No, the scoop grille is fake - not open at all. Yes, the choice for blower clearance was a 1" body lift or the scoop. The body lift would have given more room at the firewall which would make blower removal/installation easier.

Eddy - that flying bolt trick is not easy to do. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Eddy and I had lunch yesterday in Atlanta and I told him about one (hopefully) last issue I found that was caused by the flying bolt. When I installed the Beck-Arnley oil pump, I left all 3 timing marks spot-on. When I installed the lower timing cover, I noticed that the TDC mark was 5* retarded at the balancer. My first thought was that the mark was cast into the wrong spot on the new oil pump. But, when Brendan and I started the engine, the timing trigger offset was still set as before.

I thought about all of that on my drive to Atlanta and realized that I didn't initially set the timing trigger offset until after the timing belt broke, so I was just repeating the same error I didn't catch before. More than likely when the bolt jammed the crankshaft, the crankshaft stopped, valvetrain inertia broke the timing belt and the inertia from the blower, alternator and fan put enough torque on the serpentine belt at the balancer to spin the hub 5*.

This would explain why the ignition timing curve feels lazy and power feels a bit down..... spark lead is probably 5* less than what I "think" I have, since I used the TDC mark as the reference. The only way to prove it is to swap balancers, which I'll do ASAP. It may also explain the lousy gas mileage and what sounded to Brendan and me like a soft intermittent knock at idle - but the knock wasn't coming from the engine.... sounded more like the exhaust... probably a late timed rich mixture not burning completely until it hit the exhaust.

So, the list of issues from that episode has grown to include:
1) broken oil pump case
2) distorted/pulled threads on the oil filter adapter bolts
3) compromised RTV seal on the oil pan/block flanges
4) broken timing belt
5) busted upper timing cover
6) chewed crankshaft sprocket
7) bent belt tensioner
8) blown head gasket (maybe)
9) spun balancer (probably)

What a crazy, dumb episode.

If you look at the rear of the lower timing cover, there's a cavity behind the timing reference. Apparently, that's where the bolt was hiding. Hopefully no one else will make that same error, but it's worth a mention to suggest that it's worthwhile to check that before installing a lower timing cover..... do a cavity search. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Frank

Waitasecond... what's that on the driveway underneath!? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />

Hopefully something from a time long ago.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cyclops.gif" alt="" />

Eric W.

Yeah, I'm sure Frank would log a few miles without checking for leaks and then post a pic of a leaky truck. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif" alt="" />

Those stains are from the oil leaker that you see in the background. You don't want to price a main seal job on an SL <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" />, so until it gets worse, it'll just have to leak.

The last time I checked, it was cheaper to replace that section of the driveway. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Frank

Rent 12" diamond wet saw half day. Rent 60lb electric hammer half day. Remove broken concrete. Fill with crushed stone base pre"dyed" with dirty engine oil from your last oil change. Tamp. Add oil as needed. Try a qt of atf to soften and swell that seal. Total cost about $400. I once agreed to try to help pull a 4.5 from an sl. Never, ever, again. Little bitty elfin hands put that thing together with demonical torque strength. And loctite. and "special spanner - NPUKEME456(lhthd)".

Yes, and that one's a 560SL..... even less room. But it sure hauls <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/butwiggle.gif" alt="" />. The only thing that limits it is the governor..... somewhere around 140mph.... but it gets there mighty quick. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/kewl.gif" alt="" />

Actually, the oil stains come off in the spring with the pressure washing.

Frank

Oh just wait till you need to really work on Ella. That Benz is not all that bad.
I have more time on the 126 chassis cars, The late 80s big boys. Nice cars for German stuff. I sure prefer them over Bimmers when it come to working on them.

Try pulling an XJ6 engine, then getting told it was the wrong one... Pull the other... I swear i used every metric & standard wrench & socket to pull that engine...

Ed

One shop I worked at, we won a salvage bid on train load of new XJSs that had been on there way to be converted into convertibles. The train had derailed and rolled on its side. There was minor to moderate damage on all of the 30 or so Jags. Nice clean work so all the skinned knuckles healed up pretty well.

If you think XJ6s are bad, I own a XK140. One can see the valve cover but that is about it.

"Almost sexy enough to make me give up women" - attributed to Steve McQueen, who had an XK-SS, the "street" version of the Dtype, and ought to know.

I'm kinda lookin' at a 72 280SEL 4.5. Wish it was a 6.3, but that big stacked headlight sedan is one of my all time fav's. Last of the hand built Mercedes. Fond mem's of a 300SEL 6.3 sitting on 140mph, and with the windows up you could hold a conversation in a normal voice.

I'm also real fond of the euro 280SL 5spd, and the 350SL with the high compression 4.5 and the sheetmetal bumpers, body like Frank's.

I owned two Merc's. A 75 280 sedan, with a stinkin carb, and a 79 euro 280TE gas wagon, which was a rocket ship.