Gilly:

All I really know about the car is that it's black, it's a 560 SL, and Hans has been pulling what hair he has left out (although he's now to the point he HAS to find out what the problem is just out of curiosity).

When we talked about it, I asked him what could delay the spark if everything was working correctly otherwise (new engine computer, new ignition switching unit). I was thinking slow coil, bad switching unit (but that has been replaced with a new one), bad crank sensor. The crank sensor is supposed to be on the flywheel (I'm sorry this is such a fishing expedition, I'll check in and get better info this week), and the Hotline asked if the flywheel had been removed since getting it back on one bolt out of position would be just about exactly 20 degrees.

If, however, the sensor is on the balancer, I'd bet the balancer has slipped (but how could that show late timing?).

I'll tell him you suspect the coil (as I do -- too much resistance could cause the spark to be late due to slow field collaspe -- wouldn't it be worse at high rpm?).

To answer the distributor question, timing is not set on these engines with complete electronic control, it's done by the computer. The dizzy just gets the spark to the correct cylinder.

Test equipment is working properly, shows the right data on Hans' 560 SEC.

Thanks!

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!