83 300SD

What is the normal cost to adjust the valves? I went in to the local shop and was surprised to hear it will take two days and cost $200.00. Is this guy off his rocker or is that reasonable? Thanks.

Attached Thumbnails

 

The two days part is probably due to them wanting to have the engine ' stone cold'...which is proper... with practice and the proper tools and no surprises...it is a couple of hours...
Of course you posted on a forum which leans towards doing it themselves.... tools are a one time cost... but you will need regular setting of the valves... so the longer you have it the more you will have saved... leaving off the fact that you will know exactly whether it was done correctly ( hopefully ).... LOL

Mine had it overnight also and charged 2 hours @ $60/hour and changed the return lines at the same time. Actual time was probably just a little over an hour but the valves were in pretty good shape and didn't require much adjustment. An estimate of 2 hours which allows for problems seems reasonable to me. Remember they have to remove several items in order to remove the cover and then reassemble.

by the third time you do it, it should be about 45 minutes, w/ some proper wrenches.

__________________
1984 123.193 372,xxx miles, room for Seven.

1999 Dodge Durango Cummins 4BTAA 47RE 5k lb 4x4 getting 25+mpgs, room for Seven.

I recently adjusted my own on my 300D. It was my first time and I was more than a little nervous. Cost me about $25 for a gasket from Diesel Giant. $10 for a couple of 14 mm wrenches that I had to heat and bend to fit into the spaces. Took me way too long (maybe 5 hours) but next time will be much quicker. It wasn't hard to do, thanks to tutorial from Diesel Giant and a post in the archives about how to fashion the wrenches.

__________________
John Schroader
bio burnin' 83 300D, '83 300 SD, '79 240D
"I've never met a man who was good at making excuses who was good at anything else" Ben Franklin
"You cannot permanently help a man by doing for him what he could and should do for himself" Abraham Lincoln

For me, the hardest part is removing the fan and shroud so I can turn the engine w/the crank shaft bolt from above. The DIY valve adjust is pretty easy.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

does anybody have the valve sequence guide?

i lost the thread that had the file.

__________________

Just look at the manifolds.

__________________
1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

Haynes has it. I do not remember if the front most valve is exhaust or intake.

If exhaust it would be EI IE EI IE EI. If intake is first, then it would be IE EI IE EI IE.

__________________
RRGrassi


70's Southern Pacific #5608 Fairmont A-4 MOW car

13 VW JSW 2.0 TDI 193K, Tuned with DPF and EGR Delete.

91 W124 300D Turbo replaced, Pressure W/G actuator installed. 210K

90 Dodge D250 5.9 Cummins/5 speed. 400K

Go to dieselgiant.com. There is a pdf you can download.

__________________

i know the order, and the color of the stem seals is a good indicator too. It begins with exhaust.

I was looking for the sequence when turning, Beginning at any point, the next lobe to be perpendicular is noted on the sheet to eliminate guesswork and save time/ aggravation and poor organization.

__________________

Just start at the front and work back. It's too much of a headache to skip around.

__________________
1979 240D- 316K miles - VGT Turbo, Intercooler, Stick Shift, Many Other Mods - Daily Driver

1982 300SD - 232K miles - Wife's Daily Driver

1986 560SL - Wife's red speed machine

I have to make a new set as I used "chepo' wrenches and one has spread to 15+mm eek:. Did you use just a propane tourch? Oh crap, the lights are flickering

__________________


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"

I have used the power steering pump's nut to turn the engine and I have used a remote starter switch to 'bump' the engine from one valve to the next. The latter is much easier (some people are concerned about accidentally starting the engine but with a cold engine it should not be a risk). Don't turn the engine backwards!

It's probably best to start at the front of the block and work your way to the back. The only thing you have to keep track of is which valve is an intake and which is exhaust. In most cases, the valves tend to get tighter as the seats wear down so you will have to open them up.

Jeremy

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970

Thanks for the replies. Here is the requested pic.

Attached Thumbnails