Have a very clean shiny set of European engine 116 450 SL, SLC, SEL. Cams came out of a euro 450SLC (possibly a 5.0 slc I was told). Nice shiny lobes, no visible lobe wear. $300.00 plus shipping. Been told by German MB indie these cams can even work on the 126 V8 500 engine.

What are the code #s stamped in the back ends of the shafts?

Numbers stamped on back of cam 1: 00
Numbers stamped between the cam lobes: 4801; AE 10+; 6.M; GTS 5.5

Numbers stamped on back of cam 2: 01
Numbers stamped between the cam lobes: 4901; AE 10+; V.L; GTS 5.5

Thanks for the #s; the codes 00/01 were the common US cams used in
M117.985/986 engines and in LOW COMPRESSION non-US (aka "euro")
applications. As they are for the iron engine, they are mechanically adjusted, and hence inapropriate for the 5.0 aluminum engine which is equipped with hydraulic rocker pedestals.

Imported these cams from Germany because of the HIGH COMPRESSION Euro engines have (more HP than US models) across the board. MB built low compression engines for Middle Eas, Africa markets but to my knowledge Euro engines for the German market have always been into the 9:1 10:1 higher compression than the American 8:1 -7:1 compression engines. German MB Indie states 116-117 V8 engines are all hydraulic cams engines except for the high performance 10:1 AMG cam engines which have solid lifters rather than hydraulic lifters and that these cams can be used on both engine ranges since they have more lift and duration = more HP production than U.S. imported family of engines.

Didn't the iron blocks go hydraulic around 1977?

__________________
14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles

Here are two pages copied from MB shop manuals for US vehicles. On the page labeled "Iron block" will be found the cams bearing codes 00/01. We can see that they are called out for the 117.985/986 engines. Those engines were installed in 450SL/SLC 1976-1980, and 450 SE/SEL 1977-1980. Note 3 indicates that 00/01 cams were also used in LOW compression engines destined outside the US. That is consistent with the US spec, which IS low compression. The last section on the page covers valve clearance/adjustment. The rockers for these engines pivot on pedestals which are mechanically adjusted, hence clearance specifications are provided. (This is in contrast with cams for the aluminum block engines on the second page which have no clearance spec because the rocker pedestals contain hydraulic compesating elements which maintain a zero clearance condition.)

I hope this provides a bit of definition of the application of the cam codes in question.

Jim Freeh: To the best of my knowledge/experience the iron block engines all retained mechanically adjusted valve clearance thru 1980. I have not encountered an iron engine with hydraulic pedestals. That is not to say that an engine could not be retro-fitted with hyd. pedestals and the cams without clearance ramps.

Attached Thumbnails