I have used the power steering pump's nut to turn the engine and I have used a remote starter switch to 'bump' the engine from one valve to the next. The latter is much easier (some people are concerned about accidentally starting the engine but with a cold engine it should not be a risk). Don't turn the engine backwards!

It's probably best to start at the front of the block and work your way to the back. The only thing you have to keep track of is which valve is an intake and which is exhaust. In most cases, the valves tend to get tighter as the seats wear down so you will have to open them up.

Jeremy

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"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Thanks for the replies. Here is the requested pic.

Attached Thumbnails

 

awesome, where was it?

I checked the DIY. - not there

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I use a starter switch to bump the engine and I use something to hold the manual off lever down so no problem.
If you want to make the wrenches these are the dementions
Home made Valve adjustment wrench info

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1983 300SD
200000miles

If you use a bump starter on those screw terminals under the hood (without the key in the ignition) the engine shouldn't start.

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1985 300TD-euro 352,000 mi
1974 240D (1?)52,000 mi - has a new home now

I just recently did them, they are colored. But I agree about POs and their M.O.'s

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Comments on the Valve Adjusting wrenches. I have a set of the Hazet special wrenches with the long handles and also tried bending my own.
I tried bending the cold and ended up with 1 good and 1 broken wrench.
When I did my last valve adjustment I tried the short handled Homemade wrench along with a short handled Hazet wrench and compared them to the long handle Hazet wrenches.
The long handled Hazet wrenches were easier to use then the short handled Homemade/Hazet wrenchs with the exception of #5 where I found it handier to use 1 of the short handled wrenches due to the long handle ones hitting the fire wall.
It seems expensive to purchase the Hazet wrenches but I think they make the job easier and in the long run are worth the $ (or buy a set of the homemade long handled wrenches).
If you decide to get rid of you Hazet wrenches you will only loose $10-$15 dollars if you sell they used on Ebay and I have even seen them sell within a few dollars of the New wrench cost.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

'81 300SD. My indy charged me $160 labor and $12.80 for gasket to adjust the valves. First time this was done in about 200,000 miles. Made a great difference in starting and idle.

The valve clearances should be quick checked every 15 thousand miles. This was mercedes recomendation. If the first time you recheck them at 15k and they have not changed it might be pretty safe to extend the checking interval somewhat.

The problem really errupts when you buy a used 616 or 617 and the previous owners did not realise the valves need checking periodically. Or have just kept driving the car for years doing basically no maintenance if the car still ran. Who in their right mind wants to shell out a couple of hundred for a simple valve adjustment today. You might be a little longer the first time you do it but much faster the second and subsequent times. It is not rocket science to do it either. One of the simpler mechanical items.

Use the savings to take your wife or girlfriend out to dinner. If that does not get her wondering what you have been up to nothing will.

If ever you aquire an earlier gas mercedes the adjustment interval is 10k. No worry about people ignoring it. The adjusters were not tight and they sometimes did creep. Ignore them for about twenty-thirty thousand miles and you will be removing the head.

Late 60s they tightened the interferance thread fit of the adjusters and lessened that problem. They never used locknuts. Since that time I have to remove a rocker arm to use a socket to adjust really stubborn ones. The good on the older gas cars is you could go through the valve adjusting sequence pretty fast. Maybe fifteen minutes if you paid attention. Just a guess as I never timed myself. It seemed very quick I remember.