Can you describe how you used a breaker tool to crimp? I've looked at the tool and thought that it would be possible to modify it by making a "v" shaped insert that would make the crimp like the real tool, but I can't conceive how you did it. Of course given your life shattering experience with the attempt I'd not try it myself and hopefully others will be dissuaded as well.

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Current Stable

• 380SL (diesel)
• Corvette C5
• Manx
• Baja Bug
• F350 Powerstroke
• Auburn Boattail Speedster replica

Really nice thread. Thanks for posting all those photos. It is rare to see a car owner go that far into an engine. Nice to see you finished it up after the eye mishap. Now you are going to have to drive the car for the rest of your life though Sor far it is working for me, but no total rebuilds yet.

That Bergsma guy can be useful with his kits. Wish he sold one for the k26 turbo.

Thanks Again,
Karl in LA

Hi Mersadie Hope that you are recovering.
I just created an account here because i stumbled across your experience with Harbor Freight.
So very sorry that happened to you and i feel motivated to share your warning.
I too have had very bad experiences with HF tools, either the metal was too soft or it was too brittle. I bought a hand held grinder and it melted and seized up. Apparently, instead of of bearings, that grinder was built with bushings. The dust from the tile i was cutting clogged the bushing. On another experience within 5 minutes Pneumatic Cut-off Tool just died. After exchanging it the same day, the new one died again within 5 minutes on the same job. And yet in another experience a socket breaker bar bent in half.
If your'e working on engines , it's worth it to pay extra for quality tools.

Anything ever happen with this engine?

Dude, the guy had a chunk of metal go into his retina and damage his eye. Do you really think he gives a S&%# about this anymore???

I have had decent luck with Harbor Freight stuff. When you buy cheap you take a chance.

I have a few of their Angle Grinders the hand held tool that welders use to grid welds or bevel metal. The cheapest ones quickly developed bearing noise. Cheap and not hard to replace a better quality bearing.

Concerning eye protection. Most powered stuff comes with warnings on what protection to use although even that does not guarantee protection. I have been wearing corrective lenses/glasses since I was n the 2nd grade and was always pissed that was so.

However, my eyes have been saved discomfort or injury innumerable times where my Glasses protected my eyes. Especially after I started working as a Mechanic.

The most memorable one is I was about 11 years old and frying some Bacon which popped and spewed about 1/4 teaspoon of scalding grease directly onto the glasses lenses of my right eye. It was bad enough that it ran off the lens onto my cheek bone and burned the skin there but it would have been much worse if the hot grease had hit my eye.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel

I think he probably got the point after not getting a response for 5 years.

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Milan Brown 1979 240D, rebuilt OM617.952 turbo diesel, rebuilt 722.315 transmission (my only daily driver)

Instagram: @maximed93

The sad part is, I do give a #$%!. Can't stay away from dumb projects even after life changing injuries.

The engine runs great. It was a constant battle to get it to run perfect, but I was slowly making my way there. It lived for a little while in my silver 300d, but then that car got totaled I bought another cheap 240d shell to put it in, drove it around for about a year before I got tired with how much stuff needed to be done to the car. So I yanked the engine back out and sold the shell for more than I paid for it. And there the engine sits, on a stand in the corner of the garage.

I ended up swiping a full manual swap kit off of craigslist back in May, so I am ready to find the perfect car to put it all in. I am finishing up my Engineering degree at Georgia Tech this year and after that it will become more of a reality.

A couple notes:
Rebuilding injectors is extremely finicky and requires lots of patience. My new bosch injectors had a terrible spray pattern after maybe 20,000 miles?? I replaced them with monark nozzles and calibrated the best I could. Made a noticeable difference.

Everyone who messes with injectors should have the prechamber tool. My compression numbers were down quite a bit, until I realized the prechambers collars were loose. Properly torquing them put me right back to OEM spec.

The engine still has a hazy white/grey smoke after rebuilding the IP and timing it 1000 times, replacing nozzles, making sure compression is good, doing countless diesel purges, valve adjustments almost every oil change. I honestly think these things must have been smelly and a little smokey from the factory.

What did you torque your prechambers to? I did mine to 90 lb ft on my rebuilt OM617 and I have some small compression leaks.

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Milan Brown 1979 240D, rebuilt OM617.952 turbo diesel, rebuilt 722.315 transmission (my only daily driver)

Instagram: @maximed93

In the Manual for a 617 turbo diesel it has 150-180 NM of Torque. 1ft-lb = Nm * 0.73756
150 NM x 0.73756 = 110.3 foot pounds
180 NM x 0.73756 = 132.76 foot pounds
If I did the math correctly 90 foot pounds would be under torqued.

Some people have had the pre-chamber collars come loose when they turn the Injector to remove it.

Also when I got a pre-chamber removing tool I brought it on a trip to the Junk Yard and tested it out. A lot of the pre-chamber retaining rings were a lot looser then the others were.

My Volvo Diesel sat unused for 1 year and I had hazy gray smoke all of the time when I re-started it. I poured Marvel Mystery Oil in to the cylinders by way of the Glow Plugs and let it soak a week. Rotated the Engine and repeated that with the intention of doing another week but had to get the car going 3 days later. Note I only drove it up into my Drive Way and I changed the Oil as the Marvel Mystery Oil dilutes the Oil.

I dove it hard as I could on the free way and about 50% of the haze cleared up. As the days passed it got better and better till there was no haze once it was hot.

My conclusion is I had sticking piston rings and the Marvel Mystery Oil freed them up. Before I tried it I did not think it would work but it was cheap so I tried it.

Others have done the same some with the Marvel Mystery Oil some with other stuff and have had it work but some have also had no luck with that.

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84 300D, 82 Volvo 244Gl Diesel