How fast does the car accelerate from 0 to 60 mph? Should be around 12 seconds I think.

Does the transmission shift at the correct points (about 5000 RPM with wide open throttle (WOT))? There are little tick marks around the perimeter of the speedometer which correspond to the WOT shift points.

Another point: The seals in the ALDA dry up over time, and performance is reduced because the ALDA leaks off the pressure without increasing fuel from the injection pump to match the increased air from the turbo. On the OM60x engines, the ALDA can be taken apart and new o-rings installed. Not sure if that is possible on the older engines, but it wouldn't surprise me.

__________________
Respectfully,
/s/
M. Dillon
'87 124.193 (300TD) "White Whale", ~392k miles, 3.5l IP fitted
'95 124.131 (E300) "Sapphire", 380k miles
'73 Balboa 20 "Sanctification"
Charleston SC

^^^This.

If the ALDA leaks like a sieve, forget any sort of fuel enrichment. People always fiddle with the ALDA instead of fixing the underlying problem: Leaks. Try pulling a vacuum on it with a mightyvac. It should hold vacuum just like any other vacuum device. It relies on boost pressure collapsing a set of metal bellows to enrich the fuel trim. Leaks reduce the enrichment and shift it much farther up the RPM range than it should be.

The difference between the ALDA working properly and leaking is like night and day. It's an anti-smoke device, but it's also a REFINEMENT device. If it's working properly, there's no distinguishable difference with it removed, other than not rolling coal from a takeoff and much smoother and predictable control over the engine power output.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 157K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 125K (SLoL)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Gone and wanting to forget:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™) [Definitely NOT a Benz]

Just so and one needn't any tools to check for ALDA leaks ~ just un hook the plastic pipe from the valve on the firewall and suck on it, apply your tounge ~ it *must* hold vacuum .

FWIW, the poor photo shows the overboost valve mis connected ~ the ALDA's pipe goes to the upper nipple, the pipe from the intake manifold goes to the downward facing, bottom nipple and yes, it makes a difference .

When you blow through this valve there should be zero resistance, easy to clean in the kitchen sink using any strong liquid soap/spray cleaner then flush clear with tap water .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Nate - I am not sure how to interpret your last post. However I did go out and take a pic of my switchover valve ('81 300SD) and looked in the manual - because I forgot where the ALDA is.

Here is what I found - the vac line on the bottom of the switchover valve definitely goes to the ALDA. The vac line on the top definitely goes over to the back of the valve cover; however the nipple is not on the valve cover as I had remembered - it is actually just to the passenger side of the back of the valve cover. I am not sure exactly what that nipple is attached to. If my FSM were not so difficult to use, I would try to find it.

So in picture number one below you can see a red arrow pointing to the vac line going to the ALDA from the bottom of the switchover valve. The white arrow points to the vac line which travels over past the valve cover and attaches to a nipple there.

In picture number two you can see where the top vac line attaches. Assume it is the same in the PO's vehicle.

You have the two boost signal pipes switched .

The bottom one is supposed to connect to the back of the intake manifold's banjo bolt, you think it's the valve cover, it's not .

These are NOT VACUUM LINES/PIPES ! .

Do the vacuum test to the pipe that goes to the ALDA then blow through the valve and see how much resistance there is, the banjo bolt often clogs up over time and is easy to clean as are the plastic pipes....

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Well, I am confused. Looking at the pic of my original 1981 switchover valve (see below), I see that there are two nipples on the bottom where the elec connection is. The new one is not like that. So I really do not where those fool plastic lines go. I remember that I hooked them up wrong and could not get over 30mph. Then hooked them up like I have them now and got back the original power.

For some reason my FSM CD shows the bottom line going to the ALDA and the top going over to the banjo next to the valve cover and on that nipple. Guess my FSM was printed after they changed the design of the switchover valve.

So my interpretation is: top - vertical nipple open; horizontal nipple connected to banjo on passenger side of engine. Bottom - connect elec plug and hook plastic line to ALDA which sits about atop the injection pump.

What do you think? Old part in top pic and new replacement in bottom pic. Can't believe I kept pics. Just luck. The bottom pic shows the vertical nipple capped off but I finally removed it and it is now open to atmosphere which I think is right.

I'd like to see that FSM picture....

I think if this is working fine, don't fool with it further ~ move on to the wastegate adjusting, you'll need some method of holding the valve from rotating as you turn the 13MM ATF adjuster.....

I hope you have some sort of boost gauge as you're mentioning 8# of boost .

__________________
-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Nate - well, I see that I am too stubborn even when I am wrong. You are right.

It looks like the dealership sold me the switchover valve for the 116 per the pic. And I have the lines hooked up backwards. They told me this was the new replacement style so I do not know. But for sure if the 1981SD works like the 116, I need to switch my lines.

After looking at the pic the top line (#3) goes to the ALDA (as you kept saying) and the bottom (#1) goes to the banjo (as you also said). So I am going to switch mine and expect to be laying rubber when I take off from now on.