Answering my own post here. Searched the archives and found an exchange between Ned Kleinhenz and Marshall Booth, here's the key part below.
Ned if you're still on this list, I'd like permission to also post this great tidbit on the MBCA forum and credit to your name. -Max -------------------------------------------------- Glad I took Marshall's advice and replicated the chain stretch measurement on my '95 E300D with the OM 606.910 engine. My first measurement on Saturday was 4 deg. The subsequent measurements, today, were 3 deg, 2 deg and 2.5 deg. Think I'll keep this chain and check it again in 30 or 50k miles. I discovered an important trick that other 606 engine owners may want to know - The cam can be indexed for #1 piston TDC by running a pin through holes that align the left cam gear and the front cam tower. One of the bolts that holds the cam cover on the head is the perfect size to use as this pin. This bolt will fit tightly enough that I estimate the bolt will only fit through both holes within < 1/2 deg of crank rotation. When looking at the engine from the front of the car, correct crank rotation is clockwise. To measure chain stretch, you must approach the index postion only from the clockwise direction. Backing the crank off a fraction of a degee reverses the play in the chain and makes the measurement meaningless. Ned Kleinhenz '95 E300D x2 '85 300D '80 300TD ------------------------------------------------------- -----Original Message----- From: mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com [mailto:mercedes-boun...@okiebenz.com] On Behalf Of Max Dillon Sent: Monday, February 15, 2010 4:37 PM To: mercedes@okiebenz.com Subject: [MBZ] OM606 Timing Chain Wear Measure Dieselvolk, I'm trying to measure the timing chain wear on my '95 E300 (OM606). I cannot for the life of me find any marks on the camshaft at the #1 bearing tower. I've made this check on OM617 and OM603 engines, so I know what I'm looking for, but this OM606 has got me stumped. Anyone know the trick? There is a set of marks on the third cam bearing tower and the primary camshaft (two camshafts on this engine, remember), but they are not easily aligned for a precise measurement. When I line them up, it looks like timing chain wear is about 4 degrees. There's also a hole in the gear on the second camshaft, and that hole can be aligned with a hole in the #1 cam bearing tower. When I line that up, I measure about 10 degrees of wear! Very respectfully, /s/ Max Dillon Charleston SC '87 300TD 320k miles '95 E300 274k miles "project" '73 Balboa 20 _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com _______________________________________ http://www.okiebenz.com For new and used parts go to www.okiebenz.com To search list archives http://www.okiebenz.com/archive/ To Unsubscribe or change delivery options go to: http://okiebenz.com/mailman/listinfo/mercedes_okiebenz.com
