I put about 2.5 - 3 hours into my first valve adjust. No way I could have even considered doing this without this board. I figure next time should be 60-90 minute job.
The number one cylinder is a bit loud and I was hoping the valve adj. would take care of it. No such luck. Maybe new Valve Stem Seals at next Adjust? Although once job was done, I adjusted ALDA to the lean until white smoke nearly eliminated from exhaust at idle. This seemed to quiet things down a bit (less fuel to wash away the oil?).
So, with
1.) repaired vac. sys.,
2.) repaired ALDA vac. line from manifold,
3.) new fuel filters and
4.) regular diet of PowerService and/or RedLine,
5.) adjusted valves,
6.) new fuel shut-off valve and
7.) new Rack Pin
she is purring.
Thank you, gentlemen. This resource makes a tremendous difference for me.

Nice work. Maybe during the next Diesel Meet you can talk me into taking this job on........to this point I have been a little reluctant to give it a whirl.

Again, congrats.....you are truly a Diesel fanatic.

JCD

That's not how my wife puts it.

When are you going to move up to K-zoo to teach us how to adjust valves? Actually, one of us has made it through and we're splitting the cost of those bent wrenches.

Don

__________________
DAILY DRIVERS:
'84 300DT 298k (Aubrey's)
'99.5 Jetta TDI IV 251k (Julie's)
'97 Jetta TDI 127k (Amber's)
'97 Jetta TDI 186k (Matt's)
'96 Passat TDI 237k (Don's
'84 300D 211k Mint (Arne- Undergoing Greasecar Conversion)

SOLD:
'82 240D 229k (Matt's - Converted-300DT w/ 4 speed

Just pop off the valve cover and the car and this board will teach you everything you could want to learn. I am mechanically adept but ignorant under the hood. This board makes all the difference. I even learned how to make the tool (I heated an open end 14mm and bent at the open end to 45 degrees and then trew it in very cold water to temper. I then took my side grinder and narrowed the width of the open end to about 0.2 in. It was not even remotely necessary to have a second bent wrench. As for the spring cover, I used needlenosed vicegrip). It sure feels good to take something like this on and get it done. I have owned and driven all kinds of cars, but nothing has made me want to go out and drive just for the driving quite like this car does. A 5K pound barge that sounds not terribly unlike a peterbilt and I like driving it as much as the MG or the Jag or the SAAB... go figure. And I have definitely never owned anything that was so inviting under the hood.

Have been absent for quit some time due to illness in the family.
But this weekend I had to break down and do my valves too. The old girl was making 'nailing' noises for at least 5 miles after a cold start. Alternatively I had to let it warm up for 15 minutes. So it was time for valves.
I also did the grind down on the bench grinder of one of the wrenches did not bend it, managed all right, a little tricky at times.
Only one exhaust valve and one intake valve were very tight, all the others were within specks.
I did not try to jump the engine and took Larry Bibles advise of turning it with the 27 mm socket. But broke down and removed fan and fan shroud, which made it soooo much easier, could turn the motor from the top.
Now with all this knowledge under my belly, next time it should take my not much more than one hour.

Thanks Shop Forum

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

Iturned the crank by throwing a large adjustable wrench on the nut on the power steering pump (thanks TX Bill).

I too have turned the engine easily by this PS bolt.

Perhaps it would help if the glow plugs were removed as well.

__________________
Ed
1981 300CD (Benzina)
1968 250 S (Gina) 266,000 miles!
1983 Alfa Romeo GTV6 (Guido)
1976 Jaguar XJS-saved a V-12 from the chevy curse, what a great engine!
1988 Cadillac Eldorado (better car than you might think!)
1988 Yamaha Venture (better than a Wing!)
1977 Suzuki GS750B
1976 Yamaha XS 650 (sold)
1991 Suzuki GSX1100G (Shafty Gixser)
1981 Yamaha VX920RH (Euro "Virago")
Solex Moped
1975 Dodge P/U camper


"Time spent in the company of a cat, a beer, and this forum, is not time wasted!"

If you take your time and turn slowly, the pressure escapes and turning remains relatively easy.