Thanks for the info.
Hey When you get ready to sell the wagon let me know,I've been looking at getting one for work.
Thx,
greazer2b

Don't overlook the tasks that need to be done before adjusting the rack dampner. The most critical of these is a thorough valve adjustment. In fact, a couple of successive valve adjustments did the trick for me. Do them a few hundred miles apart, especially if you find some that are low tolerance (tight).

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Sam

84 300SD 350K+ miles ( Blue Belle )

And I would agree with them. I'm still waiting for that one person to say that for certain their rack damper cured their woes. Maybe a minor contributor, but not the only solution. Hell, I can back mine out or turn it in and it seems to run the same and even start the same.
Mike

I think there was an issue missed. Raising the Idle Speed beyond the Normal will also smooth out the idle. But, you don't want the idle hanging on the Rack Dampner Bolt.

When the Rack Dampner Bolt is backed off our out set the Idle speed with in the noramal range. Turn Rack Dampner Bolt in far enough to remove as much shaking as you can without effecting the idle speed much.

If that won't fix it you can Try a New Style Gold Colored Rack Dampner/Idle Pin but you may have other issues.

I could not get the New Goldl Colored Rack Dampner Bolt/Governor Idle Pin to to much till after I Adjusted Valves and Rebuilt Injectors (that took away the bulk of My shaking issue). Replacing the Motor and Transmission Mounts too away some more shaking.
Last I had a small Air leak that only showed up when it got hot under the Hood.
After that the Rack Dampner Bolt was able to do some good.

This is years after the above but I now have on Cylinder with 50 psi lower Compression then the rest and that makes the Idle slighly rough till the Engine is hot.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

If you are looking for a night and day difference by adjusting the rack damper bolt, you are in for disappointment. I have removed the shake from both of my cars and the rack damper bolt was more of a fine tuning adjustment than an end-all-be-all fix. The first car was pretty straight forward and all it needed was new engine mounts, injectors, the valves adjusted and a new RD bolt to fine tune it. The second car was more of PITA because I did all of those things and wound up chasing the problem all the way down to the delivery valves in the IP. Once I replaced all of them, THAT made the night and day difference on that car.

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1991 F250 super-cab 7.3 IDI. (rebuilt by me) Banks Sidewinder turbo, hydroboost brakes, new IP and injectors.
2003 S430 - 107K
1983 300SD - Tanoshii - mostly restored ~400K+.
1983 300SD - Good interior. Engine finally tamed ~250K.
Monark Nozzle Install Video - http://tinyurl.com/ptd2tge

I have been having a tough start problem on a 1978 300CD- driving me crazy, only thing I haven't checked is the compression (looks like that is next).

to the Rack Damper bolt... so I just started messing with this bolt and backed it all the way out. I started just tightening the bolt and did notice the engine smooth out- and I locked the bolt there to see if this helps my hard starting problem I am encountering. So I would say it does smooth out the idle as I watched carefully for the idle to smooth out.

This car sat in a field for at least 5 years and I suspect was started using the fuel sitting in the tank for that duration. Hence I have replaced the fuel filters twice, all the fuel lines, the lift pump and primer, put all new glow plugs in, adjusted the idle speed, adjusted valves to specs and now the Rack damper bolt. I suspect I could have an IP problem or alas the compression issue. I will continue the madness and attempt to figure this out, getting tired of charging batteries. Any W123 is worth all the effort!

If it starts w/ <5 sec cranking on a 40F morning, you have no compression problems. If you see minimal blow-by (no hard puffing) from the oil filler hole, the rings are good. I noticed perhaps a slight affect by adjusting the damper bolt, in both my 300D's, and that was after changing to the "gold" type from a 1985 engine (not sure it looked exactly gold). Regardless, I don't think it would help with starting.

We assume you checked the glow plugs, since that will definitely affect starting. That takes 1 min w/ a multimeter. Your 1978 might have the early loop type which are series wired, so I think if one is bad none get current. Probably a good thing since later 300D's (mine) don't give a dash indication until 2 or 3 glow plugs are bad, so there are probably many people running that way. I check the glow plugs at least every time I change the oil.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

It does still have the loop style glow plugs and I did replace all of them this past summer. Also did check the voltage to insure I had power to plugs. I was contemplating replacing the loops with the pencils. I assume they are still all good, but this morning was actually thinking- I had better just take them all out and have a look. The car consistently starts in the morning but not without a few cranks and it is exasperating to say the least. I did notice this morning that I have to apply pressure to accelerator pedal to finally get car running and I have really focused on fuel system pressure issue to no avail at this point.

You can test each real fast with a multimeter. I you don't have one, free w coupon at HF.

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1984 & 1985 CA 300D's
1964 & 65 Mopar's - Valiant, Dart, Newport
1996 & 2002 Chrysler minivans

I will snag one, thanks!

Does your 78 have a tubo Diesel?

If so the Rack Damper Blot is supposed to be unscrewed untill it has no effect then you adust your idle speed within specs. After that you turn the Rack Damper in till you reduce the shaking without raising the idle speed.

Keep in mind that the Rack Damper Bolt was suppsed to remove the shaking from a new Engine or at least an Engine where everthing was with in specs. That means the closer you can can get your used engine to running with in specs the better of a chance the Rack DAmper Blot adjustment will work.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

It isn't a turbo model- I am suspecting either an issue with glow plugs or having sat in a field for half a decade or longer a problem with injection pump or worse - compression. Thanks.

in response to tdoublenastytwit...For those that were not following through the posts... ON TOPIC- this started for me with a video from Mercedes Source suggesting that a rack damper bolt adjustment could make starting one of my 4 W123's easier (my 1978 300CD).

My findings were that it didn't... I realize that it is difficult for some to follow a bouncing ball.

FINALLY - RESULTS worth sharing, too often we don't see the *FIX*... so having had starting issues with a 1978 300CD with the old loop glow plugs- which I replaced with loops. I was still having issues and decided to dive into every possibility. So as I stated I had replaced the loop style glow plugs first- no change in getting it started easily, so I did the purge twice replaced 3 filters each both primary and secondary, checked loop glow plugs again, noticed a melted fuse housing to the 80 amp fuse- checked voltage at first glow plug had the right voltage... checked the tank filter- clean as a whistle. Still hard starting- messed with rack damper bolt (as I watched a video from Mercedes Source suggesting this may help)- saw slight idle change- nothing changed making it start any easier though. Also did the valve adjustment and the car runs better but didn't help to get it started. I then decided it had to be the crazy loop glow plugs with nutso resistor coils- maybe just replace with the glow plug over ride system that is offered via Mercedes Source. SO ... started the project and removed glow plugs - Damn if I didn't have my first glow plug *LOOP* style burned out!! NO IDEA why the voltage was so screwed up - HOWEVER, after replacement of all glow plugs - which I did purchase the 18MM reamer before installing and the kit installed... MOMENT of truth, the car started on first try!! I absolutely love the new system and looking forward to starting it on a cold morning. MY ADVICE TO EVERYONE WITH THE REALLY OLD LOOP AND COIL system.... REPLACE THE DAMNED SET-UP!!

Holy cow guys can we stay on topic please......

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