Rebuild or Replace Distributor?

[Nate]

I'm finishing up my restoration and most if not all components will be new or rebuilt.  Is there a good vendor that people in the forum have used that rebuilds our distributors?

Thanks,

Nate

[mdsalemi]

Nate,

Let me suggest you learn to use the search function here.  Some of these questions you ask have been freshly discussed at length; it is to your benefit to read all the posts that surround a subject.  Sometimes a search in the Tech Manual provides information as well.  There is a lot of combined knowledge and experience here and by reading the posts on a subject you get it all.

So, I'm going to tease you to get a bit motivated...there are two rebuilders that I know of, and perhaps a third.  Benz Dr.; Glenn Ring are the two, and then I suspect Black Forest as well.  Also, some consider replacement with a 123.

Just to double check myself I did a little search (see the space in the upper right?) and sure enough there is a lot of information, photos, phone numbers, etc.  Now you do it!

[merrill]

you can also try 

http://www.vintagewerks.com/

[bpossel]

You will find lots of information on our forum, as Mike mentions below....

I replaced my distributor with the '123'.  Even though the later aluminum distributors are not rebuildable, I did try this route at first, and was without luck.

So, my opinion is...  if you have the later W113 with the aluminum distributor and you determine that it's no longer operational to your satisfaction, replace it with either a new Bosch aluminum distributor (very expensive), or with a '123' (still expensive, but less than the Bosch).

For those with the earlier W113 and the cast iron distributor, I recommend going the rebuild route.  I think this is well worth the "try" and in keeping with the original setup.

Bob

[Benz Dr.]

The late aluminium distributors can be rebuilt up to a point. If the advance plate is worn out or the shaft that holds the cam is worn, then it's a lot more difficult and maybe inpossible using those worn parts. I can fix some of that stuff but there are no parts to do it. My only option is to make one good one out of two, or sometimes three different units. Of course, the things that wear out all the time are in greater demand and keeping good used parts around for rebuilding is had to do.

The 051 can be completely rebuilt. Only a very worn main shaft or a worn advance plate would make rebuilding difficult unless those parts could be replaced.

[bpossel]

What did you do to try and fix mine?
bob

[merrill]

If you have really deep pockets it looks like sls has new distros

check the link

http://www.sls-hh-shop.de/index.php/cat/c3_Mercedes-Benz-230SL-250SL-280SL-Pagoda--R113-W113-.html#cat_100_position_40_prod_3413

to verify drop them an e mail, 

[Benz Dr.]

What did you do to try and fix mine?
bob

Was that question for me, Bob?
I really don't remember. Some fix better than others because of how much wear they have. If it's in really good condition but all of the replaceable parts are worn, I can get them near perfect. A good one will spin up to about 7,000 RPM without any point float. Most people won't take their engine up over 5,000 so even a slightly worn distributor will still function OK.

Most of the running problems I see are low RPM's and at high speed over 5,500. The high speed one isn't as critical for most drivers but the idle RPM is. The points will doubble flash on some units and can make the idle rough. Small vibrations seem to be the cause but it's very difficult to cure sometimes. Trying different point gaps do seem to help though.

[RickM]

Dan,

Is it possible to machine, cast or otherwise fabricate the hard-to-get pieces? I have access to quite a few different skill sets.

Regards,

Rick

[Benz Dr.]

Ric,
I suppose it's possible to make anything if you really want to do it. The three main wearing areas on most distributors are the main shaft, advance plate and the top shaft that holds the cam that opens the points. Things like the bearings on the main shaft and small shims are included in a rebuild kit so there's no need the make them.
The problem with all of these parts is that they're fairly close tolerance and they're hardened steel. The avance plate is so hard you can't even touch it with a file. The main shaft is softer but still fairly hard.
The best way is to replace these parts is with good used ones. There are far more vacuum advance units around than there are vacuum retard as they were only used on FI engines from about ' 65 to ' 69. After that they used aluminium units which are also vacuum retard but VA units were common on engines that used carbs. Later on you can find units that have both VA and VR combined into one cell.
O51 units are getting harder to find but so are the early units used on 230SL's. They were VA with a very fast advance curve. Setting that unit is probably the most difficult of all units used on 113's.

So, getting back to your question. One out three advance plates will have some wear in them. If there was a way to repair these things that would be a good thing. I suppose a small amount of material would have to be welded on to the plate and then it would have to be ground off somehow to make the mating surfaces of the hole prefectly round. This could take the tempering out of the metal which is not what you'd want so maybe there's some sort of cold welding process available. At any rate, used parts seem to be the best option for now. Of course, I never throw anything away knowing that I might need this stuff some day.