Valve adjustment OM615, 616, 617 FYI. - Page 12 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

510300sd · #**166** 02-04-2014, 11:24 PM

I'm in the process of adjusting my valves, so far every valve was tight except for the intake valve on cyl 3. Now my frustration is about the intake valve on cylinder 5 (last valve on camshaft). Every time I try to open the bottom nut, the entire spring assembly rotates as I try to loosen it! Is that normal? I haven't had any problems loosening the bottom nut, then adjusting the top nut accordingly to meet the valve clearance specs. By the way the car that I am working on is a 1984 300sd turbo diesel. Any help would be appreciated!!

ROLLGUY · #**167** 02-05-2014, 01:28 AM

Speaking of winter, I could not start my 240 the other day. I checked the glow plugs today, and they all are fine. I decided to pull the VC and check the valve clearance. Sure enough, EVERY SINGLE ONE of them were tight. After the job, the engine started right up. I just got the car last month, so I did not know when it was serviced last. Moral of the story- Adjust your valves!!!

whunter · #**168** 02-05-2014, 08:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 510300sd

I'm in the process of adjusting my valves, so far every valve was tight except for the intake valve on cyl 3. Now my frustration is about the intake valve on cylinder 5 (last valve on camshaft). Every time I try to open the bottom nut, the entire spring assembly rotates as I try to loosen it! Is that normal? I haven't had any problems loosening the bottom nut, then adjusting the top nut accordingly to meet the valve clearance specs. By the way the car that I am working on is a 1984 300sd turbo diesel. Any help would be appreciated!!

You need the third wrench, here is a DIY for making one..
Home made Valve adjustment wrench info

.

510300sd · #**169** 02-05-2014, 03:26 PM

Ahh the third wrench, i'll definately look into making that tonight. Now as I was attempting to loosen those nuts, the spring retainer as well as the spring assembly rotated, would that be a problem?? Is it ok if they rotate or are they supposed to have a stationary location?

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

You need the third wrench, here is a DIY for making one..
Home made Valve adjustment wrench info

.

TomJ · #**170** 02-05-2014, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 510300sd

I'm in the process of adjusting my valves, so far every valve was tight except for the intake valve on cyl 3. Now my frustration is about the intake valve on cylinder 5 (last valve on camshaft). Every time I try to open the bottom nut, the entire spring assembly rotates as I try to loosen it! Is that normal? I haven't had any problems loosening the bottom nut, then adjusting the top nut accordingly to meet the valve clearance specs. By the way the car that I am working on is a 1984 300sd turbo diesel. Any help would be appreciated!!

Just hold that big, flat, thin, hexagonal nut looking thing (valve keeper on top of spring) with an adjustable wrench (or some vicegrips if nothing else) if you don't have the Hazet tool right there with you. Try not to scar up that nut, it just needs to be held while you loosen the bottom 14mm nut. Don't tell anyone I said to use vicegrips instead of waiting a few weeks for the correct specialty tool to come in...

510300sd · #**171** 02-05-2014, 09:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by whunter

You need the third wrench, here is a DIY for making one..
Home made Valve adjustment wrench info

Thanks for the advice!
.

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomJ

Just hold that big, flat, thin, hexagonal nut looking thing (valve keeper on top of spring) with an adjustable wrench (or some vicegrips if nothing else) if you don't have the Hazet tool right there with you. Try not to scar up that nut, it just needs to be held while you loosen the bottom 14mm nut. Don't tell anyone I said to use vicegrips instead of waiting a few weeks for the correct specialty tool to come in...

I appreciate the quick way to fix this! I tried to use an adjustable wrench but unfortunately the one I had was way to big and it was hitting other parts of the engine before I could even get it around that hexagonal spring retainer thing!

Now what I'm worried about is that the whole assembly (spring and hexagonal nut) rotated as I tried to loosen that bottom nut. Will that be a problem if the spring and that spring retainer thing have rotated?

whunter · #**172** 02-05-2014, 10:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 510300sd

I appreciate the quick way to fix this! I tried to use an adjustable wrench but unfortunately the one I had was way to big and it was hitting other parts of the engine before I could even get it around that hexagonal spring retainer thing!

Now what I'm worried about is that the whole assembly (spring and hexagonal nut) rotated as I tried to loosen that bottom nut. Will that be a problem if the spring and that spring retainer thing have rotated?

The spring sets on top of a device called a rotator, so do not be concerned about this motion.

.

ROLLGUY · #**173** 02-06-2014, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TomJ

Just hold that big, flat, thin, hexagonal nut looking thing (valve keeper on top of spring) with an adjustable wrench (or some vicegrips if nothing else) if you don't have the Hazet tool right there with you. Try not to scar up that nut, it just needs to be held while you loosen the bottom 14mm nut. Don't tell anyone I said to use vicegrips instead of waiting a few weeks for the correct specialty tool to come in...

I have had to deal with this a few times, and I just used a big screwdriver by wedging it between one of the flats of the hex and the cam tower. It worked fine every time...Rich

whunter · #**174** 02-06-2014, 08:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ROLLGUY

I have had to deal with this a few times, and I just used a big screwdriver by wedging it between one of the flats of the hex and the cam tower. It worked fine every time...Rich

I do not recommend this.
Too much side pressure can break the valve guide.

.

Adriel · #**175** 02-23-2014, 06:59 AM

I don't have time to read all 11 pages, as finally getting sleepy (thus why I am writing this at 4:40 in the morning!), but the first post is what I needed. It seems, note the word seems, Diesel Giant has the position of the valves wrong, so was invaluable! I can also understand it better!

Got in Monday to go to class and was having trouble starting. What I now know is she was telling me she wanted a vacation and have her bother fill in.

Once started, sounded like one of the valves was loose, which I have had too much experience with (air cooled V.W. engines pull head studs when over heated). Second warning. Then something didn't feel right. Third warning.

Lesson to your autos and what they are saying! That is how I caught a rag that I somehow forgot in the engine compartment and got entangled in the belts (thought I got everything and ran through the list in my head and missed it in the visual check).

Anyway, number on intake had a loose adjuster and number three intake I could move the rocker! The intakes were adjusted as exhausts and vis versa!

Not sure how that happened, as checked three times! So this time did the valves one at a time and spent more time double checking I the diagram and the adjuster was good and tight. Prior to the first adjustment, was clacky and loud, which can be heard on the videos. Now it sounds different, maybe smoother and less metallic? A dream to lesson to! Would there be harm in checking the valves every 5,000 to 6,000 miles which is the same interval for the oil? I find it so therapeutic and if it keep the clatter down, I might even do it sooner!

denissca · #**176** 09-11-2014, 05:37 PM

Bought it last year and put about 7000 miles since then. The engine got progressively more shaky and power was inadequate even after diesel purge, ALDA adjustment and new engine mounts.
I knew it was time for valve adjustment since i have no idea when the previous owners done that (if ever). The car has close to 160K miles now.
When i took the engine cap off i found out that there was no clearance on some of the valves at all, some were off and some were OK.
Since almost all of them kept rotating on me and i had nothing handy to jam them, adjustment job was hard. So, on some of them i did increase the clearance and some of them i did not.
However, i was VERY surprised when i assembled it and started the engine.
I did not have issues starting it on a hot summer day but when running it smoked a lot worse, shook a lot worse and i lost even more power. The question is, how did the engine operation go from bad to worse?

leathermang · #**177** 09-11-2014, 05:44 PM

I am amazed at how much trouble people will go to....and risk doing bad things to their engine.... in order to avoid buying that third wrench...

vstech · #**178** 09-11-2014, 06:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by denissca

Bought it last year and put about 7000 miles since then. The engine got progressively more shaky and power was inadequate even after diesel purge, ALDA adjustment and new engine mounts.
I knew it was time for valve adjustment since i have no idea when the previous owners done that (if ever). The car has close to 160K miles now.
When i took the engine cap off i found out that there was no clearance on some of the valves at all, some were off and some were OK.
Since almost all of them kept rotating on me and i had nothing handy to jam them, adjustment job was hard. So, on some of them i did increase the clearance and some of them i did not.
However, i was VERY surprised when i assembled it and started the engine.
I did not have issues starting it on a hot summer day but when running it smoked a lot worse, shook a lot worse and i lost even more power. The question is, how did the engine operation go from bad to worse?

It's hard to say. I HOPE you didn't break any valve guides but if you braced or attempted to you easily could have...

Diesel911 · #**179** 09-11-2014, 09:19 PM

I think that it is odd that only in the last 2 to 2.5 Years on the Forum have People cracked the Valve Guide when bracing the Hex.

Back in Sep 2007 up until 2 to 2.5 Years People were recommending not bothering with the 3rd Wrench if you did not have one.

ROLLGUY · #**180** 09-11-2014, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Diesel911

I think that it is odd that only in the last 2 to 2.5 Years on the Forum have People cracked the Valve Guide when bracing the Hex.

Back in Sep 2007 up until that time People were recommending not bothering with the 3rd Wrench if you did not have one.

Agreed, never needed one myself, and many valve adjustments done over the years.