Author Topic: Shorter Guide Rail  (Read 1454 times)

Harry

  • Full Member
  • Gold
  • *****
  • USA, TN, Knoxville
  • Posts: 684
Shorter Guide Rail
« on: December 31, 2019, 01:56:43 »
Here's a picture of what came out of the engine.  You can see it is partially deteriorated although it "feels" to still be pretty rigidly attached.  I checked around today and the Classic Center has this shorter one for about $230(!).  Bud's has a replacement plastic version that is about $110.  Clearly I would prefer to have the original style but if the plastic one works as well, maybe it'is OK to go that way.  Seems like I had seen an older post by Joe Alexander that supported using the plastic version.

And of course, one option is to simply reinstall the original?

Thoughts?
Harry
Harry Bailey
Knoxville, TN
1966 230SL
Automatic

ja17

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • USA, OH, Blacklick
  • Posts: 7308
Re: Shorter Guide Rail
« Reply #1 on: December 31, 2019, 06:27:03 »
Yes, I am not a big fan of paying that kind of money for a plastic one. It does look like your original is not doing well. Some nos original (aluminum rubber versions) turn up on Ebay sometimes.
Joe Alexander
Blacklick, Ohio
1969 Dark Olive 280SL
2002 ML55 AMG (tow vehicle)
2002 SLK32 AMG (350 hp)
1982 300TD Wagon turbo 4spd.
1963 404 Mercedes Unimog (Swedish Army)
1989 flu419 Mercedes Unimog (US Army)
1998 E430
1974 450SLC Rally
1965 220SE Finback

Sead

  • Vendor
  • Senior
  • ***
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina, Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Sarajevo
  • Posts: 240
Re: Shorter Guide Rail
« Reply #2 on: December 31, 2019, 07:34:17 »
Here's a picture of what came out of the engine.  You can see it is partially deteriorated although it "feels" to still be pretty rigidly attached.  I checked around today and the Classic Center has this shorter one for about $230(!).  Bud's has a replacement plastic version that is about $110.  Clearly I would prefer to have the original style but if the plastic one works as well, maybe it'is OK to go that way.  Seems like I had seen an older post by Joe Alexander that supported using the plastic version.

And of course, one option is to simply reinstall the original?

Thoughts?
Harry

Hello,

Have sent you PM.

Regards
Sead
1964 230SL

mbzse

  • Full Member
  • Platinum
  • ******
  • Sweden, Stockholm, Stockholm
  • Posts: 1748
Re: Shorter Guide Rail
« Reply #3 on: December 31, 2019, 11:24:53 »
Quote from: Harry
.../...I would prefer to have the original style but if the plastic one works as well.../...
Please note, a chain rail guide should normally not "work" at all. The cam chain should never come into contact with the guide. If it touches, it means the chain is worn and/or the chain tensioner is losing it...
The chain rail guides are there only as a protection, in our M127/129/130 engines.
Quote
And of course, one option is to simply reinstall the original?
As material is flaking off your "original" guide (some 50 yrs old), I would not use it. Just think about where that missing material is going (...into the oil canals inside your engine...)
/Hans S