1999 C230 Timing Chain Replacement

[dakarch]

Ok guys....

I have a 99 C230. Started making a metallic (almost) grinding noise from the front of the engine about 2 weeks ago.

I used the screw driver trick and hear very distinct changes in sound when I place it on the water pump housing. However, there is no visible sign of any pump problems.

To eliminate the pump I am going to remove the drive belt and run it. No noise its the pump....noise I can only assume it has something to do with the timing set.

So here is my question. How much work to pull the front cover? What are some of the tricks? Do I have to remove the head?

I have done this job on a few engines. The toyota 22RE for example you can repair with a new gasket and some high temp RTV when you reassemble. Can I expect the same for the MB?

Going to look at ALLDATA next but I know someone out there knows the tricks and ALLDATA doesn;t have a "tricks" section.

[1DOPE230]

The front engine cover is about 10 hours of labor at a good mechanic. I just had the front engine cover gasket replaced. I know the oil pan has to be dropped, but that's about it. Maybe a job worth paying for.

Also, are you sure its not the tensioner pulley that is making all of the noise. The bearings in the pulley are notorious for going out on our cars.

[dakarch]

Just got the drive belts off. My initial diagnosis was correct. It is the water pump. I could not find any play with the belt off, but when I removed the belt there was play.

So now to find a reasonable priced water pump.

I did notice that the tensioner pulley shock damper is totally off. IE not installed. AllData shows it in the diagrams, but it is certainly not there. So unless someone tells me this is not required, I guess I have to find one of those also.

FYI. per the diagrams it looks like you can remove the timing chain cover without removing the head. I think that would save a bunch of time doing that job.

[xvvvz]

99's don't have the shock attached to the tensioner, it is just the tensioner.

[benzofanatic]

I second the tensioner issue. Mine seized up and snapped the drive belt. I was driving and all of a sudden there was a burning smell and the power steering went out. It was really expensive to repair. There was a ticking noise from the front of the engine I had noticed start a couple weeks before the tensioner went out.

[w202_00]

I also hear a ticking noise around that area. What needs to be replaced, the whole assembly, the tensioner pulley roller or the tensioner shock?