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Wout
Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Belgium
Vehicle(s): Mercedes 280GE 1979/230G 1980/ C220CDI/A170CDI/
Posts: 145
| Valve adjusting 280GE (A confession)
As a lot of people are a bit itchy, there is nothing like a good laugh to cure that.
I'll take the risk to be the subject of some jokes, but remenber I'm only an imported Belgian.
This morning I planned to adjust the valve clearances of my 280GE. I prepared my tools, my special bought, special valve Mercedes Benz adjusting tool and my feeler gauges.
Took the cover off, took off the tension springs and started adjusting everything possible on these valves. As I expectes they were far too tight. Adjusted the exhaust valves (Cold engine) to 0.25 and the inlet valves to 0,10.
Put on new tension springs and put everything together again. After starting the engine it made a sound as if there was a bag of pebbles in it.
After my hart started beating again I repeated the steps mentioned above. Checked everything double etc. Log story short. Ar four o'clock I gave up.
About six I got a very nasty feeling and started adjusting again with a very minor difference. Started the engine and it runs like new.
The deeper thought behind this story is:
NEVER ASSUME THE FEELER GAUGES YOU ARE USING ARE METRIC , SOME ARE IN INCHES (even though unmarked)
If anyone has a better story, please feel free to join.
wkr
Wout' |
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DesertStar
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: San Diego, CA USA
Vehicle(s): 85-280GE/95-G320/08-G500
Posts: 2156
| RE: Valve adjusting 280GE (A confession)
Now that is a funny story. I guess you will never know if your valves even needed adjusted. I went to adjust valves on my diesel (300sd) and left the ratchet on the crank pulley when I was finished. Needless to say, after all buttoned up I started the motor and heard a "whack" and found coolant all over the ground....the ratched turned when started, shearing off my lower radiator neck. A new radiator was ordered 1 hour later.
Mike |
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4x4abc
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: La Paz, Baja California, Mexico
Vehicle(s): 02 G500
| bruised knuckles
Oh man, I see an "oops" thread coming. I have so many bad ones that I supressed most of them.
Give me some time - I'll remember a few. |
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Kuzuki
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Valve adjusting 280GE (A confession)
Not G related but still an ooops....
A few years back I had a Toyota Van auto trany. Parked it in front of my mom's one nite and when I wanted to leave it would no start. Not even crank the engine. Everything electrical worked. So I checked the battery, the fuses everything ok. Got under it and gave the starter a couple of good knocks. Nothing. Next I looked at the alarm system. Deciding it was the culprit I yanked the cables but still nothing. I was getting p.. off as the van had given me trouble the past month.
So finaly my mom walks up to the passenger window and points out that the trany shifter was in gear. DUH
How embarresed. Put it in parking and it started right up.
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Iver460
Veteran
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Norway
Vehicle(s): '82 300 GD STT Cab (two other Gs in family)
Posts: 291
| RE: bruised knuckles
I've got a G-oops; my heater fan had stoped working, and I assumed the motor was shot. Pulled the dashboard and heater out, took out the fan and found out it was spinning fine. Tested it on a battery and it shure did blow well. Didn't understand a thing, went to check the switch, worked well, checked the cables, looked fine and so I worked my way closer and closer to the fuse box to find a blown fuse 
Gave me a nice chance to install a stereo and new speakers, but certainly didn't add to my brightest moments!  |
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Photoman
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: New Zealand
Vehicle(s): 280GE, ML500, 280SE 3.5
| Re: Valve adjusting 280GE (A confession)
I didn't know that much about alternators and what happens when you remove the battery - while the engine is still going! I found out the hard way when I had a flat battery that was so flat I couldn't even jump start. So I got another battery and fired up the engine, then removed the battery to replace the flat one in so it would charge while I drived. In the mean time the alternator had a LOT of charge that it really wanted to get rid of. It chose my right arm as a nice deture on the way to the front fender to let loose. Man it hurt. It hurt a lot for a very long time afterwards - like days. Did I mention that my alternator was modified to put out 120amps..... OUCH!!!! |
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Jonathan Joseph
Expert
Date registered: Oct 2006
Location: Charleston, South Carolina
Vehicle(s): 2004 G55
Posts: 1538
| RE: Valve adjusting 280GE (A confession)
This is off G but very relevent.
Years ago( before I knew everything!) I was responsible for maintaining some equipment ( air compressors, and air actuated laminating machinery) that supported the work of about forty people. One morning I was going thought the motions of start up and the compressor wouldn't run. Checked everything, power here, there etc. Disassembled the magnetic starter cleaned reassembled, nothing. Got our electrician on the phone,(woke him up at home at 6:00 AM) he walked me through some diagnostics until I realized that it wasn't running because it was already at pressure and ready to go. Forty people standing around and sweeping the floor and stuff while waiting for like 45 minutes. We usually would drain all of the air from the system every night so in the morning the compressor would run for a while first, but someone forgot to bleed it that day. Oops
A month later,same thing compressor wouldn't start again, ahah! I know whats wrong but no...no pressure any where no power to compressor, check everything until it's time to call the electrician at home again, this time in the middle of breakfast. After another half hour or so of diagnostics ( and people waiting to work!) I discover that the plug wasn't fully plugged in, it looked like it was but one prong wasn't making contact, unplug plug back in voila!
Always remember the simple stuff first!
Jonathan |
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