstreep]

Thanks, Jim. I was thinking it was Robby who ran his for a year, not you. I was just curious, that's all. If 1 link is 18 degrees, and 5 degrees is the "largest" key you can get, how do you correct it if it's larger than 5 degrees... an engine rebuild - or new timing chain gears?

So is what you are saying is that my 5 degrees is no big deal?

I picked up some NGK plugs while out at lunch (BP6ES) per Robby's suggestion. The Bosch plugs I've been using (copper core) run great for the first few hundred miles, then hesitates and misfires a bit more when cold, and doesn't run as well as it does with new plugs, when hot. As you may remember, I do run a little rich. Could changing the gap (narrowing the gap) to like .24 as Robby does help? BTW, I have new: Cap, rotor, wires, electronic ignition.

Thanks,