Valve adjustment OM617 FYI.

[whunter]

Needed every 15000 miles.

FYI: for new members.

It is important, especially for winter starting!!!

If you DIY, do NOT mix up intake and exhaust valve positions while adjusting.
A hand drawn check box diagram to document each valve, intake and exhaust position, will save much confusion and effort.

You will need the MB valve wrench set...

Anyone willing to post an example of engine performance change bad too good adjustment or your mistakes will be appreciated.

Thank you.

EDIT:
Some links that are on topic.
Easy valve adjustment
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...767#post520767

valve adjusting wrenches
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...312#post898312

Adjusting valves on 617 ?
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...991#post218991

Valve Adjust Tools
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...053#post165053

Valve Wrenches?
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...756#post859756

Pictorial - Make valve adjustment wrenches
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...d.php?t=197597

Just adjusted the valves on my 300SD
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/...606#post384606


:EDIT 2:
Members requested the following data and attached pictures be added to post #1 for easy access.


Text for those who want it.

Valve 1: (Exhaust) Should be .35 mm

Valve 2: (Intake) Should be .15mm

Valve 3: (Intake) Should be .15 mm

Valve 4: (Exhaust) Should be .35 mm

Valve 5: (Exhaust) Should be .35 mm

Valve 6: (Intake) Should be .15 mm

Valve 7: (Intake) Should be .15 mm

Valve 8: (Exhaust) Should be .35 mm

Valve 9: (Exhaust) Should be .35 mm

Valve 10: (Intake) Should be .15 mm

[d.delano]

Whatever you do if you are new to this do NOT get the throttle linkage reversed at the lever that goes to the CC actuator. I did that.

[tomm9298]

Where is a good place, read that as cheap, to get these bent wrenches. I do not have a shop or a vise to bend new ones.

[KCampbell]

I found that general engine smoothness improved after adjusting the valves. The nature of the clatter changed, and there was less of a metallic edge to the sound at idle.

A system of paint dots on the various linkage arms will save a lot of guessing later.

My car is garaged over night and temperatures here in the Northwest have been mild so far, so I don't notice a lot of difference in starting. My car starts extremely quickly whether hot or cold.

The offset wrenches can be purchased economically on eBay.

Kevin

[boneheaddoctor]

Originally Posted by tomm9298

Where is a good place, read that as cheap, to get these bent wrenches. I do not have a shop or a vise to bend new ones.

I paid $58 for a new 3 piece HAZET set on ebay....................


Wooo Hooo back to the 1,000 post level again.

[tangofox007]

Originally Posted by whunter

Anyone willing to post an example of engine performance change bad too good adjustment or your mistakes will be appreciated.

Thank you.

I adjusted my valves (all were tight), cleaned the ALDA crossover line, and cleaned the injectors with a can of Diesel Purge. The improvement in engine performance was incredible. When adjusting the valves, make sure to measure between the cam and lifter, not between the lifter and valve.

1982 300D, 133K mikes

BF and I adjusted my valves about 3 weeks ago, and there was a notable difference (improvement) in smoothness, and some improvement in power. Only three were tight; the rest were ok. The transmission also started shifting more smoothly, so smoothly in fact I thought something must surely be wrong

I picked up a 3-piece set of hazet wrenches on eBay for $55, and ordered a new valve cover gasket from fastlane, which came in no time.

While messing with the valve cover, it's a good time to check the condition of the injector fuel return lines; mine were so old and brittle than when we knocked one off trying to get the valve cover back on, they wouldn't re-seat without cracking!

It's also a good time to lube up the throttle linkage joints with white lithium grease. We pried each apart with a screwdriver, squeezed in a little grease, then popped them back together.

Also a good time to adjust the bowden cable as necessary.

I didn't think of it at the time, but an easy way to remember how to put the throttle linkage back together would be through judicious use of a digitial camera

[Pete Burton]

what is it that makes valve adjustment difficult without special wrenches? I do admit to grinding down the thickness of 1 old wrench and, all in all, I thought it was pretty easy. Then again, pulling the whole powertrain isn't too bad in my book either, as long as everything isn't dripping with oil. for those of you who have done it with standard wrenches vs. something like a set of hazet wrenches, just how much easier do the wrenches make it? what am I missing?

[Pete Burton]

I've taken a bunch of digital pictures for stuff like that, and it's nice to know you have it. The wires from the starter, vacuum lines, and spacers for holding the trans cooler lines on the oil pan are other areas which i have found pictures helpful

[Brian Carlton]

Originally Posted by Pete Burton

what is it that makes valve adjustment difficult without special wrenches? I do admit to grinding down the thickness of 1 old wrench and, all in all, I thought it was pretty easy. Then again, pulling the whole powertrain isn't too bad in my book either, as long as everything isn't dripping with oil. for those of you who have done it with standard wrenches vs. something like a set of hazet wrenches, just how much easier do the wrenches make it? what am I missing?

Jeff made me a set of bent wrenches to use for the valve adjustment. I have loaned them to Steve to do the valves on the 300D. Next time you need to do valves, you can borrow them and then you can decide how much of an improvement they are. Nothing like getting someone who has done it with standard wrenches to now try it with the angular ones!

Let me know when you need 'em.

[Douglas.Sherida]

I bought a pair of long handled 14mm wrenches at AutoZone for about $8 a piece and bent them with a propane torch and a hammer (I don't have a vise, just vices). It took about a half-hour and my left hand (the one holding the far end of the wrench was a bit numb, but the wrenches work fine. Ideally it would be nice to grind them down to about 5mm thick, but it wasn't really a problem.

Having owned dozens of air-cooled VWs, where I adjusted the valves every 1,500 miles (about every other weekend), it was nice just not having to be laying on the ground while doing the adjustments.

[boneheaddoctor]

Originally Posted by Pete Burton

what is it that makes valve adjustment difficult without special wrenches? I do admit to grinding down the thickness of 1 old wrench and, all in all, I thought it was pretty easy. Then again, pulling the whole powertrain isn't too bad in my book either, as long as everything isn't dripping with oil. for those of you who have done it with standard wrenches vs. something like a set of hazet wrenches, just how much easier do the wrenches make it? what am I missing?

Sometimes the valve wants to rotate.....and if you don't have a friend to hold a screwdrive to jam that you will see. I made wrenches, after having half the valves insist on rotating I went and bought the set.

Some people have no problems with the 2 wrench system, others like me do.

[Pete Burton]

Having owned dozens of air-cooled VWs, where I adjusted the valves every 1,500 miles (about every other weekend), it was nice just not having to be laying on the ground while doing the adjustments.

boy, is that ever true! I had a corvair for years, and the procedure was to adjust the (hydraulic) lifters something like 1/2 to 1 turn in from no lash. This was done with car idling and a 1/3 valve cover installed to recapture some of the oil. The rest went on guess who. Yuck.

[d.delano]

Originally Posted by tangofox007

When adjusting the valves, make sure to measure between the cam and lifter, not between the lifter and valve.

1982 300D, 133K mikes

Guess I screwed up then. I felt between the valve and lifter. Good thing I got me some wrenches and a new gasket! Could somebody PLEASE gimme the correct intake and exhaust clearances, there are some conflicting numbers out there.

[Douglas.Sherida]

On my 85 300 TD-T there is a plate on the frame right in front of the radiator with the clearances on it.

intake 1 mm, exhaust 3.5 mm cold

intake 1.5 mm, exhaust 4.0 mm warm