Yes, just so .

A -little- bit more boost is, for me, a good thing .

Others remove the overboost protection and crank the boost up to 20" then complain about crappy German cars when the engine begins to smoke and rattle....

The adjuster on the ALDA is very sensitive ~ a 1/16 turn is a lot .

__________________
-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

You are learning fast. So your self confidence will rise. This could evolve into quite a long interesting thread for many.

I get great personal satisfaction for bringing things back to what they were. So many of these cars need a real dose of it. I also found over the years that wives in general do not seem to mind us doing it.

I also think it is mentally healthful for the individual in most situations. This I suspect has something to do with the sense of accomplishment.

Thanks. I've been wrenching on various cars for a long time and it's sort of amazing how little I know. I'm pretty good on brakes.

To the present, never a dull moment. I got my shipment from Pelican today and the glow plug heat shields have a larger hole than the ones that came out:



Slightly different OD as well. The new ones:

.797; .394 (ID)

The old ones:

.811; .282

Both are .106 thick.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Is that you mostly discover how little you actually know...... .

The good part is : as you learn and grasp how it all works you can share the knowledge freely and learn ever more....

Nothing quite beats the feeling of a good running machine you fixed with your own two hands .

__________________
-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

I know that one pretty well. My first E30 was my favorite car ever, at least up til that time. Not as fast as some of the Bimmers, but plenty fast enough and just a great feel. I got 450k out of that one, got it at 214K. Helped that the PO was a Bimmer fanatic , took it to an expensive indie garage every 6 months. Good God, the new parts in that car. I had service records a quarter inch thick. I welded 4 CATs into it, put in new intake manifold gaskets (biatch of a job), added E36 injectors (noticeable power boost), new clutch and driveline (heaviest tranny I ever pulled, even compared to trucks), new rear bearings, rear tranny bushing, control arms, 3 racks, too much to go into. Would have been nutty to pay someone for all that work.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

I just makes no economic sense to farm out a lot of work on older cars. Todays costs of doing so outweighs buying a much better car to start with. Of the same type.

Since I do not repair cars for a living. I find most jobs both relaxing and enjoyable. You do have to have enough tools though.. I never had any issue with buying tools .

Usually the first job you did with them basically paid for them in comparison to farming the work out. You normally keep them for your lifetime after and seldom wear them out. As you are not using them continually.

I realize they can be expensive retail today. Yet there are other sources as well. In the early spring I go to a few yard sales. Usually I already own most the tools being sold. Yet there are places that have various tools that I find useful for almost nothing on the dollar.

Especially tools that I may use very seldom. So cannot reasonably justify buying them at retail. Various supplies or consumables also frequently appear. Prices are frequently negotiable as people want the items gone.

Those heat shields don't look interchangible.

__________________
[SIGPIC] Diesel loving autocrossing grandpa Architect. 08 Dodge 3/4 ton with Cummins & six speed; I have had about 35 benzes. I have a 39 Studebaker Coupe Express pickup in which I have had installed a 617 turbo and a five speed manual.[SIGPIC]

..I also have a 427 Cobra replica with an aluminum chassis.

Yes, having the proper tools that are configured as you like them is critical, too many modern 'mechanics' these days are just parts changers with little concept of how things work or the bigger picture .

I was in a huge junkyar yesterday, they used to always have multiple W123 & W126's. nary a one yesterday but, they did have a table covered with old tools from the junkers, some were good quality, I found an American made Milton brand tire gauge that works, sweet .

__________________
-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

I took my mechanic buddy Ky up on his offer to show me the injector test, vid below. He said he thought those shields would work. The larger hole models are close to 1/64" less in OD. All of the shields for sale at Pelican look to be that type. Not getting any luck on a web search regarding the difference. I dropped one of the old ones behind the pump, haven't looked for it yet, I understand it can be tough to find stuff there. I've read of guys reusing them, using a ball bearing and socket to flex them slightly. I think that was for these. Not sure how to do that.

At the end he put in a bad one to test, I was watching pretty close to make sure mine were a distinct bundle. Little bit hard to see the squirt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uLxleMFcUc

Second vid is of the 350SD he's selling, the nicer of the two he has. He said he might as $9K for it. If I win the lottery... Might be fun.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PyKfTc8fnF0

He has a couple of 617s he's saving to put into something, also a 616 attached to a 4 speed.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

I have a soft spot for a 325iX. Capable snow machine

Hate the forward opening hood though.

This test is good enough. if your injectors pass then you don't need rebuilding.

Wow, he's fast .

? What pressure did they all pop at ? .

Looked pretty low to me .

__________________
-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

Didn't ask about that.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

Never drove one of those. I heard mixed reports - extra weight and complexity. If I lived in a snowy region would be much different.

The hood got old in a hurry. First time I swapped the timing belt I took the hood off. And then, whoa, getting it back on is a PITA. I eventually had to rig up a way to hang it down from my garage door opening. I got to where I could do it with the hood in place but not fun.

The MBZ extra wide hood opening is like the polar opposite.

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

The pop off pressure is critical ~ so important in fact that I have the injectors in my 240D done by greazzer because he does them all to within 5 # of each other and this makes for a smooth running engine .

The good fine mist spray pattern is nice and important but smoking is caused more by low pop off pressure, I learned this from a fellow who use to be here who didn't ken the fine mist aspect of fuel injectors but had a nifty home brew rig that he used to set the injectors on my first 300CD (NA) to perfect pop off , he also used dental tools to ream the injector nozzles so they sprayed like tiny fire hoses, yet the car didn't smoke and started easily in 40 degree weather on 1/2 crank .

DO NOT DO THIS ! you need the fine mist spray pattern .

This is a delicate thing, your engine and fuel injection system ~ take the injectors to any Heavy Duty Diesel hp and they'll pop test them correctly and give you the exact pop off pressures .

__________________
-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

So, too much ALDA boost can ruin an engine?

__________________
1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K