idle speed adjustment knob

Hey all! I'm guess I'm starting to get fussy about my $200 beater here but it's come time to make the cold idle adjustment work. From what I gather it's normal position is to the "left" or counterclockwise, and to increase idle speed you turn it to the "right" or clockwise, yes? The one on my buddies SD will only turn about 1/2 turn lock to lock. Mine on the '76 300D will go round and round all day and not do a thing. I checked outside in the engine compartment and even had help so I could see both ends at once, the inside doesn't do anything to the outside. I pulled on the wire a little bit from the outside and it still feel "connected" to something, and it moves freely inside the outer cable. Since I can't figure this out I decided to just put in a new one.....IF I CAN GET THE OLD ONE OUT!!! What does it take to remove this thing? THere is not much room from under the steering column and it don't seem to want to pull out from the front. That silly knob wont push back through the dash bezel either. All I can figure is that the "knob" itself and the wire part will pull out through the dash while the outer cable sheath stays in the dang car. There, now that I've shown my ignorance and the lack of a manual ( it will be here soon I hope) someone can jump right in here and tell me I've overlooked something really simple that I can fix in about 10 minutes right? BTW yes I tried taking up the slack at the set screw. Tom

[Luke]

The manual idle adjuster increases the idle when turned counter-clockwise. The cable assemblys are available from PartsShop, or Impco. The "key" style adjustment knob is available also. Simply find the feedthrough where the cable enters the passenger compartment, disconnect the cap nut at the linkage, and pull it through. Takes about 15 minutes to do.

Adjustment is a snap. When attaching the new cable end to the linkage, set the knob fully clockwise, and adjust the cable end in the cap nut so that the engine just starts to sound a tad rough at idle with the lights and AC on. That will be your minimum setting. Frankly, I set my minimum even lower to take maximum advantage of dynamic braking.

Luke

Thanks Luke! I appreciate the info.! So it does pull "into" the drivers compartment. I couldn't even get close to that silly thing under the dash, I do know which cable it is though. I just couldn't get my hand in there behind the steering column. I will eventually have to get in there though as my glow plug light is sitting on top of the steering column and I will either have to somehow get in there and push it back into where it belongs or continue to stand on my head and look under the dash to see the light! Thanks again! Tom

[Luke]

Removing the dash adjuster on mine was very easy. I just loosened the outside cosmetic nut, and pushed the assembly back. To remove the cable, pull toward the passanger compartment, after, of course, freeing the cable end linkage.
To install the new cable, lightly coat it with a bit of grease, and push it through toward the engine compartment. Tip: Once the old cable is out, shine a light on the engine compartment side of the feedthrough, so you can see it while you are grunting and snorting under the dash. It makes the hole an obvious target.

Luke

Mine increases on CCW. There is a screw mechanisn in the dash that pulls the cable in on CCW. Mine has two adjustments under the hood, the cable housing with lock nut and a nut on the end of the cable itself.

Does anyone know of a tach available for diesels. Most I have seen work of the distributer on gas engines.

Steve, are you inquiring about a timing type instrument for setting the idle? Or one that actually stays on the car? Yesterday I saw some part #'s for "setting" /diagnostic tach.'s I'll see if I can relocate them, unless someone on here has such an animal and can post it before I can! Tom BTW I have the same exact setup on mine, kinda makes that "tweaking" a little easier I think!

[psfred]

Jim:

You will probably need to remove the instrument cluster -- or at least pull it out, anyway since the oil gauge is mechanical (read little steel tube that crimps and breaks!) to get the the internals. Same for ignition lock, ignition switch, headlight switch, etc.

The cluster just pulls out after you reach up and unscrew the speedo cable -- be careful not to pull off the chrome rings around the speedo and gauges, though, they are glued on. Don't bend or crimp the tube for the oil gauge!

You may just be able to remove the bezel nut under the ring, though -- it has slots and can be unscrewed.

Peter

Thanks Peter, I removed that part when I was looking it over to see how it comes out. ( The bezel nut) I put it back on though! I don't have to worry about the chrome ring coming off on that side as it fell off last weekend and I haven't taken the time to glue it back on yet:p I went to fastlane and looked it up, but like everything else I want , it says to call. ( must be I want all the oddball stuff ) I've got the car running pretty good now, after a few tanks of biodiesel, now I need to order some more filters, and that idle cable. I don't know how these cars can be percieved as slow? Unless you are used to driving something with a dual overhead cam that is turbocharged or supercharged running on gasoline. Or has it just been that long since I've driven or rode in a gas vehicle? Tom

[psfred]

Tom:

I think the "slowness" of diesels is more a matter of perception than reality, my 220 and 240's aside (they ARE slow!).

Acceleration in a diesel feels much different than that of a gasoline engine -- gas engine surges off the line when you open the throttle, then acceleration slows down as pumping losses go up and you fall off the top of the torque curve. A diesel usually starts off slow, then gains tremendous torque as rpm gets up to about 2400, at which point acceleration is very nice.

I consistantly run away from gasoline cars in the 87 -- hard to control the power on that one. The Volvo TD also has a nearly linear rate of speed increase once I get in 2nd about 2400 rpm -- the tach sits at 2400 or so, and upshifts when the car catches up. Get a boost at 45 mph when the torque converter locks up, too!

I think that most people who aren't familiar with diesels get in, think they drive like a gasoline car, and only crack the throttle open a little, and then are dissapointed when nothing happens. This is encouraged by the way some cars have the throttle cable set up -- slight pedal movement gives large throttle opening, more pedal gives nothing more. I drove a Mitsubishi Galant while having some body work done on the Volvo, and nearly rear-ended a couple cars before I figured this out. Got cramps in my right leg holding my foot off the pedal to avoid going to fast! Crappy milage, too!

I love my diesels!

Peter

[janko]

i have one of the above described idle adjusters in the dash. my 240d is a manual. working from memory - actually had not given this much thought until this thread - i do not have a cable connected to the adjuster. maybe never did. the question. is this functional only on automatic transmission equipped cars?

[psfred]

Does the same thing on manual transmissioned cars as automatics -- ups the idle speed. Should go a half turn before it makes any difference, then go a quarter turn more.

My 220D tends to stall if I don't set the idle up when it is cold.

Peter

[wooffi]

The adjuster is a big help for cold start, I let the car warm up with it and drive maybe about a mile, than turn it down.