for some reason ALL my valves were tight...not a single one of them seemed to be loose. Is there a reason as to why that was that way ?


Thanks

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Audi TT

they either haven't been adjusted in a long time or either you or the prior person adjusting the valves used the wrong scale, i.e., english units instead of metric, or vice versa.
How does it run/ start cold?

it starts right up BUT today was over 60 degrees here in Jersey. The car does seem to run alot smoother. I just hope it gets better mileage due to the adjustment

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Audi TT

Mercedes valves get tighter when you don't adjust them. The valves will not open as much as they do when they are adjusted properly. One of the reasons to keep the valves adjusted is so you have proper air movement. With the valves opening less as time goes on. Your engine is "starved" for air.

Dave

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1970 220D, owned 1980-1990
1980 240D, owned 1990-1992
1982 300TD, owned 1992-1993
1986 300SDL, owned 1993-2004
1999 E300, owned 1999-2003
1982 300TD, 213,880mi, owned since Nov 18, 1991- Aug 4, 2010 SOLD
1988 560SL, 100,000mi, owned since 1995
1965 Mustang Fastback Mileage Unknown(My sons)
1983 240D, 176,000mi (My daughers) owned since 2004
2007 Honda Accord EX-L I4 auto, the new daily driver
1985 300D 264,000mi Son's new daily driver.(sold)
2008 Hyundai Tiberon. Daughters new car

Other way around, they open more as they get tighter. Tight valves won't seal correctly on the head reducing compression. Loose valves won't open all the way decreasing airflow and making a racket when the cam lobes contact the valves.

I did a valve adjustment today also. All were loose. It's only been 3 months since the last adjustment, I'm just preparing for my trip.

you will get better mileage due to the valve adjustment.... I'm glad you got it done

i too did mine about 3 weeks ago. i was pretty easy. runns better too

It all depends what you mean by "tighter"

For instance, if the clearance between the cam and the rocker arm is tigher, that means that the valve will be pushed down a little bit more, which is bad because it can leave a valve open when it should be closed. Over time, Valve sink in more into the head, so that would make the clearance between the rocker arm and the cam less, which you dont want because you want the valve to close all the way.

That is why you need the benz feeler gauges so you can get them dialed in where they should be. Mercedes has a spec for cars that are consistantly in subzero environments on the pdf files from the service manual library.

Best of luck!

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Current Stable:
1994 S500 v140, 210k miles, white with grey.

Former Mercedes in the Stable:
1983 300CD Turbo diesel 515k mi sold (rumor has it, that it has 750k miles on it now)
1984 300CD Turbo Diesel 150 k mi sold
1982 300D Turbo Diesel 225 sold
1987 300D Turbo Diesel 255k mi sold
1988 300 CE AMG Hammer 15k mi sold
1986 "300E" Amg Hammer 88k mi sold (it was really a 200, not even an E (124.020)
1992 500E 156k mi sold
etc.

82-300DT.

I was going to correct dmorrison but I saw you did it already. The few thousandts of an inch adjustment makes on the travel length of a valve and airflow is insignificant. Don't you agree?

P E H

When I did mine about 3 months ago - nearly all were too tight. I don't think they had been done in 50K+ miles.

So, I had the same experience. Between the valve adjustment, and adjusting the bowden cable on the transmission (so it downshift again), the car has been transformed!

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~shell
As of 2/2010:
2001 CLK55 0o\=*=/o0
13.6 @ 106mph
10K mi
1984 300SD
260K mi and going and going...
97 S600
46K miles
1991 Sentra SE-R (extremely dorked with)
www.se-r.net

the overly tight valves will also run hotter. The contact with the head cools the valve.