Mercedes recommends using their specially designed Go-No-Go gauge to reshim valves on the 116 and 117. However, someone recently told me that shim size could be determined without the gauge by:

1) Removing the rockers and old shims,
2) Sliding feeler gauges between the upward pointing cam and the valve,
3) Measuring the thickness of the gauges that just pass through the gap,
4) Multiplying the resulting number by 2.5 -- I'm not sure why, but will ask
5) Inserting a shim that matches or is closest to the calculated number.

Just wondering if anyone ever heard of this, and if it makes sense.

Thanks in advance.

Doesn't make sense to me when talking about 116 or 117 engins. I think that may work on some old VW's I have worked on. On the 116 or 117 engins the valve is not under the cam so you can't measure that. So I don't understand. The only way I can think to do it is with the MB guage, or make one yourself. I made one but I had a spare head with the cam, rockers, and adjustment shims still intact to use as a jig. There is a DIY somewhere on this site I think but I can't seem to find it right now. Maybe someone else can shed some light on this issue.

Paul

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84 500 SEL (307,xxx miles)

I have the 103 engine type and it has hydrolic valve lifters..they work fine