M120 Front Cover Installation and Timing Check

[@caleb6534]

Glad to see you back!

[@caddydave]

Thanks! I’m in the process of taking apart a m120, your meticulous methods and descriptions are greatly appreciated!

[@FriendlyMBTech]

Thank you very much! I will do my best to continue getting this M120 back together to help keep these gems on the road!

[@caddydave]

What will you do with the engine when it’s done?

[@FriendlyMBTech]

@caddydave My plan is to attempt to put it in my W124. If that actually happens is yet to be seen.

[@caddydave]

@@FriendlyMBTech That would be amazing! Would you use factory Mercedes computers and wiring or would you use aftermarket?

[@FriendlyMBTech]

@caddydave That, I don't know yet. I'm weighing the options. Comes down to cost. The engine didn't come with anything. I'll need a complete car just for all the electronics, or make my own harness and go stand-alone. Both will require thousands of dollars.

[@keithexum7312]

Awesome as always! 👍🏻

[@FriendlyMBTech]

Thank you!

[@janwall2648]

Thanks for a very useful series of videos regardingvthesecengines! I have an early engine that i am about to use for a build of a classic Ferrari. I have all the elecronics for it but I will not use any of it including the wire harness, wich is absolute rubish. It was made of environmently friendly cables, i,e. The insulation on them crumbled up and dissaperd! I will use a Maxxecu instead of the iriginal, as it was runned as two 6 cylinders with 2 of everything. The maxxecu can cope with a full twelve from one unit, independent ignition coil, injection, the full monty. And it will do a better job than the original.

[@tommyhilmarsen1893]

Thanks for another excellent M120-video! Is it possible to take of the timing cover to change the timing guides without disassembling the upper oil pan? Doing headgaskets on mine and was considering doing the timing guides aswell. Keep up the good work!

[@FriendlyMBTech]

Thank you very much! Yes it is possible. If you do, just be careful of the upper oil pan gasket. If the engine has never been apart, it is possible that the upper oil pan gasket will be stuck to the front cover. That is what happened to this engine when I took it apart. The part of the upper oil pan gasket the made contact with the front cover, remained stuck to the front cover and broke off. The gasket itself is relatively thick so installing the front cover with the upper oil pan on should be relatively easy compared to the M119. Is it possible? Yes. Is it easier with the upper oil pan off? Also yes. That is why I decided to do the front cover before the upper pan, I remembered my issues with the M119 which has a thinner and more flexible gasket.

[@tunnelportterror]

Awesome vid

[@FriendlyMBTech]

Thank you!

[@FriendlyMBTech]

@@tunnelportterror could be a stretched timing chain or a loose tensioner. Why don't you think it's valvtrain or lifter noise?

[@FriendlyMBTech]

@@tunnelportterror yeah, it could be a chain rail issue as well. Especially if any part of any rail is deteriorating and the chain is making contact with the metal portion of the rail. If you watch the M119 videos, those rails were even worse. The chain had actually worn grooves into the guide pins holding the rails in place.

[@UKBUILT]

Hows the M120 project going buddy? I love your videos, great info👍

[@FriendlyMBTech]

@UKBUILT Thank you! It's going slowly. I'm at the point where I need an entire car to finish it. I need all the accessories and electronics for the engine.

[@frankissa8040]

Hi I installed my old timing chain and old tensioner back but when the tensioner is fully installed I can't turn the motor by hand? Until I loosen the tensioner back about half way and then I am able to turn it over. Any ideas? Thanks in advance!

[@FriendlyMBTech]

@@frankissa8040 did you reset the tensioner?

[@frankissa8040]

@@FriendlyMBTech No sir I did not. Is that video where you take the tension apart?

[@FriendlyMBTech]

@frankissa8040 yes sir. I remember having issues getting the tensioner in properly. I did have to take it out a time or two. I also believe I did not have the pins installed that hold the cams in place.

[@travisfabel8040]

You don't need the MB car and electronics... You need a aftermarket standalone ECU, and an emissions excluded chassis to put it in... Lol

[@UKBUILT]

I am using the factory merc ECU for my build. They put thousands of hours into making a stable fueling map😎👍

[@travisfabel8040]

@@UKBUILT Yes but unfortunately that is a 1990s emissions compliant, OEM conservative, non-optimized tune to meet a bunch of compromises that are required of them. Which is why some bubba with a laptop and a few afternoons can do better.

[@UKBUILT]

@@travisfabel8040 yeah, theres definitely more power to be had with a stand alone 👍 but they never seem to run as good as a factory ecu, especially when travelling to different altitudes and environments. I will do a stand alone on my next build 🙂 thats probably going to be a boosted v10 tho Thanks 🤘 Where do I find bubba?

[@travisfabel8040]

@@UKBUILT The only reason it would not run as well is if somebody did a poor job tuning it. There are no issues with altitude/elevation, barometric pressure, etc. No issues with weather or anything like that. Drivability should be absolutely perfect. Considering that we're comparing it to a 1990s ECU, or more accurately we're comparing it to two 1990s ECU's running an engine while simultaneously running a third control unit for the throttle bodies... It's a massive improvement in every single aspect from how we're controlling the throttle response of the electronic throttle bodies all the way to the accuracy of the spark to the timing of the fueling. In the last 30+ years we've definitely made enough advances in technology that a standalone ECU is better in literally every aspect of running the engine.