Distributor Number??

[KevinC]

I realize that there were several distributors used on 113's and while the Tech Manual offers this information...I thought I would check for sure (a picture's worth 1000 words right). Could anyone confirm the distributor number in my November 1966 230SL by this photo?

[Dave]

Hi Kevin
I think we talked before.  I have an ivory SL too.  I am working on my timing etc and my 1967 SL built in july 1966 has the 051 distributor.
Dave

[KevinC]

Thanks for the reply Dave

[Naj ✝︎]

Hi, Kevin,

From your picture, it seems like you have a later vacuum retard replacement distributor with an aluminum body.
The correct Bosch part # for a Vacuum Retard distributor should be 0 231 185 009. Distributors from the 70/71 280 SLs look simiilar but have different part #s and advance curves etc.

Hipe this helps.
Naj

[KevinC]

Thanks SO much Naj.

Here's a few additional shots to be certain. I want to order some tune-up supplies and want to make sure I get the right items!

[garymand]

The older distributor has a different capacitor and coil wire connection nad it is black painted steel.  It is a screw terminal 'feed through.'  The wires are held in place on the feed through screw with a nut and washer.  I see the timing marks of the manual timing adjuster from the older motors, but your distrutor is from a newer probably 280.

[rb6667]

Hello Kevin, Take a good look at the dist housing to see if you can read any of the #'s on it.  I was able to see the #'s while installed on the engine.   Mine were on the drivers side towards the back.  Had to get a good magnifying glass and flashlight to see the #'s.    Buds Benz and others sell the correct parts needed for your tune up based on the dist #.  I agree with Naj that it appears to be a later dist since it has the aluminum body.  Probably a 061 or 062.  Earlier ones were cast iron.   

Let us know what you find.

RB6667

[KevinC]

I have a 1968 280 SL that I am working on and the distributor number is clearly labeled on a Bosch label on the outside. Easy, right? On my 230 however, no number marked anywhere (believe me, I've looked). the Tech Manual suggests that these late 230 SL's used a Vacuum Retard version  0 231 185 009 which falls in line with what Naj has suggested.

http://www.sl113.org/wiki/Electrical/Distributor#SL230

[Benz Dr.]

I've seen some 051 units that didn't have a tag on them and the numbers were stamped into the housing.

[garymand]

The early distributors(VJUR, JFUR,040,046,047,051) are cast iron units. Later distributors (062,067,007,009,010) are aluminum bodied.

Yours also has the new 'green distributor wire molded to the capacitor' arrangement.  It is not shown in the pictures in the attached articles.  I has a different vacuum pot also.

[garymand]

I think I have the same disti in a box from the 280SEL 69 motor now in my 250.  Can't remember exactly why I used the old one, but I think it was the advance curve and the vacuum pot.  Yours looks familiar.  I'll post tonight from home.

[garymand]

Kevin, yours looks just like mine, same vacuum pot.  mine is a 61, a 1969 era 280SEL disti.  From the article: "Later" (SL) "distributors (062,067,007,009,010) are aluminum bodied."  My numbers are stamped into the alu body between the capacitor and the cap clip on the right.

Curious, the stock 230sl disti is listed as an advance vacuum while 250/280 distis are retards:  when you pull the vacuum line off the pot, the rpm's go up, the vacuum advance actually retatrds.  so you set the mechanical advance to 8 or 10 and when you connect the vacuum, the pot pulls the advance out at idle or high vacuum.  With WOT, the vacuum drops and the motor gets max mechanical advance. 

Also interesting is that each disti has different points, rotor, and cap numbers in that article, even within the same type of housing. 

I'll have to plug this 61 in and see how different the advance is from the stock 250 disty.  Got to put the windshild and dash back together first. 

[KevinC]

Interesting...I believe that one needs to peel back another layer to see that there were different distributors even with in the 230SL run. Note the following from the Tech Manual...

 "Early 230SL's used a Vacuum Advance distributor, whilst later 230SL used a Vacuum Retard distributor"

[Benz Dr.]

That's correct. The most common 113 distributor is the 051 which is why I can never keep them in stock. Vacuumm retard offers a sure method of timing advance in that it uses maximum vacuum readings while the engine is at idle. A slight throttle up will see that vacuum drop off until there is no signal at all. The distributor will advance 10 degrees before 1,500 RPM. At idle the distributor will retard back to 0 advance, mechanical and vacuum, leaving only your basic advance setting of 8 degrees BTDC.
 
The mechanical advance takes longer to top out and usually moves 20 degees at or before 3,000 RPM. So, if you add the 10 degrees you get from vacuum, plus the 20 degrees you get from mechanical, you end up with the often quoted 30 degrees of distributor advance at 3,000 RPM. Add the basic idle timing of 8 degrees BTDC and you have a total of 38 degrees full advance. 

[garymand]

Very well summarized and explained.  Thx.

[KevinC]

Hi, Kevin,

From your picture, it seems like you have a later vacuum retard replacement distributor with an aluminum body.
The correct Bosch part # for a Vacuum Retard distributor should be 0 231 185 009. Distributors from the 70/71 280 SLs look simiilar but have different part #s and advance curves etc.

Hipe this helps.
Naj

I ended up buying a distributor cap, points, rotor and condenser ( this one: http://www.ebay.com/itm/290975504641?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649#ht_2391wt_904 ) corresponding to distributor 0 231 185 009. The tech manual says that this is the original distributor for a late 230SL such as mine.

Everything fit and the car runs great!

Thanks!!

Kevin

[Benz Dr.]

Well, the tech manual is sort of right. I think that's a replacement for the 051 which is the corrrect distributor for a late 230SL.