adjusted valves = hard to start - Page 2 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Stevo · #16 01-23-2011, 06:44 PM

[QUOTE=angst;2643922]Are you saying that prior to adjusting that I should put a wrench on the big nut on top of the spring and wiggle it back and forth a few times to settle things in?

Yep, just a couple quick turns back an forth to be sure the valve is seated.

angst · #17 01-23-2011, 07:14 PM

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?? 200AMP fuse??

Its down there in the neighborhood of to the front of the driver wheel well. It is under a plastic cover. Rarely if ever blows but is always something to take a peek at when troubleshooting. I guess 'fusable link' is probably what it's real name is.

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First thing to realize is that as long as you have some gap the motor will start & run

Gotcha. It of course runs and runs normally after a minute or so. It is the hard starting that is the issue.

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It will have a rattle if they are too loose.

Actually sounds decent idling after starting. No erratic hammer hitting metal kind of sounds. Pretty steady clicks

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Pull the GP's & test them properly by watching them heat up. Its the ONLY way to test to see if they are good. If you reconect them while they are out & turn the ignition on you can see if the GP relay etc is good.

Will do. Some of the symptoms def. are consistent with a glow plug issue.

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You may have disconnected something on the IP when you took the valve cover off.

This is what I thought. It is what would make the most sense. I was hoping someone would suggest a part ala "same thing happened to me when I did my valves, the xxxx got dis-connected"
I am going to go back for another look at the arms that go down between the pump and the engine to see if any of those little hip joint style sockets is undone on the bottom end.

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I think that I have just found the problem.
You probably have stuck rings.
Maybe another case of "Death in a Jug

It still runs normally. Just no power increase after the valve job and has a hard time starting after the valve job.

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Yep, just a couple quick turns back an forth to be sure the valve is seated.

Part that is called the "collar" right?

Plan for tomorrow.
Re-inspect all linkages and hoses.
Pull GP's and verify that each is heating. If they are then on to valves again.
Wiggle the collar before checking and setting each valve.
Set valves with the cam pointing straight up at 12 o'clock and not at 1 o'clock.

Stevo · #18 01-23-2011, 08:08 PM

[QUOTE=
Part that is called the "collar" right?

I just turn the lock nut (valve stem) before loosening it, just takes a second.

bustedbenz · #19 01-23-2011, 08:35 PM

The glow plug fuse is only 80 amps, thus the questioning post. It is indeed a fuse; we weren't doubting its existence. Just your rating.

pawoSD · #20 01-23-2011, 11:09 PM

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Originally Posted by layback40

"4K miles on veggie blends with kero and DinoD no mods. 10K miles on flatplat heat exchanger and various diesel/veg blends."

I think that I have just found the problem.
You probably have stuck rings.
Maybe another case of "Death in a Jug"
There is the alternate fuels sub forum, maybe some one there can help you.

I second this. Who knows how much nasty gunk is in that poor engine if this type of stuff is being run through it. The rings and valves are probably coated with the stuff.

79Mercy · #21 01-23-2011, 11:23 PM

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Originally Posted by pawoSD

I second this. Who knows how much nasty gunk is in that poor engine if this type of stuff is being run through it. The rings and valves are probably coated with the stuff.

This also supports my idea in post #5

funola · #22 01-23-2011, 11:37 PM

Check the fuel shutoff lever bracket that it is not flipped in the wrong position when you put the valve cover on.

supercub · #23 01-24-2011, 09:15 AM

A slight drag is good, you can go up .001", and if it does not slide in, you know that you are not over.

supercub · #24 01-24-2011, 09:16 AM

Is the hose on top of the air filter the way it should be?

vstech · #25 01-24-2011, 09:30 AM

ya. the strip is usually rated at 80 amps, and it is VERY common to fail. preventing voltage from reaching the glow plugs.

angst · #26 01-24-2011, 12:45 PM

Update.
Power to all plugs.
Furthest back plug would not glow when pulled out and hooked to jumper cables. I replaced it with one that I just pulled out of one of the middle cylinders for testing. I may have broken it when installing it in the back cylinder though. The top part of the body with the electric threads can spin around when you are trying to tighten the nut.
Have only been able to check one other plug. The one in the center which was fine. Went to pull the one furthest to the front and it is suffering the same fate of having the top part of the body is spinning and not allowing me to take the nut off.

I did find one thing unplugged. It was a single wire electrical plug that goes into the main body of the engine in the neighborhood of the middle glow plug.

Went to start and it did start but not convincingly strongly despite it being 48f and only 35f last night.
I am going to keep digging into more plugs but am probably going to have to just start it up and go about my errands shortly and any valve re-checking would have to be tomorrow.
I may try to shop for a battery. Could be a factor. 590 amps when tested on the car at Advance Auto. Any thoughts on that?

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Check the fuel shutoff lever bracket that it is not flipped in the wrong position when you put the valve cover on

Been there done that before. Fortunately didn't have everything bolted down before I realized.

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Is the hose on top of the air filter the way it should be

the vapor recovery hose? Its fine.
All of the EGR related hoses mysteriously vanished long ago.

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A slight drag is good, you can go up .001", and if it does not slide in, you know that you are not over.

Sweet tip. Thanks.

Edit: another update.
After starting the yellow dash light between the brake and battery light lights up. That is usually the brake wear indicator light but I could def. see the wires having been switched somewhere along the way.
Battery reads
12.43v engine off
14.5v idle

Walkenvol · #27 01-24-2011, 03:17 PM

If I'm following you correctly, the car runs well a few minutes after starting? Can we assume you pulled the glow plugs in order to release the compression while rotating the cam? Seems like it would have to be a glow plug issue. Take all 5 out. Bench test them. Replace the defective ones. Don't over tighten the nuts that hold the wires on the GP's. See if this solves your cold start problem.

As for the expected increased performance, unless the valves were considerably out of adjustment a huge performance increase should not be expected.

Good Luck!

angst · #28 01-24-2011, 03:52 PM

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If I'm following you correctly, the car runs well a few minutes after starting?

Yes. Runs fine, but hard time starting. Starts fine after warm.

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Can we assume you pulled the glow plugs in order to release the compression while rotating the cam?

oops. No. Only minor rotation was needed to line up each next one. Is that a problem?

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Seems like it would have to be a glow plug issue. Take all 5 out. Bench test them. Replace the defective ones. Don't over tighten the nuts that hold the wires on the GP's. See if this solves your cold start problem.

Will continue to test the plugs out of the car later this evening. I guess the one that got overtightened will come out too.

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As for the expected increased performance, unless the valves were considerably out of adjustment a huge performance increase should not be expected.

sounds reasonable. It was running ok. I was just looking for a little better cold starts. It had been about 18k since last valve job.

angst · #29 01-27-2011, 08:09 PM

Bump with another update.
Through this week i finished fiddling with the glow plugs and have removed each and confirmed it glowing hot with jumper cables and a battery.
The battery has been on a de-sulphator all week.
I think I can safely eliminate electrical as the source of the lousy starts.

Tomorrow I am pulling the valve cover and going at the valve adjustment again. My thoughts are to work off the suggestion of after adjusting trying one feeler gauge bigger and seeing if it fits in.
I was going to take that idea a step further and actually adjust for one step down from the .35 and .1 gauges and then insert the proper .35 and .1 gauges to see how they feel.

vstech · #30 01-27-2011, 08:36 PM

you might want to flush out the PC's while the glows are out.
spray some PB blaster in the holes, and let it soak for a bit,, then spin the motor over really well, to flush out any liquid you'll be amazed at the crud that sprays out of that motor.

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