Shakin' and clickin' 300D

[duChemin]

My '81 300D engine, which I have only owned for a month, makes a loud clicking sound when accelerating, until it has been running for a good while, and then the noise stops. I had the valves adjusted recently, how well they were adjusted I am now wondering. Secondly, the car vibrates (sort of rocks side to side) when idling. Do these sound like problems or normal operation for this diesel?

On the vibration, certainly there are cars that are quieter and don't shake as much as a diesel, however, I would suggest examining the condition of the motor mounts. It may be that they are significantly worn (how many miles are on the engine?) and need replacement. They are, incidentally, fairly inexpensive - something like US $20 ea.

Good luck-

Terry

[poptest]

Try having your injection pump and injectors checked by a Bosch diesel service station.

We see a lot of these in our country, and oftentimes, we are able to correct this shaking problem through pump calibration.

We're a Bosch service agent.

Before you send the pump out for repair have a MB tech look at the rack dampener in the rear of the injection pump. Most likey the spring has lost its tension. Cheap repair.

I am curious how much does injector pump calibration cost (specifically for a 1987 300SDL)? Must the injector pump be removed to have this done.

[poptest]

Try visiting the ADS (Association of Diesel Specialists) website. They have a directory of service members, addresses, etc, and a listing of authorized Bosch service agents.