PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum - Make your own valve test gauge (V8)

Hi All,

I got fed up by the unbelievable price of the "test gauge for hydraulic compensating elements". The cheapest I have found was $50 plus shipping. So I decided to make my own. Attached is a picture for everyone who wants to make their own (for about $2 and 1 hour of work) and below is a quick description:
1. Go to Home Depot; go to electrical and pick up a "1" rigid coupling (mine was made by "fortune Industries"). Go over to plumbing and pick up a 1" metal plug.
2. Make a cut into the coupling that is 30mm wide and 40mm "tall" (use your angle grinder). About 10mm remain on top, cut in the middle 21mm wide (consult picture to remove any doubts as to what I am saying).
3. Most likely you will need to cut off some thread from the plug. When you twist the plug in into the coupling the thread should end where the 40mm cut ends (not precisely but more or less).
4. Weld in the plug a 2 or 3 places from the top (you may also use JB weld).
5. Change your angle grinders disc to a grinding disc, and grind away some material from the plug where you have made the 21mm cut in (this is needed so that your new tool is not interfering with the rocker arm). You may also want to grind and file the top of the plug to make it smooth (and to get rid of the "made in china" emboss).
6. Drill a pilot hole in the middle of the plug's rectangular top (use a bench drill if possible - the hole needs to be parallel with the body of the tool). Drill it up with a drill bit to get a hole big enough to fit your (digital) caliper's depth measurement rod.
7. Lightly sand the bottom of the tool (so it sits flat on a surface).

Your tools is ready unless you also want to add a measurement rod to it (I just used my (digital) caliper).
Find a hydro compensating element; put it in a hole just like if it was screwed into the cylinder head (your vise may be a good option). Put your new tool over it and use your caliper to measure the uncompressed distance from the top of the rectangular plug through the hole to the top of the compensating element. This is your calibration data (if you are using a digital caliper you may want to use this value as the "zero" value).
Put it over your compensating elements in your car (make sure that the cam's respective tip points upward); make sure it seats well on the cylinder head. Measure the distance to the top of the compensating element; the distance difference between your calibrated distance and this distance should be between 1.2mm and 2.4mm (Mercedes data).

Good luck!

Greg