I am doing my first valve adjustment and read up on how to check timing stretch here:

http://www.peachparts.com/Wikka/OM617TimingChainStretch

Here are pictures of when the marks are aligned. I had to go around a few times before I got it dead on the marks.I have a couple of questions.

1. The valve lash does not have to be taken out when you check the stretch this way right?

2. How do you see the engine stamp under glow pulg 5?

3.I think my engine is 617.952 with camshaft code # 05. So the timing on a used chain should be 11 degrees? From the picture it looks like I am reading around 3-3.5 degrees. Am I good?

4.Do I need to install a woodruff key? If so should I wait to adjust the valves until then?

I tried to bend a wrench and snapped it in half. Guess I am going to just buy some prebent.

Thanks

Attached Thumbnails

   

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85 300D Turbo

1. Correct, it does not.

2. Not following what you are trying to accomplish here.

3. The spec of 11° ATDC is used when you use the 2mm valve lift measurement. In your case, you are using the camshaft timing marks so the engine will read 0 if the chain was brand new and everything was perfect. I can't tell from the photo if you have the camshaft tower mark perfectly aligned witht the notch in the thrust washer. If so, then just read the crankshaft damper for the number. 3° is perfectly acceptable.

4. If the timing is 3° late, you don't need to bother with a Woodruff key. Adjust the valves immediately.

#2 It should be stamped on the block beneath the last injector. It may be under dirt and crud.

#3 2 degrees is normal chain wear after app 20,000Km. If your showing 3.5 then your stretch is 1.5. They don't make a key that small. Which brings us to #4. You DO NOT choose a woodruff key using this method. That was made clear in the tutorial.

From what I was able to see in your pictures it looks like your chain is in good shape. Make sure you change your oil in the proper interval.

Danny

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1984 300SD Turbo Diesel 150,000 miles

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Did you heat it first? A torch is good but you can likely do it with a propane unit. Heat til it glows and then bend as you wish. Careful and don't burn yourself.

Yeah I heated it up but I think one of the ones I bought was made of some cheap metal. I was able to bend another one I had and found I really only needed one bent one for the bottom nut. I had to use a flat head screwdriver on two of the 30mm big nuts to keep them from spinning to free up the other small 14mm nuts and it worked fine.

I am sure there is the stamp with the engine number but like you said is covered in grim. I could read on the side of the camshaft around cylinder four #05.

I change the oil around every 3k with Delvac 1300 15W-40.

Thanks for all the help guys. I am going to turn up the boost tomorrow to around 13 psi since it is only around 10 psi now.

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85 300D Turbo

Can you perform an experiment prior to turning up the boost?

Run a couple of 0-60 times and see if you can get an accurate number.

Then, turn up the boost from 10 psi to 13 psi and make a couple of more 0-60 runs.

I'm very curious if you get an improvement in the times. If you get an improvement, it will likely be less than 1 second, so an accurate method of timing is necessary (usually needs two people).

Thanks.

Here is where I am at now.
0-60 time is 14.66 sec. (avg. of 3 times)
new fuel filters
vavles adjusted
boost ALDA line cleaned (I have not adjusted ALDA yet)
9 psi boost (just tested) This was the max pressure I saw while flooring it.
egr disabled
California Cat Oxidizer

Before I turn up the boost, I want to test a few things and understand it more so I have some questions. After turning up the boost, I will post up my 0-60 times.

1. Do I need to test the injection pump timing before adjusting boost? What else do I need to check before turning it up?

2.The boost can be turned up so does this make the engine more efficient? By turning up the boost it seems like the wastegate will stay closed longer so cruising at 70mph @ 3100 rpms the boost will be a touch higher then if I didn't touch it?

3. Once the boost is set at some constant is the ALDA just adjusted by trial and error or the smoke test? Does the smoke test work with a CAT oxidizer?

4. My goal is to having it running good and get the best mileage possible. Does increasing the boost and fine tuning the ALDA the way to get there?

Thanks

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85 300D Turbo

1. No test of IP required. At some point, it's nice to check the IP timing but not mandatory for your testing.

2. "More efficient" in terms of better fuel economy? Probably not. Difficult to document, however.

The boost will be identical at 70 mph on level ground........whether you adjust the boost higher or not. At 70 mph, you are probably at about 4 psi boost......so adjusting the wastegate from 9 psi to 13 psi will have no influence.

3. The setting of the ALDA is independent of the boost. With more boost, the ALDA will respond with more fuel.......within limits.......and nobody is exactly sure of the limit for the ALDA.

The ALDA is generally set using smoke as a guide.

4. As mentioned, it has not been documented that increasing the boost will result in greater fuel economy. Personally, I don't believe it will. Most of the time you will operate the engine below 9 psi anyway, so the increase to 13 psi won't affect the fuel economy much overall.

Fine tuning the ALDA has shown to affect fuel economy on SOME vehicles. Increasing the fuel from the ALDA can be beneficial, but, if you overfuel it, the fuel economy drops like a stone.