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  #1  
Old 04-16-2004, 10:03 AM
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Question What is ALDA?

I have read numerous threads regarding black smoke in exhaust, sluggish acceleration, etc., and various references to adjusting the "ALDA" on the injection pump. My '82 240D intermittently emits clouds of black smoke when downshifting, with sluggish acceleration. It happens downshifting to both 2nd and 3rd gears. Its not consistent, often accelerating rapidly with no smoke, so I asked the local MB service advisor about this since I had a rebuilt engine from MB installed last year and I've driven it 6,000 miles so far. I don't want to have it in the shop and run normally, then get an expensive service bill. I asked the advisor what the "ALDA" was that I had read about in this forum, and he hadn't a clue. So this doesn't give me much confidence that anybody there knows much about these old Benzes. The engine is still under a 50,000 mile 4 year warranty, and I assume any such adjustments are under seal, so don't want to screw around with anything. Any advice & suggestions that I can take back to the shop, anyone?

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Old 04-16-2004, 10:06 AM
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Sounds more like a sticking EGR to me.

The ALDA is the round cannister type thing on top of the injection pump.
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  #3  
Old 04-16-2004, 10:35 AM
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Thanks for the quick reply. I have read some thread references to the egr valve also - and some suggestions about just disconnecting it. This is a California car emission system. Is this something I can do myself, or should I have the dealer shop inspect that?
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Old 04-16-2004, 10:35 AM
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DHB,
The OM616 is not turbocharge so there is no ALDA. I think there is a device called a ADA which only compensates for elevation change. There is no boost line heading towards the IP or switch-over valve since there is no boost. But, I agree with Rick, this sounds more like the EGR valve. It may be time to upgrade it with a specialized metal gasket without the large hole in the center. That hole in the current one tends to let exhaust gas into your intake
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  #5  
Old 04-16-2004, 02:03 PM
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OK. I checked the EGR valve with a vacumn gauge according to the Haynes manual, and it sounds like it is working ok. It also appears to be new on the engine. The vacumn line goes to a small cylindrical part mounted on the fender wall, and from there a vacumn line goes to the water pump housing. The line from the valve is going to the top connection, and the other from the bottom connection. Is this hookup right, and what is the function of this part? Could this be part of the problem?
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Old 04-16-2004, 03:01 PM
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DHB,
I think that test only confirms the vacuum part is operating correctly. There are two bolts holding the EGR valve mess on the intake manifold. Take out the two bolts, slide the specialized gasket in descibed above (I made several out of roofing tin), put the bolts back in and tighten. Test the car in that configuration a day or two and see if it stops. If it does, you can replace the EGR valve or just leave the special gasket inplace until you get "Round Tuit." Until then the only thing you need to make sure of concerning vacuum to the valve is that it doesn't leak vacuum. I accomplished this with a discreet replumbing of the vacuum lines, which when reconfigured, somehow didn't supply vacuum to the EGR valve. (Someday I need to take these cars into a dealership and get that fixed )
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  #7  
Old 04-26-2004, 10:36 PM
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exhaust smoke & egr

I learned a lot about the egr valve from perusing all the related threads. So I plugged the vacumn line leading to the valve with a piece of electric wire (I don't have any BB's), and the problem seems to have gone away - no more black smoke when downshifting and occasional sluggish acceleration (thanks to your suggestions that this may be a sticking egr valve). The engine also seems to be performing better, unless this is my imagination. I am awaiting the egr valve blocking plate kit offered by Brian Carlton, for a permanent solution. No emissions testing here in Wisconsin, and I like the idea of cleaner combustion without re-circulated exhaust gas in the mix (at least cleaner combustion regarding the engine).
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Old 04-26-2004, 10:45 PM
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I just had a follow-up thought regarding removal of the egr valve. Since my re-manufactured MB engine is under warranty for 50,000 miles or 48 mos., will I be voiding the warranty by removing the egr valve? Would I be better off leaving it plugged as is, and if any warranty problems unsue, just unplug the vacumn line before having the MB dealer service it for a warranty prooblem?
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Old 04-26-2004, 11:59 PM
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DHB,
I'm not sure about warrentee requirements, but to play it safe, a small plug is easily removed and should you go the specialize gasket route too , it is also easily removed. The gasket just takes removing two 8mm hex bolts and replacing the specialized one with the orginal gasket and replacing the bolts.
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  #10  
Old 04-27-2004, 09:11 AM
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If the engine is running fine in its present state, I would leave it as is. Imagine a situation where you have a catastrophic failure on the road and have to be towed to a dealer. The plug is a lot quicker and easier to remove than the specialized gasket. And I wouldn't be surprised to see M-B deny a warranty claim because you took the EGR valve off. They will use any excuse at all these days to deny a claim.
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  #11  
Old 04-27-2004, 09:55 AM
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Golf tees work great for plugging lines...

Golf tees are great for plugging vacuum lines. They are easy to see so you won't forget they are there and remove quickly. Get a small piece of rubber vacuum hose to stick on the hose you unplug to provide a spot for 2nd golf tee, or just remove the short vacuum line going to the EGR. You should notice an improvement in your mileage and smoothness of the engine.

I think the better mileage you get is also a benefit to the environment.
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  #12  
Old 04-27-2004, 11:59 AM
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DHB
Regarding the small round switch on the passenger side, my expertise does not lead me to explain it but my experience does. After installing my "specialized metal gasket" I removed the excess vacuum lines on my 240D, including the one running from this small round switch back to the thermo area. On a two mile run afterward the temp gauge behaved strangely so I stopped, retrieved an excess vacuum line from the trunk and returned it to the round switch and thermo area, attached a blocked piece of vacuum line to the other nipple in the thermo area and my temp gauge is reading accurately again.

Again, experience, not expertise.

My .02

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