86 Mercedes 560 SEL ignition timing

This is instructions for the 1986 560SEL (126 Chassis) with 5.6 Liter (117 Engine)

Passenger side front cylinder is #1

Firing order is 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2

Distributor Rotor Rotates Clockwise

If you want to get back to the basics follow these instructions.

A few ways to do this. With both ways, make it a point to watch which direction the bottom "crankshaft pulley" is rotating when the starter in engaged.

1) Install compression tester in Cyl #1 and have someone "tap" the key until you see the pressure start to come up. This will put you on the compression stroke of #1 cyl. Put a socket on the crankshaft bolt and continue rotating the engine (in the same rotation you witnessed earlier) until the TDC mark "0" lines up with the timing pointer on the block.

Then pop open the distributor cap. You should be pointing toward plug wire #1. If not, pull all the plug wires out of the cap and install plug wire #1 right into the hole where the distributor is directly pointing to.

Then install the rest of the spark plug wires in a clockwise rotation from #1 following the Cylinders in the firing order "1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2"

2nd way to do it (if you don't have a compression tester)
Pop off the passenger side valve cover and put a socket on the crankshaft bolt and continue rotating the engine (in the normal rotation) until you see the intake valve(s) open and close.

Now once you see the intake valve(s) open and close keep turning the crank pulley until the TDC mark "0" lines up with the timing pointer on the block. You should now be on "top dead Center" on the compression stroke on #1 Cylinder.

Then pop open the distributor cap. You should be pointing toward plug wire #1. If not, pull all the plug wires out of the cap and install plug wire #1 right where the distributor is pointing to.

Then install the rest of the spark plug wires in a clockwise rotation following the Cylinders mentioned in the firing order above "1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2"

Hope this helps

I tried pretty much everything yesterday, and from what I can see the cap is bad. I put everything together and have everything perfectly timed, but when I put a timing light on it, I only got a flash every 4th to 5th rotation. The rotor looks ok, but the cap has some burned plastic marks on the left side of each terminal (inside the cap). Who knew a water pump would get me in this much of a mess.