Hi,

Because I couldnt figutre how to get the turbo off of my 83 300D with my tools, I tackled the valve adjustment myself this weekend, for the first time. I had it done twice so far, once by the dealer, once by an MB only independent. I used the thomaspin directions, and all went pretty well.
I had a few issues with the directions, but my real question mainly is, how far will valves usually get off in 15-20K?
First, my issue with thomaspin's directions:
-His order of valves for the 617 is different from what I experienced. From checking at TDC, the order I adjusted in was (from the front of the engine): 4,2,8,3,9,7,5,10,1,6. This is fidderent from his instructions. Looking at cam lobes isnt that hard, and I cant say that I messed it up, because I never had the same valve up and in position twice. What gives?????

Second, my valves were as follows (from the front of the engine):
1 (E): 0.356mm
2 (I): .302mm!!!, changed to 0.102mm
3 (I): 0.20mm, changed to 0.102mm
4 (E): 0.406mm, changed to 0.356mm
5 (E): 0.456, changed to 0.356
6 (I): 0.127, changed to 0.102
7 (I):0.102
8 (E): 0.483!!!, changed to 0.356
9 (E): 0.356
10 (I):0.127, changed to 0.102

All values being the sizes of my feeler gauge set.

Some of those were way loose... Didnt see ANY that were tight, as I would have expected due to wear. What gives with this?

My car usually required a quick shot of the starter, after glowing in sub freezing weather. It was maybe one turn, or one cylinder compression (whatever happens when it makes its noise just once). Now after sitting two days in sub freezing weather from oding the adjustment and not driving, I started it, and I didnt even hear the starter after glowing it.
So I think the valves were off a bit....

Any ideas why they would loosen so much? Should I worry about taking my car to the people that did it last, since the values were so far off on some of the valves?

Thanks for any info.

JMH

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Current Diesels:
1981 240D (73K)
1982 300CD (169k)
1985 190D (169k)
1991 350SD (116k)
1991 350SD (206k)
1991 300D (228k)
2008 ML320 CDI (199k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (442k)
1996 Dodge Ram CTD (267k)

Past Diesels:
1983 300D (228K), 1985 300D (233K), 1993 300D 2.5T (338k), 1993 300SD (291k)