Are the valve clearance specs the same as the normally aspirated 5 cylinder that was in the 123's?
Mine cranks over a long time before starting and I'm thinking I need a valve adjustment. Would 3 year old fuel cause the same problem?

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Jim

I would imagine valve adjustment is similar to a 240D. That should be a good starting point anyway. I will try to look it up tomorrow for sure.

These things don't start as easy as a 123 diesel even on a good day. Slow turning starter an old style loop glow plugs ya know. I seem to recall the owners manual had you bringing the battery indoors on a cold night. Also had you bringing the coolant in and heating it on the stove. I would advise getting a lower radiator hose heater for the cold winter nights. That solved the cold start problem on my old 200D.

Carry a few spare glow plugs, and the tools to troubleshot and replace them. Make up a jumper wire as recently described by PEH in case you have to bypass a bad plug.

When you do the valve adjustment, check the cam lobes for wear. This beast predates modern multigrade oils, so it could have some rough lobes. It was probably run on straight 30 weight when it was young.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

Will a 240D head fit this block?
My friend is trying to talk me into dropping a SBC in it.

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Jim

The 240D doesnt even share valve clearance specs with the 5 cylinder, so the 190Dc probably doesnt either.

If it was me, I wouldnt be so eager to start wrenching an engine without driving the car and getting to know it first.

Another cold start issue can be carbon deposits on piston crowns, fouled precombustion chambers, injectors etc... The sort of stuff that 500 miles (or 15 gallons of fuel) on flatout highway driving at warp speed can cure.

Good news is that your primitive 190Dc shares glow plugs with 240D's. My last set went 50k miles before one burned out. Now I've got 3 old spares and you can have em if you need em.

I doubt if a 240D head would work since it is a different engine family. What would be a big improvement would be if a 300D starter would fit.

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Palangi

2004 C240 Wagon 203.261 Baby Benz
2008 ML320 CDI Highway Cruiser
2006 Toyota Prius, Saving the Planet @ 48 mpg
2000 F-150, Destroying the Planet @ 20 mpg



TRUMP .......... WHITEHOUSE
HILLARY .........JAILHOUSE
BERNIE .......... NUTHOUSE
0BAMA .......... OUTHOUSE

190D valve clearance is .10 mm intake and .40mm exhaust, cold.

Coolant between 60C and 80C, clearance is .20mm intake and .45mm exhaust.

You measure the clearance between the rocker and the cap nut.

The good news is that it looks like the valve adjust wrenches for 616/7 are the same.

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63 220S W111
76 300D W115
2013 VW JSW TDI M6

previously-
73 280 SEL 4.5
86 300E 5 speed
2010 VW Jetta TDI M6

On the starter motor, you can find a rebuild shop...... NOT a retail counter, but the actual place where the work is done.

There's a shop in Louisville i can recommend that does starters, generators and alternators to spec - souped up with high amp impediance.

Make sure you have a BIG battery, something in the order of 1000 CCA, and make sure the starter is in good shape. It helps starting to get them spinning good. Heat it for quite a while until the inside glow plug resistor is nice and red, then continue to heat after it starts until it hits on all cylinders. As with all diesels, I would check all fuel lines and fittings for leaks where air could get into the system. And if you just bought it, I would change the fuel filter and check the inline screen, by the injection pump, to make sure it isn't plugged. Palangi is right, these are cold-blooded animals, and they need to be driven a few miles before making any conclusions about their condition. And they smoke more than the W123's, especially when cold.

Thanks - I finally broke down and purchased a new battery today. I got an 850 amp battery and it seems to start it fine as long as you can stand the wait. Once it has gotten through it's cold start it cranks up easily.

I've decided to drive it around a little every couple days and will change the filters over the next week or two. I was considering running some diesel purge through it before the oil change.

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Jim

About the MB PN pattern-do these numbers: 615 589 00 03 and 621 589 00 03 refer to the same valve spring retainer wrench?? In the tool catalogs and net sites they always omit earlier engines like om 621 Thanks!
Vengerov,w110 200D