Parts Catalog Accessories Catalog How To Articles Tech Forums
Call Pelican Parts at 888-280-7799
Shopping Cart Cart | Project List | Order Status | Help



Go Back   PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum > Mercedes-Benz Tech Information and Support > Diesel Discussion

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #1  
Old 06-16-2004, 11:10 PM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ojai CA
Posts: 181
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.

__________________
'84 300SD veg-oil bliss
'83 300SD veg-oil beater
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 06-17-2004, 12:28 AM
JimmyL's Avatar
Rogue T Intolerant!!!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Sunnyvale, Texas (DFW)
Posts: 9,675
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
__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 06-17-2004, 01:47 AM
kmaysob's Avatar
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: mesa az
Posts: 1,673
its really easy. i did it myself the first time with a little help for the forum. i used REGULAR wrenches.
__________________
have no worries.....President Obama swears "If you like your gun, you can keep it
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 06-17-2004, 10:41 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Manitoba Canada
Posts: 6
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.
__________________
67 250S
72 220D
80 300D
93 K1100RS
2000 Jetta TDI
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 06-17-2004, 10:49 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ojai CA
Posts: 181
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....
__________________
'84 300SD veg-oil bliss
'83 300SD veg-oil beater
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 06-17-2004, 11:37 PM
JimmyL's Avatar
Rogue T Intolerant!!!
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Sunnyvale, Texas (DFW)
Posts: 9,675
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
__________________
Jimmy L.
'05 Acura TL 6MT
2001 ML430 My Spare

Gone:
'95 E300 188K "Batmobile" Texas Unfriendly Black
'85 300TD 235K "The Wagon" Texas Friendly White
'80 240D 154K "China" Scar engine installed
'81 300TD 240K "Smash"
'80 240D 230K "The Squash"
'81 240D 293K"Scar" Rear ended harder than Elton John
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 06-18-2004, 11:46 AM
Registered User
 
Join Date: Apr 2004
Location: Ojai CA
Posts: 181
Yes, the upper and lower valve nuts are the same size...
__________________
'84 300SD veg-oil bliss
'83 300SD veg-oil beater
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 06-18-2004, 01:11 PM
Banned
 
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Varies
Posts: 4,802
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.

Reply With Quote
Reply

Bookmarks

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is On
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On




All times are GMT -4. The time now is 08:08 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.7
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0
Copyright 2024 Pelican Parts, LLC - Posts may be archived for display on the Peach Parts or Pelican Parts Website -    DMCA Registered Agent Contact Page