Aside from being able to download a couple of helpful pages from the manual (finding TDC, cam dowel position, and torquing specs / pattern, yes doing it w/o the manual. At this point I already have removed the head, cleaned, installed new gasket, and reset head down. By moving the 'advancer' as you call it, we turned the big nut on the end, not the sprocket itself. Rotated the crank until TDC came up and used a couple of drill bits to lay flat on the head surface and into the sprocket holes. From the way the engine was when it was last running, I turned the big nut to make the timing marks line up. Right now the car has 115k on it. In March of 2006 at 82k we had a professional (indie mercedes master) do this job due to the oil leak. It is leaking again (we did overheat the engine once about a year ago, and the leaking started at that point) but all the timing marks scrawled into the sprockets and head are still there and all are lined up. The head is also flat, checked against a straight-edge.

Should I remove the tensioner completely and then reassemble it back into place? Why not just loosen and then re-tighten?

Thanks

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2002 Mercedes-Benz E320 4Matic
1995 Mercedes-Benz E320 Wagon
2005 Land Rover LR3 V8 SE
1999 Audi A8 4.2L quattro