Well in listening to the video it sounds to me like an engine problem. This engineis not running right. It can't hardly wind up with no load! Sounds to me like one cylinder is dead. Second, there will be no vibes from the driveline unless the car is in motion. The flywheel could be all or part of the problem but it doubt it. I have a 240 flywheel installed on mine, had no balance point reference to install it, but installed it and it is perfect. I suggest that you really look close at your valve adjust job. Sounds to me like you might have reversed the setting on a cylinder. Very easy to make that mistake.

I was thinking that maybe I adjusted one of the valves to the wrong specs the first time I did it, so thats why I pulled off the valve cover yesterday, but everything seems to be in order. I used dieselgiant's diagram. I am really hoping that the vibration is from the transmission crossmember, because I dont think that it could be the driveshaft, because it even vibrates with the car not moving. If the engines not running properly, and the valves are at the correct specs, what else could it be? I have brand new glow plugs in cyl 2-5 and an old one in #1. Could that old GP cause my problem? The car seems to drive fine, except doesnt feel too powerful. I dont think it is anything to do with injectors firing, I had the injectors off a little back to test the spray pattern and all seemed to spray fine. I guess a good diesel purge and injector cleaner might help some?

We do hope you can get it sorted out. No fun with these cars if they don't run right. Are you familiar with the engine - that is, have you driven it previously and was it running good, or is this car/engine/trans all new to you. If it is all new to you, you should really do a compression check. That is really the best place to start and it will show you a lot. Harbor Freight has a diesel comp. tester, but I don't know what is available in Canada. Perhaps you can borrow one. You had the injectors out. Did you replace the heat shields? They should be replaced with new anytime you pull the injectors out. Anyway the H F tester works good, I use the fitting that goes into the glow plug holes. It really sounds to me like when you rev the engine up with no load it sounds like you have one or maybe more cylinders that are not firing. Tell us what history you have on this engine, I think that is a good place to start.

Yes.

I am pretty familiar with this engine/car. but it did sit for a long time, so I dont know too much. We had a 300TD wagon about 6 years ago that my brother drove as his first car, but he got into an accident and wrecked it. The engine ran perfect and tranny shifted a little rough, but it worked. So after the accident, the car sat for about a year, and me and my dad started looking for a replacement car. We found this w123 sedan on craigslist for $400. It had thrown a rod, so we bought it, pulled the bad motor out, and we also pulled the wagons motor and trans out. And thats where the cars sat. The engines sat in the barn until about 1 and a half years ago, where I finally put that engine and trans in. After the swap, the engine has always ran like this. Rough starting, but it didnt smoke like this until recently, after the 4-speed swap, where the car sat again for about 3 months. Thats about as much as I know. Are the compression testers at Harbor Freight expensive? Its been running like this for a while. When I pulled the injectors and had them tested, I didnt replace any crush washers or heat shields, in fact, I didnt know about them. Could that be whats causing my problem?

Yeah, those heat shields are important. I'd do that for sure, the HF compression tester is about $30 but you should be able to find a coupon for 20% off most of the time, in those valuepak coupon mailers. 12 Piece Diesel Engine Compression Tester

Well you really don't have a "good" handle on how GOOD this engine really is. But it does run and that is a plus. It could be that you are loosing some compression on or through those injector heat shields. I know the word is REPLACE them if the injectors are removed! That seems to be a number one rule but I really don't know the reason. Perhaps they can work loose quite easy with the pre-compressed shields in place. Another posts feels strongly that your glow plugs could be the problem. I doubt that, because they are adequate to start the engine and in these early fall - late summer days that is about all they do. In extreme cold they do help keep the engine running for about 60 seconds. So, if your engine is running say 30 to 45 seconds in normal fall weather you have got everything out of the glow plug for assistance that you can get. Glow plugs or the poor operation of glow plugs will not cause a smoking, vibrating engine. Got to go to something other then glow plugs.

I did listen to the glow plug problem, and I do believe I have one, but I dont think thats what is causing my major problem. I changed the one old glow plug with a couple other used ones that I have but it still starts up the same. The light also doesnt come on, unless you turn the key on and off 3 times. I dont know what causes that. I do believe I am loosing compression through the injector holes though. My cousin graduated as a Heavy Duty Diesel Mechanic and was helping me out with those injectors. When I installed them after we tested them, he took a spray bottle of soapy water and sprayed around each injector. Little tiny bubbles came from #5 injector, indicating I am losing compression? So I am pretty certain that is causing if not all, part of my problem. Where are the heat shields located? Directly underneath the injectors?

That really could be a large part or even all of the problem. Get that HF compression gauge. I thought you were in Canada, but you are in the US. So about $30.00 and since you must replace those injector shields (washers of a special type) pull out all the injectors and do the test through the injector hole - it does work better and is easier. Heat shield washers used to be about a dollar each, prolly about 1.25 now. Charge the battery up good. The better the battery, the better the test will be. You can bring up the temp of the block a bit by keeping a couple of heat lamp bulbs on it for a half a day or more. Get it as warm as possible if you can, gets you a better test. If you can't do that, test it as is, but the tests will read a bit lower. Install the tester end in the injector hole, snug it up nice and tight. Begin the test and don't stop cranking until the cylinder you are checking has done 8 or 9 compression strokes. If all the injectors are out the engine will crank very easy but that cylinder coming up under compression will really load up and you will hear it on the starter and you will see the needle jump on the gauge. 8 strokes should be enough, check all of them the same way, write down the highest pressure you get at or on the 8th stroke. OH, and so as not to get drowned in fuel oil, wire the stop lever closed. If you didn't see the heat shields, they were either stuck well to the injectors or they stick well to the head also. Probably have to pry them off with a screwdriver.

I will try to do a compression test ASAP and get those heat shields changed. I also think that not all of my collar nuts beneath the injectors are tight all the way. It looks like I am leaking fuel out of the top of the Pre-Chamber, and probably leaking compression too. I would tighten them, but torquing tool is like $70. https://**************.com/store/615-616-617-early-601-and-603-diesel-pre-chamber-collar-nut-torquing-tool

I have this tool from Pelican parts, works very well, looks just like the official MB tool.

Pelican Parts.com - Threaded Pin Wrench Socket for prechamber in cylinder head

That other tool looks sort of home made, but will work as well I guess.


Charlie

It is a good tool to have, but it's too expensive for a 16 year old like me. Haha I'm not too sure what to do about those prechamber collar nuts because I definitely cant afford a tool like that, that I will probably use once.

Glad to hear of the project. I was deep into such things at your age, but don't see that sort of thing with young folks much any more.

Set your mind on the end goal and keep us posted.

Your in Hot Rod country, so it shouldn't be hard for you to find someone that can help you with the balance issues. It is important, I've ridden in a 123 conversion that had NOT had any attention paid to balance during the conversion and it was almost undrivable.

If I hadn't already sold my 123 manual transmission parts cars, I would donate some parts to the project.

Never give up Mr.:)

Thanks a lot, I really appreciate it. It would probably help a lot if I had a job to buy all the new parts and tools that I need. Haha Kind of tight on money and dont have all of the resources, but I've gotten pretty far on this conversion.