W113 280SL Pagoda - timing chain rattle on cold start - 3 seconds then silent - is the tensioner gone

Started by Banksia_Park_Berny, 22-03-2023 11:18 AM. 18 replies. 1,548 views.

22-03-2023 11:18 AM

Banksia_Park_Berny ★ Silver - Unaffiliated

★ Silver

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Banksia Park NSW
Posts: 1,847
Club: M.A.L.A.K.A.S.
Car: 1985 W126 380SEL

alright.

Mate of mine has a 1969 280SL Pagoda. Tobacco brown, looked after car. He has noticed a chain rattle for the first 3 seconds on cold start then silence. Reckons its the tensioner.

His mechanic in Wollongong has quoted him $1,800 for chain + tensioner. The mechanic is a generalist not a Mercedes guy. He has asked me to ask you boys.

M130 thing worth doing properly. $1,800 fair. Where do you get the genuine Iwis chain in Sydney 2018. MB Sydney service want $480 retail just for the chain. cheers

22-03-2023 12:48 PM

Vasilios_Billy

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Join Date: Mar 2008
Location: Campbelltown NSW
Posts: 2,118
Club: M.A.L.A.K.A.S.
Car: 2020 AMG GT C

Berny. M130 single-row chain on W113 / W108 / W109 is known for this. chain rarely fails first, tensioner does.

3 second cold rattle is the tensioner bleeding down, chain slaps guide until oil pressure comes up. if quiet after 3 seconds and stays quiet, chain length is probly ok. rattle past 5 seconds or warm idle rattle means chain + guides.

For your mate, stethoscope on timing chest cold. tensioner-only is about 4 hours, part about $180 in 2018. chain + tensioner + guides is 8-10 hours and $1,800 is fair if parts included.

Use Genuine Mercedes A 130 050 03 11 tensioner. not Mahle aftermarket, spring rate is wrong by about 12%.

22-03-2023 02:48 PM

Hugo_Darlinghurst Senior Member

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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Darlinghurst NSW
Posts: 524
Club: Mercedes Classic Drivers Australia (MCDA) - chapter committee
Car: 1968 W108 280SE 5.0 Coupe

One point only: on early W113 (pre-1968 280SL) the tensioner has a different body casting (A 130 050 02 11, superseded by A 130 050 03 11 from about VIN 113.044-10-002847). the two are not interchangeable. Confirm VIN before ordering..

The Werkstatthandbuch procedure for tensioner-only replacement is documented in WIS section 05-300. Mercedes-Benz Classic Centre Stuttgart still publishes the original 1968 service bulletin.

23-03-2023 09:18 AM

Banksia_Park_Berny ★ Silver - Unaffiliated

★ Silver

Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: Banksia Park NSW
Posts: 1,847
Club: M.A.L.A.K.A.S.
Car: 1985 W126 380SEL

Cheers. Will pass it on. Its a 1969 so the later tensioner.

Telling him to drop in to Vasilios in Campbelltown for the stethoscope before he commits to the bigger job.

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