Hello Mercedes frinds,

As I mentioned in my earlier postings my car have developed a tapping noise lately. It´s not really bad but more like excessive valve clearance on one valve. Fellow listers suggested that I do the "Fuchs finger test" which I did today. Almost no play at all on the hydraulic compensators.

Now to my problem. I also opted for checking the timing chain stretch based. I aligned the timing marks on the cam/ tower and took a reading on the crank - IT WAS 28 DEGREES !!!

I´m wondering if I did something wrong when doing this check? I just took the right (passenger side) rocker cover off. The spark plugs are still in. I rotated the engine clockwise (standing in front of the car/ facing the engine). I also noticed that the chain tensioner is moving quite a bit when rotating the engine.

The car has been running fairly fine since I bought it some months ago except for a slightly stumble at idle. From what I have read on this list the reading should be no more that 4 degrees.

Am I just lucky that the engine is still alive??

Please give me input on what to do. I´m quite nervous now.

Many thanks,

Mikael Westerberg
1984 500 SEL
Vanersborg, Sweden