So I did the valve cover gaskets and PCV hoses and gasket on my 2000 E320 Wagon M112 V6(only took me 7 1/2 hours because I'm the world's fastest). I was short on cash, and even if I had money my brother was in the 300SDL, so I tightened it without a torque wrench.

I didn't go crazy, I used a 1/4 ratchet and applied torque near the head of the ratchet.
Has anyone gotten away without using one?

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

No idea what the torque value is on the M112, but on the diesels it's only 10nm, which is just past "snug". You can kind of guess and get away with it, but if you want the gasket to last, it's a good idea to use a torque wrench to prolong its life.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

Oh, I didn't know a torque wrench would increase the life of the gasket. I'll buy the 1/4 Tekton and re torque them. It's 8nm

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1998 Ford Escort ZX2 5 speed - 279,000 miles My Daily

1992 Mercedes 300D 2.5 202,000 - Pure junk
2000 Mercedes E320 Black - 136,000 miles - Needs repair

Don't forget to grease the screw and threads on the spring compressor.

Overtorquing flattens the gasket and distributes the clamping force unevenly. Depending on the valve cover design, it can also distort it to where it doesn't seal properly. Definitely worth doing right the first time and it won't leak until it gets old and hardens.

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Current stable:
1995 E320 149K (Nancy)
1983 500SL 120K (SLoL)

Black Sheep:
1985 524TD 167K (TotalDumpster™)

Gone but not forgotten:
1986 300SDL (RIP)
1991 350SD
1991 560SEL
1990 560SEL
1986 500SEL Euro (Rusted to nothing at 47K!)

If it's like a 61x valve gasket, it'll be insensitive to the torque beyond a certain point because you're just bottoming the studs of the valve cover out on the head.

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CC: NSA

All things are burning, know this and be released.

82 Benz 240 D, Kuan Yin
12 Ford Escape 4wd

You're four times

It's hard to

more likely to

concentrate on

have an accident

two things

when you're on

at the same time.

a cell phone.

www.kiva.org It's not like there's anything wrong with feeling good, is there?

Welp it leaked, off to Harbour Freight I go! And possibly another gasket too

WILL leak if overtorqued plus you run the danger of distorting the cast
aluminum cover.

The leak you experienced is probably from displacement of the gasket while installing. Some use a thin wash of gasket glue of some sort. I don't like to use that stuff. I think it makes the next gasket installation painful since it must all be carefully scraped off. I use a coating of assembly grease to hold it in place.

If you distort the cover it's wise to have it machined. If one doesn't know how to properly install a valve cover on an MB he probably won't be able to help straighten the bearing edge of the cover.

I didn't know how to do it but I could see from the design that it wasn't something that require a big man to do. A small child could over torque this.

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84 300SD
85 380SE
83 528e
95 318ic

The design of the cover is such that destroying it is easy... and overtightening will not accomplish anything...

Clean, high quality gasket, and minor torque is important.

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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!

This sounds pretty horrendous

Quality of wrench will be important at this low level, also range too - don't buy a 0 - 200nm thinking it will cover all aspects, it won't get something 0-30nm for low torque ranges certified.

Personally, at 10nm I would nip it up by hand - bolts are accessible, if it leaks just a tad more.


..just my approach not for everyone

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David


1996 Mercedes S124 E300TD - 129k - rolling restoration project -

1998 Mercedes W210 300TD - 118k (assimilated into above vehicle)

Worst comes to worst, I'll acquire junkyard valve covers.

Welp I dun goofed

Problem with that idea is that you have no idea of the condition of the junk yard covers, and if they too are bent out of shape, each time you do the job, means more money spent for gaskets.

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96 E300d