After the major task of replacing the valve stem seals and adjusting the valves, we now have a bit of white/blue smoke coming out of the tailpipe on startup and it can be seen as it drives down the street away from me.

Its not a huge cloud or anything, but i dont remember it putting out smoke before. sigh.

The other thing we did was not reconnect the EGR.

Also, the dancing oil cap test revealed a very bouncy cap with tons of vapor coming out, and by that i mean a stream like steam from a kettle.

whatcha thinK?


My one observation on the seals is that after using a box wrench to push them on, no easy task, i'm wondering if i may have damaged one of them?

hoping I didn't scratch a valve stem, though i'm guessing they are pretty hard.

brer

OH! as a side note, while in an underground parking garage today i found a slate grey 240D with palomino interior.

Still had glossy paint. The grey makes it look like an ambassadors car.
hmmm.

I seriously doubt that you scratched a valve stem with anything softer than carbide.

Do a compression test and if you find low compression, do a leakage test on the weak cylinders to find out if you are having ring seal problems. That is the major cause of excessive blow by. All these engines will give some blow by. It’s the nature of a high compression engine.

I weigh 190 pounds and have a grip that could make an oyster wince. But I’m not stout enough to seat a valve seal properly with a box end wrench. I see most people use a hammer driven socket to seat them. I use a plastic factory valve seal installation tool that I bought from Baum tools over thirty years ago. It’s actually made for 9mm and 10mm Porsche valve seals but I found that it works on everything of a similar size. Remember to use the little plastic sleeves over the valve stem threads to keep from damaging the seal as you slide it into place. I drive the seal home by hitting the tool with a rubber hammer.

If you have a valve stem seal problem it will be on your exhaust valve(s). I know many diesel mechanics that don’t even bother to use intake valve seals because we don’t have vacuum like a gas rig. I use them.

I hope you used a block off plate for your discarded EGR and put a good plug in your exhaust manifold where the EGR feed pipe exits. A BB in the vacuum line works just fine if you are positive that your EGR is completely closed.

__________________
You can get farther with a smile and a gun than you can with just a smile.

1984 300D
1985 300CD
1980 300SD
1993 SL500

Your blow by is not from valve stems, that is compression excaping past the rings in all likely hood.

__________________
1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

made an appointment with my friend who was a navy diesel engineer.
compression and leak down test on the way.

i think i'm wanting to buy a valve stem tool.... i may need it for the 240!


I must have not seated one of them properly. It sure has a little smoke issue know. drats. And my warm up knob dont work. double drats.

thanks for the help, really glad i washed up here.

b.

1984 300d Turbo 136k
Go **************.com They Have The Seal Kit $75.00 Inc Guide Book 10 Seals Extra Lock Nuts, Tool To Push On Seals, Oil Seals
Overnight, Use Plastic Stem Cover With Kit, The Exh Is Green, Intake Black, Change The Valve Springs Same Time Diy 6 Hrs, Pull The
Egr Valve And Clean With Carbon Cleaner And Use A Hand Vacuum
Pump The One I Had Was Sticking, Binding No More Smoke, Power Is
Good With Turbo, Drives Like New Mercede Now