Ok, let me preface my story by saying "I am an idiot." And, if you read this and laugh, you are obliged to help me!

I was attempting a valve job. I removed the throttle linkage and the valve cover. Following Diesel Giant's valve adjustment directions, I attempted to rotate the cam shaft via the power steering pump bolt. I was turning the bolt clockwise while standing in front of the car and facing the engine compartment--that's correct, right? The cam shaft did not turn. Maybe the belt was too loose? The belt was rotating the pulley on the engine...Anyway, I had the bright idea to bump the engine using the ignition and, surprise, surprise, the engine started up. Since I had removed most of the linkage, it took me a while to locate the remaining linkage to shut the engine off (it kinda hid itself by falling down somewhat, and it was coated with oil from the oil storm that I accidentally set off). So, I have an oil coated engine compartment and a huge puddle of oil under the car. My landlord's going to love me.

I suppose I need to finish adjusting the valves, put the cover back on, refill the oil, and clean everything up. But I can't rotate the shaft, especially now that there's oil all over the belts. Is there another way to rotate the engine without a special tool? What about the bolt that looks like it connects the cam shaft--can I use this to rotate the shaft--if I can, which way do I turn it? Should I just use the old valve cover gasket and put the cover back on to clean the engine compartment and then just start over again? I don't know how to go about fixing the mess that I've made. Any suggestions? Please...

Stop laughing!

You did have the car in neutral, right? Try this - put a ratchet/socket on the alternator nut and turn it at the same time you turn that power steering pulley. You kind of have to reach way down there with your left hand. Be careful not to bang the fan up.

It just so happens that I adjusted my valves for the first time today. When I rotated the power steering pulley, the belt (new, probably stretched a little) was too loose to turn the engine pulley and I was facing your original problem. But turning the alternator and power steering together got the engine to turn. It was kind of a pain though, and I should adjust up those belts apparently.

I would not try to rotate the engine with the cam - if you mess it up you're screwed.

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Charlie

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'66 VW 1300 96K miles
'97 E300D 239K miles
'85 300D 203K miles (sold Sep 2012)

Maybe first put the valve cover back on, and I would use the old valve cover gasket, and wait on the valves and clean the oil up first. I see lots of kitty litter in your future. Try using Simple Green to clean the driveway. Dowse the engine in a healthy amount of a engine cleaner, and visit your local do-it-yourself car wash, and carefully wash the engine. Or use a power washer. You want the engine as cool as possible, and don't use high pressure. Then re-attempt the vavle adjustment.

I would tighten the p/s belt and see if that turns the belt. I use the p/s pulley to rotate the engine when I adjust the valves.

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I've done my share of stupid things, and will continue to do so.

First, you have it exactly right by trying to rotate the engine by turning the nut on the PS pump clockwise as you stand in front of the car. 22mm(?) nut.

Its not unusual (in my experience) for the belt to slip while trying to rotate the engine this way.

If you reach down with your left hand and grasp the balancer wheel (the other big pulley the PS belt drives) and pull it "up" (counterclockwise) while turning the PS pump pulley with a wrench, you should be able to rotate the engine nice and slowly for your valve adjustment.

If you've never adjusted valves before (i.e. never owned an air cooled VW), you're in for a treat Just try to be patient, have a beer, keep your cool and keep adjusting them until the .1 and .35 feeler gauges slip through but the next biggest ones don't. Then rotate the engine and check them all again. Its really a pretty simple job once you get the hang of it and it gets easier if you do it at regular maintainence intervals, but the learning curve can be kind of painful.

Think about how the valve adjusting nuts are moving up and down as you turn them clockwise (down) and counterclockwise (up). Moving the nuts down (clockwise) makes the gap bigger and moving them up (counterclockwise) makes the gap smaller.

As with any job, having the right tools makes all the difference. A pair of thin, bent 14mm wrenches and (in an ideal world) a spring retainer. If the spring rotates while you're trying to tighten them, you'll go nuts trying to get it right.

Don't try to rotate the camshaft directly with a wrench.

Nothing like personal experience to make a point. Anyway, I use a remote bump type starter, looks like a pistol grip complete with trigger with two leads with alligator clips. Hook up to the first and third screws on the box on passenger side, follow lead from battery, you can also use anything to jump those two, it will engage starter. With the remote unit you have control to turn just enough to get the lobes where you want 'em. I have heard not to use the cam itself. Good luck, thanks for the laugh! Sorry, but I did laugh.

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83 SD

84 CD

If you can, do that. Slow down and get on top of the job. You are in an oily mess now and that will have to be cleaned up, both on the ground and in and around the engine. First of all, the way the Benz people want you to pull that engine around is from the front crankshaft pulley/balancer bolt, way deep inside that pulley. But in order to get your cam shaft to the right position doing that is a two person job, because one person has to lay on the ground and turn the1/2 inch ratchet(and it is hard to turn!) and the other person has to watch and locate the cam position.
Secondly, you can bump the engine with the starter from the passenger side fender. There is a little black box right along the inner fender edge with a top about 1/2 inch wide X 2 inch long. Unsnap the top and it is open. In the box are three screws. Using a needle nose pliers, touch the top of the little screw with one point of the pliers and the end big screw with the other. Do it carefully and you can nicely nudge that engine into any cam position you need. To make it easier, you can get a little push button starter switch at any Parts House and very easily wire that too those same screws. It makes it very easy.
Also, from that position you" by pass" the glow plug system and that is where you made your mistake. You energized the glow plugs and sure, it fired up. If you would have read and studied just a little, you certainly would have known to (at the least) disconnect or unplug the glow plug relay at the front of the drivers fender.
Remember that accidents don't just happen. People make accidents when they don't understand the system. Sorry!

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Junqueyardjim
Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important. C.S. Lewis



1983 Mercedes W123 240D 4 Speed 285,000 on the road with a 617 turbo, beautiful butter yellow, license plate # 83 240D INDIANA

2003 Jaguar Type X, AWD. beautiful, good mileage,
Mom's car, but I won't let her drive it!

This may help with turning the engine:

http://www.hevanet.com/patbob/MercedesK1SpringKit/SpringKitInstall.html

Scroll down a little at that link and take a look at the socket and description of how to use it.

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Pictures of the MB: http://s230.photobucket.com/albums/ee41/EricandRobyn/1981%20Mercedes/

1981 300 SD with a Goldenrod water block and Injetor line heaters. EGR is missing

1999 F-350 with HP X-over, Dahl 100 Fuel Filter, Coolant by-pass filter, CCV mod, Tymar intake.

Both on single tank WVO blend

Did I have the car in neutral!? What do you take me for!? Of course I.......Ummm, no. I didn't have it in neutral. So, it's supposed to be in neutral?

I did just run out and try to turn it with the car in neutral. Still no luck. It's dark now, so I think I'll wait until tomorrow to try some of the suggestions from you guys. Thanks for your help.

By the way, I have a t-shirt painted by Jackson Pollock during his "oil phase" for sale if anyone is interested.

I never turn using the PS nut. It can be over tightened. You can remove the fan shrowd and fan to access the crank bolt. Turn clockwise the same as you were attempting with the PS nut. It takes more time, but it is the safest, most accurate way of positioning the lobes.

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1982 300CD Petrol/Black Leather

Yeah, Yeah, rub it in junqueyardjim. Thanks for the electrical trick suggestion.

And thanks, firemediceric, for that link! And now I know....

Another option! Thanks!

Ok, it's a done deal. I adjusted the valves to specs, put on a new gasket, added about 4 quarts of oil, cleaned the engine, cleaned the mess on the ground, and changed out the injector lines. Live and learn.

About the injector lines--before I changed them, the old ones were leaky and brittle. So, I bought some new line from the dealership ($15 per meter). The new line seems to do a good job, but I still notice a little fuel leakage around the injectors coming from somewhere other than the lines. Does this mean that I should maybe change the heat shields? I'd like to clean the injectors, too--Does anyone know how much it costs to clean, pop test, balance, etc., the injectors. Should I save up for Bosio nozzles, maybe?

Tip for fellow newbie mechanics: When you fasten down the valve cover, make sure your throttle linkage components are out of the way. If not, you may end up bending part of the linkage, not that I did...Ok, I did. But, all's good now.

By the way, thanks, junqueyardjim, for the tip on using the two screws to bump the engine--it works great. The engine did, however, start once while doing this (without glowplugs!), but I was ready for it that time.

hey, how about this? the valves need adjustment at 15K right?
would not this be an ideal time to INSPECT the glow plugs?
perhaps it would be easier to turn over the motor with them out? no compression this way... and no WAY for it to start with them out.
just a thought.

oh, and the leaking is probably caused by the PC rings being loose. you can TRY to tighten them up by torquing the injectors a little, but you may have to pull the injectors themselves and tighten the rings with a home made tool. (do you have a bench grinder?
John

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John HAUL AWAY, OR CRUSHED CARS!!! HELP ME keep the cars out of the crusher! A/C Thread
"as I ride with my a/c on... I have fond memories of sweaty oily saturdays and spewing R12 into the air. THANKS for all you do!

My drivers:
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5Turbo
1987 190D 2.5-5SPEED!!!

1987 300TD
1987 300TD
1994GMC 2500 6.5Turbo truck... I had to put the ladder somewhere!

congrats.. your a diesel owner now.. We all have had one of those moments.. mine was diesel fuel splurting all over me