Do you folks take the hood off to set valves? I am lining up on doing this job for the first time. Both I and my (sometimes) helper are over six feet tall, and prone to wacking heads on hoods....

Alberta Luthier

What car are you talking about? The hood may just go up 90 degrees

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

Sorry, '83 300CD. The hood opens, then flipping two little catches it opens some more, but no where near 90*.
Alta Luthier

Are you sure the hinges are clear? I seem to recall the hood opens a little beyond vertical so the weight isn't on the safety tabs.

Sixto

It should, try the passenger side latch

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1985 Euro 240D 5 spd 140K
1979 240D 5 spd, 40K on engine rebuild
1994 Dodge/Cummins, 5 spd, 121K
1964 Allice Chalmers D15 tractor
2014 Kubota L3800 tractor
1964 VW bug

"Lifes too short to drive a boring car"

and please be gentle when closing or opening hood to overextended position. If your hinges are weak/bent/broken you can break the windshield before you realize what's going on. I learned the hard way, just want to prepare not scare.

I think my hinges mat not be quite right, then. I shall investigate further. Perhaps I need to do something there before the valve adjustment. (And the warning about the windsheild is duely noted )
Thanx all,
Alberta Luthier

I am trying to upload a pic of my hinge on the driver's side. (I don't know if it will work though, as it doesn't show in the 'preview').
I moved the hinge spring up onto that third hook and it will hold it more open now. I am concerned about all the extra spring pressure to close it though. Maybe I ought to move it back after I set the valves.
where do you guys have your springs?Are the other models the same?
Thanx Alberta Luthier

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That's a mistake.

Return the spring hook to the original position.

Check your own photo.

At the very bottom of the photo is a small tab. Each hinge mechanism has one of these tabs. With the hood in it's normal up position, push down
on both tabs simultaneously and lift the hood higher until it's straight up.........90 degrees from vertical. The tabs will then lock in this position and you'll need to release them to lower the hood.

It's possible to do the lift by yourself if you carefully lift one side very slightly before the other. Note, however, if you lift it too much, with the lock engaged, you can break the hinge or you'll never get the tab to release.

Find a helper and push both tabs down at the same time and lift the hood fully vertical.

Don't lift the hood to 90 degrees if there are strong winds present.

Thanx B.C. I get it now. I put the springs back (that didn'y fel right, anyway, thus the post).
I have released the tabs, No problem as one releases just before the other (so I didn't need to try to conscript the teenager)And I see it will open way up.... jus not enough headroom in the dang garage to get it all they way.
I will just tie it up most of the way while doing the planned valve service.
I definatly won'r do it outside as the poplar seed fluff is happening here right now and I don't want a wack of that crap in my engine.
I am also realizing that I am needing more light before this job (thus the hinge missunderstanding) and had better move a light fixture. still getting used to 50 year old eyes I guess.
Thanx'
Alberta Luthier

Good job. I can relate to the height restriction in the garage. I've got the exact same problem.......the hood can't go all the way up.

And, the lighting problem has been troublesome for years. I finally installed two eight foot flourescent fixtures in each bay. Each fixture takes two bulbs. Each bulb is rated at 110 watts. So, in a given bay, there's 440 watts of flourescent power raining down on the engine compartment.

Can you say daylight?