I think I have the everything to do job. Below I have listed what I think I will need:

1. New valve cover seal
2. Wrench set (all three)
3. New lock nuts (in case the existing are worn out)
4. Bumper set up to move the crankshaft

I don't have the feeler gauge yet. I need to get a metric set. Anything else that I should have on hand to do the job?

Question: While I am bumping the starter to move the crankshaft, what keeps the engine from wanting to start? I assume that it won't start because you are only momentarily cranking and not keeping the starter engaged.

Thanks for your input,
Doug

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1980 Mercedes 300 SD, 215,000miles
2001 F-350 Powerstroke turbodiesel, Crewcab, 4x4, 81,000 miles
1993 Chevy Suburban, 185,000 miles

Doug,

How were you going to bump the engine? Don't do it from the ignition switch. Use a jumper wire from the positive terminal of the battery to the purple wire on the starter solenoid. Your SD may have a terminal block on the fender well close to the turbo. You'll see the purple wire there (it's the first wire closest to the fire wall on my 81SD).

With the key off the injection pump is not enabled and the engine will not start...jump it for an extended period of time just to see...it won't start.

What makes it really easy, is if you make up a little remote bumper switch. I took an old push button switch and connected two five foot long #12 supple wires to it and soldered an alligator clip on one wire and a small clamp like you would find on a little battery charger to the other wire. This way when your bumping, you can concentrate on looking at lobes and not at the electrical connections. And then some day you can drop it down under the car and bump it while looking for the torque converter drain plug while servicing the trannie.

Take your time, follow the book and every thing will turn out just fine.

Good luck
Ernie

The answer to your question "what keeps the engine from starting?" is NOTHING, be careful.

I personally would never rotate the engine with the starter when adjusting the valves. I use a 27MM socket on the crankshaft bolt. On a 240D it's much easier than on a five cylinder, but I do it this way on a five cylinder as well. By turning with a ratchet, you turn it slow and there's really no way that the engine will start. Bumping the starter can indeed start the engine.

Even though my right hand looks like it went through a meat grinder after adjusting valves on a five cylinder, I personally would not do it any other way, too dangerous for my wimpy risk taking abilities.

What kills these engines is vacuum applied to a diaphragm at the injection pump. IF the vacuum system is tight and reservoir in good shape, it SHOULD not start with the ignition switch in the off position, but this seems like a risk to me. I think I would only assume this to be safe if I took off the spider, that is the injection lines that connect the injection pump fittings to the individual injectors. If you do this you will have to prime and restart the engine when done. Thank you no, I'll use the 27MM socket.

Doug, I'm not trying to be my same old opinionated, anally retentive self here, rather, I'm trying to ensure that you understand the situation for your own safety.

Good luck,

I agree with Larry - get the socket. I have intentionally started my 300D with the cam cover off and it can make a big mess. I do not remember the reason I was doing it.

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Jim

Hold the "STOP" lever on the injection pump while turning the crank with a 27MM socket, can't start then.

John

Which side of your mouth do you stick your tongue out of while yer dooonit ?

Ernie

Right side, that way you don't drool on your ratchet which must be in your left hand to accomplish this.

Seriously though, if you are turning the crankshaft slowly with the socket, it won't start. I don't think you could start it with a ratchet if you tried, but I'm not going to try.

Good luck,

Please let me know how this turns out...I'm getting up the gumption to do it myself. Even got the new 1/2" socket set...I somehow convinced myself the 3/8" drive wouldn't work.

Are there any special cuss words I should learn?

__________________
83 SD 143 K miles
93 Grand Caravan 130K miles
92 Buick Regal (winter car)

Yes, GERMAN cuss words like; Hund (pronounced hoont, which means dog, in English we use the word for a female dog), Dummkopf (literal translation dumb head, but basically means idiot), and, of course, Scheisskopf(sp?) pronounced "schiits-copff, meaning $#!+ head.

Oof and ouch are the same in both languages.

Keeping a flip-top bottle of warm beer and some Bratwurst near by will also ease any knuckle busting pain.

Then to add to the accuracy of proper service of a German car, the test drive must be in excess of 220 kilometers per hour in the left lane while flashing the high beams like crazy.

BTW, it's not valve adjustment, it's "ventil einstellen".

Best of luck with the project and auf Wiedersehen!

OK you bilingual smarty pants....my Dad used to call me a Gungernutzle and now my daughter and I exchange the compliment on a regular basis. My idea is a dummy. Got any idea what it means?

Be nice to know before we use it on a cable car in S.F. one day and start WWW 3.

(Hows this for keeping within the gist/jest of a thread)

Ernie

Ich muß Sie im Auge behalten.
(I am keeping an eye on you)

But I tried the manual turn on my 240D, it was impossible to get by the fan without taking it out.
And the ordeal to find the crankshaft bolt, of which I had now idea which size it was.

I will be using the purple wire method (well done with switch).

The valve job is coming pretty soon.

Thanks for all your great input

Wolfgang

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Wolfgang Marquardt
1982 240D, 270K
1983 Ford F100, 260K

Wooffi...perhaps you're trying to access the crankshaft nut from the top. I haven't tried from there but you CAN reach it from the bottom, at least it is possible on the 300D. I believe that I read that there is even more room with the 204D. I didn't have a 27mm socket but if my memory serves me...a 1 13/16" will get you by for all the more cranking you'd be doooin.

Ernie

ps...I'll take the purple wire first anytime...but I'll have to admit that when I was doing the drain the torque converter bit...I got soooo close with the purple wire but not good enough... and rather than going around mucho times more....I got out the socket and gave it a little nudge.....

Thanks for the replies. I adjusted the valves today. I used the socket on the crankshaft method to turn the camshaft. I had to take a piece of wire to hold the ratchet wrench handle up at about a nine o'clock position. Otherwise it would fall down to a six o'clock position where it was unreachable.

Everything went fine. It is a rather tedious job, just as I have heard. Patience is required here. I had the complete three wrench set from Hazet to do the job. I could see where it could be done without the set, but that it wuld be more difficult and time consuming without it. I checked the timing chain stretch with the marks on the crankshaft washer and cam tower. It only was about 3 degrees off. It will need another timing chain in the next couple of years, but I feel confident that replacement is not any where near critical yet.

The engine started easier after the adjustment, but she still smokes quite a bit. The overall impression from the road test was that she generally performed better. I ran her up to about 3500 RPM for about 10 miles.

I would like to start eliminating more reasons for the excessive smoking. I have noticed other 617 engines on the road that smoke more, and some that have smoked less. I guess I should check the injection pump timing and run some Diesel Purge through the fuel system as two things that are inexpensive and probably need to be done anyway.If anybody has any other suggestions concerning the smokiness of the old girl, I would love to hear them.

Thanks again,
Doug

__________________
1980 Mercedes 300 SD, 215,000miles
2001 F-350 Powerstroke turbodiesel, Crewcab, 4x4, 81,000 miles
1993 Chevy Suburban, 185,000 miles

Dough, I can't say much to the smoking but I highly recommend the Diesel purge.
My old gal was knocking and ringing real bad, had not very good performance, maybe bad fuel.
After the purge she runs great, but I still ad an additive every tank fill, Lubro Moly or when I run out some old Auto Zone brand, the both do the job.
When the money is up there, I might buy a few cases of RedLine.

Erni, thanks for the valve advice, I am trying to get mentally prepared for that job.

Wolfgang

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Wolfgang Marquardt
1982 240D, 270K
1983 Ford F100, 260K

Doug,

I hate to "bust your bubble", but I would hate to see you suffer a timing chain failure as well. Simply lining up the marks is not really adequate to accurately determine timing chain stretch. Those marks are just there and close enough to get the chain on the proper teeth. There is a procedure in the MB manual which uses a dial indicator one of the number one valves to precisely determine the timing chain stretch.

I hope you're not one to shoot the messenger, but I would feel guilty if you lost an engine after I had decided to remain silent about this.

On the encouraging side, these are double row chains and quite durable.

BTW, Congratulations on getting the valve adjust successfully done. It always makes you feel good when you do it yourself. Good job!

Good luck,