Ouch... Hopefully your engine was not destroyed.

That is what worries me about my 85' 380SE. It has 264K and I have NO IDEA when the timing chain/rails or guides were last changed - if ever. I talked to a MB specialist and according to him, if I did not hear my chains rattle when I started it up, then they were likely OK. It does not make any noise up there, but it is not knowing when the guides/rails were changed is what concerns me. The way he was talking is that even if they break, that engine damage is still not certain.

I am hoping that with this high mileage on my car, that they have been changed before, or they would have surely went by now? It is a 21 year old car and I am really not wanting to sink a lot of money into it. I was quoted $525 for the chain replacement and was told it would be "significantly more" to change the rails/guides, as it required even more tearing down of the engine.

No more than I paid for it, I will just drive it until it hits the road, without sinking in a lot of money into it, or else it will all be money out the windows.

Good luck to you!

BTW- what year is your SL? Does it have the double chains, or the single?