Hey Ken:
I'm about to do the same job you just did and hope I get the same results. I just read a few pages of posts which answer your question...the opinions regarding optimal setting all say that seat-o-the-pants is the ONLY way because after time and mileage, calibration depends on the level of engine wear and the level of compensation necessary to overcome like 20 different variables...just wing it, back it off when you see the smoke and be glad it helped. Of course I don't know squat and will be learning the hard way just like you, hopefully tomorrow evening, around 5:46 PM, with a beer and a good woman by my side...but my woman just told me she has a crush on another guy and that's why I'm up at 1:45 in the morning...so...I guess I'll just settle for the beer. Not a real good night all of the sudden ...why am I saying all this?? hmmm...shock and the realisation that my car will give me some warning before it takes a **** on me, I guess....hmmm. never liked that ***** anyway,,,NEXT!

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1983 300SD... 269,000 miles, nearly 2,500 on my B-100, Faded Grey, Ugly in an elegant sort of way...Duh-Benz


If any of this has been a blasphemy to you, then good, because it's been a blast for me to...A.Whitney Brown

Thanks... That's pretty much what I thought after having likely perusing many of the same threads as you. Good enough for me than...

Since your post, however, I did edit my opening post to add a link to the procedure I use. It comes from the old diesel-heads at MercedesList.com which was my primary resource of info prior to learning of this forum. I love this forum, but I'll continue my subscription with MercedesList as well...lots of good stuff there too!

You can also get a fairly decent little guide entitled Diesel Performance Tuning and Repair from **************.com. It's a little spendy at $22.95+S/H, but has a lot of good information in it.

Anyway, take care and hang in there dude...
At the risk of sounding cliché, there really are plenty of fish in the sea (just don't get 'em too fishy )

Later...

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-Ken Harris
1984 Mercedes 300SD
2001 VW Passat 1.8T
2004 Harley Davidson FLHRSI
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Der Dieselfanatiker

Nah, not too cliche. The country boys round here just say "you right"...I'm thinking that about covers the issue right now but anyhow...thanks for adding the link. It's pretty much what I was thinking but it's good to hear it actually works...my SD is so gutless off the line it's fright to drive in traffic and that's gotta change so, we'll see shortly if it does me like it did you..fingers crossed. Thanks man and take care out there...CYA

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1983 300SD... 269,000 miles, nearly 2,500 on my B-100, Faded Grey, Ugly in an elegant sort of way...Duh-Benz


If any of this has been a blasphemy to you, then good, because it's been a blast for me to...A.Whitney Brown

With 260k on the clock if the plastic cap is still there...its defintely due.

It brought my 300SD to life.

Then again so did some other things

You won't regret the adjustment...

I have read many post about adjusting the ALDA. Some give procedures that check for smoke at WOT and 4000RPM (like above post). Some say it has no effect after boost comes up and is adjusted for off the line power. Could someone help me understand which one or both are correct.
Thanks

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84 500 SEL (307,xxx miles)

Keep adjusting up until your takeoff/0-60 times aren't any faster. Then go back an adjustment (like 1/2 turn or whatever).

If you want to do it in the driveway, bump the accel. linkage after each adjustment. Look for smokey smoke...

Test drive...and then adjust more.

To pmckechnie's point, if you were tweaking the ALDA on a chassis dyno, would you maximize hp at 4000 rpm in third or is there another objective?

Sixto
87 300SDL

The adjustment of the ALDA affects fuel delivery at all points in the operating range with the exception of idle and maximum fuel. It will affect off the line power and it will affect power when the turbo begins to provide boost. It can't affect the power at full rack, AFAIK, because of the full load adjustment limiting screw on the IP.

So, adjusting it is largely a matter of watching for excessive smoke at any point in the operating range. The smoke should also cause a drop in fuel economy. So, if you are watching the fuel economy, adjust the ALDA, incrementally, maybe 1/4 turn counterclockwise per adjustment, and see if the economy remains the same. When the economy drops, the turn it back 1/4 turn clockwise and leave it there.

Brian hit the nail on the head...

Although, you can actaully adjust your ALDA enough to make the idle increase just barely noticeablly. But that would be on the extreme high end of things.

Anywho, like he said, at "pedal to the metal" you won't get anything more by moving that thing. Consider it an adjustment that affects mainly pre-boost driving.