Make sure all of the coils and bolts are out. Did you remove the plastic clip on cover in the front of the engine? I think there is a bolt there since it more or less follows M104 inline 6 being it is a cut down 6

Yes.

I will whack it with a mallet. Can't think of anything else to try.

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra

So I'm half way done. Will give a final report when I am (hopefully) done later. What I tried to get the cam cover off:

Hit with rubber mallet: Didn't work
Tried driving wood wedge in the small gap: Gap too small, wood crumbled.
Finally I drove in my thinnest 1-1/2" wide putty knife, at the corner by the dipstick handle (front passenger corner of cam cover). This seemed to have a slight effect. Then I replaced that with a thicker knife/scraper that had a sharp edge. That finally popped it off.

Now for the replacement procedure which I got straight from the Mercedes manual (and Haynes showed the same exact one):

"1. Connect new timing chain (5) to old timing chain (4) using assembly link, consisting of chain joint (6), plate (7) and locking element (8).
2. Pull out locating pins.
3. Slowly rotate crankshaft in direction of rotation of engine.
4. Pull the end of the old timing chain (4) which becomes free evenly out of the chain housing as the new timing chain (5) is drawn in.

Ensure that the timing chain does not jump across as it is tamed"

It is that last part that is the doozy. Keeping the cam sprockets from jumping under valve spring tension is basically impossible. I had a friend helping me, and we are both experienced mechanics, and nothing we tried would make this procedure work well. I am really curious if anyone has actually ever done this. I can find no evidence online of anyone who ever tried it.

Will report back when I am done.

__________________
1998 C230 330,000 miles (currently dead of second failed EIS, yours will fail too, turning you into the dealer's personal human cash machine)
1988 F150 144,000 miles (leaks all the colors of the rainbow)
Previous stars: 1981 Brava 210,000 miles, 1978 128 150,000 miles, 1977 B200 Van 175,000 miles, 1972 Vega (great, if rusty, car), 1972 Celica, 1986.5 Supra