Ok Elau that does make a lot of sense,if it is a workhorse like you say it is,and it needs so much stuff than it might be better to let it do when the time comes. harald

Yup, my goal is to see how many more miles I can squeeze out of it.

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95 R129
04 Infiniti G35.5 BS
10 X204

do yourself a favor...

"No, I don't think the tranny is a goner, not yet. It does has cavitation issues when the fluid gets too low. I took it to a tranny shop (AAMCO) and they told me it's going to cost $1,200 to have it fixed. I honestly think it may be as simple as a gasket. Then again, I am no tranny expert"


Never go to AAMCO with your benz. It won't get fixed correctly... At a high mileage, the tranny doesn't owe you a thing. Most of the labor to fix the front tranny leak is pulling it. Then it is removal of the front pump, seal o-ring. I'd say your 70% to a complete overhaul by a MB specialist whom does transmission work.


Michael

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Michael McGuire
83 300d
01 vw A4 TDI
66 Chevy Corsa
68 GMC V6 w/oD
86 300E

Ok Paul,here it is i dont know if you are still with us on this turning from timing chain to transmission.But if you go here and under gas engines you can find some interesting stuff what all of these gurus are trying to push aside and dont even believe in.What was on comment having heard from some head mechanic or person from benz saying that your chain last for ever.So he says it and everybody believes it. http://www.mbca.org/pages/tech/MBCA_parts_wear_out.htm
I have seen it personaly on a benz owners manual that he timing chain need to be repaced.So maybe some of the guys in here will think different next time.Oh by the way i am still trying to fing the manual ,or from a reliable source from the web to satisfy everyone here,but it might be hard cause i think we have a lot of none believers here .OH YA GO TO GASOLINE ENGINE
4TH down in dark.Hope the site works

3 pages and I can't believe nobody answered the guys question. You can tell if your chain needs replacemnet by examining the chain tensioner. If the tensioner is not extended very much then your chain should not need service. Conversely a lot of extension on the tensioner plunger indicates a stretched chain. The M103 chain is as long lived as any, if anything the cam gear and guides will need replacement first and chain installation at the same time is prudent.

A club website that dedicates an entire sentence to timing chains.
Question: How many M103 timing chains have you personally seen fail?

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1989 300 SEL that mostly works, but needs TLC

[
Question: How many M103 timing chains have you personally seen fail?[/QUOTE]
In my 14 years on working on Mb i have seen 2 on the 103 fail and they where at around 250,000 km.Seen about 4 fail on 102 and one of them had 180,000 on the clock. 116 and 117 i repaired about 10 or so of them,one week we had gotten 2 of them in.And i did about 6 timing chain conversions on the early 380's that had the single chain and converted them to double chains.

I don't know beans about the other engines, but I own an M103. So I'm trying to find out if it's a pattern failure or not. On the 2 you saw failed, was there any indication of cause? How about others that didn't break at 250,000k?

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1989 300 SEL that mostly works, but needs TLC

Ok Moneybit,it could happen that the chain will last 300k,but what i am saying is it is good insurance to change the chain at the intervals.Your guides and tensioner guides are make of plastic.Well tensioner guides are aluminum but have a plastic over it where the chain slides on.with time they will get brittle, and if to much movement of the chain ,saying chain wear or tensioner failure will possible result in braking of the plastic guides and they will possible fall into your gears .Which will cause a old chain to possible brake,that is why we always replace the chains at those intervals.And like i wrote before i actually saw a servise manual once where it sayed to replace them at that milage..If someone does not have the approx $400 to get the chain replaced than ok risk your luck.what happens to our company if the chain fails and it was a steady customer of us,we would feel stupid not telling him he needs a chain.Actually one of our customers 420 sel did brake ,and he was the kind of customer that we tell him he needs it ,so he would say do it no questions ask.He trusted our work.So why this timing chain failed we dont know,yes it did have 230,000 and we told him that HE HAS to get it chained.WHat he sayed was that the engine was completely rebuilt BY a MB stealership and everything was replaced.So we never reminded him again.The reason he got the engine rebuilt in the first place ,he had his own company and MB hired him to do some work .But instead of paying him the money they sayed you have a fairly hi milage car,lets trade the money we own you for a rebuilt ,so he sayed ok.....Now the story short,what do you think was done to that engine.Probaly nothing

I agree with Meangrean that everybody should at least examine the chain stretch, especially those with high mileage. I probably will eventually have the chain replaced in the Spring. Does a stretch chain noisy? What is the best way to check it?

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95 R129
04 Infiniti G35.5 BS
10 X204

a worn our chain itself does not make any noise.It is when the tensioner is no longer keeping proper tension on the chain that the chain will slap and make noise.One reason that the tensioner not working proper,internal ooil leack and the tensioner is only using its spring to keep tension instead of ooil preasure.Another is when a chain is very badly worn and the tensioner is reaching its max point.And at that point you are in trouble.Another if someone is neglecting on the oil changes ,or low oil level

Well?

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former: 83 300D, 97 C230, 93 400E

current: 08 C300 Luxury , 92 500SL

Don't know....

Would a 84' 500SEL with 202K likely have had the chain changed already, or could it be near the end of its life?

Thanks.

either. best to check for stretch.

tom w

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[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Thanks. Too bad there is not an easier way to check.