O.K. Valve adjusting DOES make a big difference
 

Just got done doing the valves on my beater '83 SD, and cannot believe the difference! It's been on my get-to list for awhile, but got caught up in other stuff, and have been driving my nice SD since getting it back from the ex. They were all extremely tight, and it has made an instant change it the way it starts and runs. Before it would always start on the first crank, but if you didn't keep it floored it would stall out and die and need to be restarted, and blow white, fuel smelling smoke, refuse to rev above 800-900 rpm, then after 15 seconds or so fully rev, but would still mildly blow smoke until fully heated up.
Now it starts, idles smoothly, no smoke, revs fully, and generally runs great, with better power on the low end. I think they were so tight that one or two of the cylinders weren't even firing until it heating up after running for a minute or two. So, to anybody stalling on getting around to the valves, GET ON IT! You'll be glad you did if it's anything like mine....checked the chain stretch while I was in there by the admittedly crude method of lining up the assembly marks, looked to be under 3 degrees, and the guides looked good.

Adjusting valves...
 

Should I have someone supervise me the first time I adjust my valves, or is it pretty straightforward? I have fixed the level control, tranny shifting (re-route vacuum lines and endlessly adj. modulator valve on tranny) [passenger side, by the way], etc... so I'm not a total mechanical spare. I simply have never done it before. I have feeler gauges, but I need to do a search for the correct wrench mods. Is this a fairly friendly first-timer endeavor?
Jimmy

its really easy. i did it myself the first time with a little help for the forum. i used REGULAR wrenches.

I just adjusted the valves on my 300D, and was also suprised how many needed adjustment. I would recommend buying an extra 14 MM open ended wrench or two and spending the 15 minutes or so it takes to adapt them. You can use a bench grinder to remove some of the excess bulk form the open ended heads and to also thin them a bit. Then heat near the neck of the wrench while it is held in a bench vice with a propane torch. Leave it heating till you can see a dull glow. At this point they will be quite easy to bend to a shape that makes them much easier to work with. There are some on ebay, using a picture as a guide will help. It also makes it easier to turn the crank if you help it along by turning the pulley by hand on the power steering pump while you are turning your ratchet on the crank. You'll have to try a few different configurations of sockets and extensions so your ratchet clears the fan blades but doesn't foul the rad. On re-assembly it would probably be good practice to be sure the throttle linkage works freely before start up. Good luck.

Yes, it's not too bad, you need the right sockets and extensions for getting the valve cover off and some way of rotating the engine (not by the cam sprocket bolt!) I did use the bent wrenches exept on the exhaust valve on #5, the wrenches would either hit the fire wall or the cam tower, would have shortened them a little but they are a friends. Make sure you have the correct specs for the valves, they are different for turbo/non turbo. Do some searching and all will be answered....

Thanks
 

Thanks for the info gentlemen. I will search for the correct non-turbo adjustment specs. I will also pick up a couple of extra 14mm (correct?) wrenches in case I have to modify. Are both nuts the same size?
I had a hard time turning the motor from crank bolt when I was trying to line up drain plug on torque converter. I couldn't turn it without the fan blades hitting my ratchet. The fan blades go right near the lower pulley. I guess I may have to remove the fan blade. You know how it is, dig till you can get there.
Thanks again,
Jimmy

Yes, the upper and lower valve nuts are the same size...

Did mine while the injectors were out and it was really easy to get to everything, engine was easy to turn over. This was one of the first things I did to the car.

If you have access to used tools, like a pawn shop, thinner 14mm wrenches should be thin enough without grinding. Didn't grind or bend mine.

Made a big difference, almost all valves were tight. PO must have slacked on upkeep toward the end. Records look pretty good in earlier years.