Put it all back together. Reamed the glow plug chambers, got quite a bit of carbon out, maybe not as much as Kent spoke of on some that he had done. As I still had the injectors out I used compressed air to blow it out, taking care to keep the cover over the pump well in place.

OMG, it runs a lot better. Huge difference. The turbo works now. I can't swear though that it's as perky as my departed '81 300SD. My mechanic thinks that the 300SD had a slightly better motor setup all in all. Seems unlikely somehow, I mean the engines are identical aren't they?

As luck would have it, we're in a cold spell now. 65 during daylight, 37 last night when I fired it up. Hadn't run in a few weeks and it started right up, this after bleeding the lines. It was about this temp during one of my lengthy difficult start experiences up in WA state in Dec.

Numerous smaller tasks ahead. The tach and clock don't work, the rear windows do a snap-snap noise at the end of close, got to adjust something, I did it once, I forget. One of the hood hinges is in bad shape, the hood open cable needs help. Most important I still need to get on top of the vacuum issues.

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Te futueo et caballum tuum

1986 300SDL, 362K
1984 300D, 138K

where I live in winter my 300SE can get dicey (single tire fire at stoplights, wheelspin at 30 mph etc...) and 325ix system is simpler than w124 4matic for example.



engine shutoff, transmission vacuum lines:


https://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/outside/12265/disc_2/program/Engine/617/07_1-150.pdf


central locking:


https://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/outside/12265/disc_2/program/Chassis/80-900.pdf

Boost and the ALDA are two different yet intertwined things ~ the turbocharger provides the boost pressure and the ALDA senses how much boost and applies more fuel to make use of that boost pressure .

You get more power, the engine gets *much* hotter and everything gets more wear .

Many heavy duty or Hot Rodded Diesels have Pyrometers (exhaust temperature gauges) to measure the cylinder heat so you don't melt the piston crowns....

I'm sure this doesn't answer your overall question, the smart thing is to give it a little bit more boost and if necessary (usually it's not) tweak the ALDA a 1/16th turn counter clockwise to richen it up .

Most of the time upping the boost from the factory 12 # or more often measured 8 ~ 10 # to 14 or 15 makes it run so much stronger there's no need to touch the ALDA .

More than 16 # boost is going to shorten the engine's life span no matter what any Diesel Nutter (oops, "Enthusiast" tells you .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better