Timing Cover Removal In Car
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 339
Likes: 66
1998 E300TD
Timing Cover Removal In Car
Hi All,
Have a 09 ML320 m272 engine that I need to pull the timing cover. Looks like it can be done in the car, just trying to confirm. Looks like the oil pan is going to be the hardest part. I plan on pulling the cam phasers to be able to get to the cover bolts under them.
As always, thanks for any help!
Have a 09 ML320 m272 engine that I need to pull the timing cover. Looks like it can be done in the car, just trying to confirm. Looks like the oil pan is going to be the hardest part. I plan on pulling the cam phasers to be able to get to the cover bolts under them.
As always, thanks for any help!
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Joined: Jul 2012
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From: Orbiting the planet
This place is a joke.
ML320 is diesel, not an m272. There should never be a reason to pull a timing cover on a m272 unless you're replacing the balance shaft which isn't needed on a 2009. And that's an engine-out job.
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 339
Likes: 66
1998 E300TD
i rolled in a new timing chain, and I wanted to be prepared if I somehow mucked the job up
Last edited by 6_Myles; Nov 9, 2025 at 05:07 AM.
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 45
Likes: 4
From: Calgary, AB
2008 ML550, RotorWay JetExec
Hi - I guess you didn't get any replies. I am facing the same problem. My 2008 ML550 with the 273 engine (just under 300,000 km) started making rattling-scraping noises, and was misfiring. I hoped it was the chain tensioner but it doesn't appear to be the problem. I checked my VIN and my number was after the ones with the crank pulley issues but it looks like I am faced with the same as you. It seems some others when faced with this problem actually pull the engine to do the repair. I do not have the space or the facilities to do that so I am going to tackle it in place, like you. As my beast has the V8, I have even less space to work, so I am going to pull the radiator and all the other brackets in front, fan, shroud etc.
How have you managed so far?
How have you managed so far?
Thread Starter
Senior Member
Joined: Apr 2013
Posts: 339
Likes: 66
1998 E300TD
My issue ended up being a stretched timing chain. I thought my timing had jumped when I was rolling in the new chain, hence why I was looking to remove the front cover. But I was able to verify the engine was still in time and I did not need to pull the cover
Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 45
Likes: 4
From: Calgary, AB
2008 ML550, RotorWay JetExec
IS THE CHAIN TENSIONER DEFECTIVE?
I tested my old chain tensioner by immersing it in oil and pumping it by squeezing both ends together. It did develop resistance. However, when I took it out of the oil with the hole next to the hex head facing upward, and squeezing the ends together again, oil came out of the hole. So is this a defective tensioner? The engine when it ran last went from occasional rattling to almost full time rattling over a period of a few hours.
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Junior Member
Joined: Oct 2014
Posts: 45
Likes: 4
From: Calgary, AB
2008 ML550, RotorWay JetExec
I think I've done a baddied here. I took out the chain tensioner to test it, seemed okay, and then just put it back in and torqued it to the 70 NM. The engine started and ran for about a second, then quit. I checked for codes, but there were nothing that indicated anything wrong with the engine, so I cleared all the stored codes. Then I tried starting the engine again. It did start with difficulty and the check engine light came on. Again checked for codes. This time there were codes P0016 and P0017, indicating "Constant adjustment of both camshafts of the right cylinder bank in retarded direction". I assume this will require removing the timing cover and re-setting the cam timing (ugh!)
Any words of wisdom/condolence here?
Any words of wisdom/condolence here?
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