Got the new Chain on!
 

91 560 SEL - 115K

Finally removed the front cover and cleaned everything up. The old chain and rails actually looked pretty good. The new ones look even better - peace of mind.

The chain went on pretty easy and had to rotate one of the cams a little to the mark. The master link was real easy as long as you use a magnet to put on the clips. You don't want to loose them.

Now, the next battle will be getting the cover back on and getting the oil pump chain installed. That should be fun!

Stay tuned.

Pix are coming

http://www.momentoffame.com/snapshot.html?id=71806

http://www.momentoffame.com/snapshot.html?id=71807

Why didn't you replace the two lower guides? They can also break and jam up the works.

Paul:

I did replace the lower rails! They just did not come in white, so they look old in the picture, but they are brand new!

Good, just checking. I personally have never seen guides in any color except white.

What was causing the last hang-up getting the cover off? Did it turn out to be the crank seal like we discussed?

Hi Chuck:

No, it was just stuborn and I found out that the oil pump had to be completely removed along with its chain and then the cover carefully pryed out side to side very gently with wide pry bars.

The crank seal was not in the way at all. It came out easy, but I could have left it in there just the same. I couldn't figure out how to get the pump chain off once the bottom gear was removed so I cut a link out to get it off. Installing the new chain will be a challenge, but that is what makes it fun, I think.

what were the condition of the rails and tensioner guide? were they smooth, or were there any wear on them? I am wondering whether the head gasket is affected in any way by removing the front cover? Thx for the pics. I am planning on doing a similar job, though upper only in my case.

thx
emmy

Oil pump chain--must be dropped onto the crank gear after the cover gets kind of in place. Tricky, but do-able. I used a heavy guital string bent at a 90 deg angle to fish it into position--took a few tries. The new oil pump rail and tensioner will try your patience also.

Replacing the cover will require loosening ALL of the upper oil pan bolts to make clearance. If i ever do it again, i will find an ultra thin sheet of metal to assist the top of the timing cover in sliding past the exposed end of the head gasket. Once the head gasket is bent, the party is over.

Hope this helps.

Emmy: I will post some pix of the old rails today. Very little wear on them and in good condition, although discolored.

Earl: Are you sure you have to loosen up the middle pan bolts to get the cover in there? Does the engine have to be lifted off the motor mounts to do this?

What kind of sealant do you guys recomend for the front cover? When I removed it, there did not seem to be any sealant residue at all on the cover or block.

That's what the manual calls for, the extra few millimeters lets it so back on without a sledge hammer. Still a tight fit. I thought i could get by just loosening some toward the front, but that upper pan doesn't have much flex in it. No sealant is necessary, but if the end of the head gasket is bent on the reinstall, she'lll leak a good bit of oil.

I loosened up all the middle pan bolts today and stripped one but I cut a slot in it and got it out. Now the pan is lowered afew mm to get the front cover back on.

Just remembered an odd feature of the lower left guide rail (looking at front of eng) the one with the two bolts holding it in. The bolts were only hand tight when I removed them and I noticed that the rail swivels around on the bolts so if you tighten them, then it would defeat the movement function to take up slack in the chain.........Am I correct about this?