Checking the Valves W115 300D; Example of a Fuel Injection Line Problem

I am preparing to perform a leak down test on Marlene, but first I want to check the valves, to see if they are in need of adjustment. It has been over a year since they were last adjusted, but I haven't put that many miles on her in the interim. The odometer doesn't work, naturally, so I really have no idea. I do know that I drove it as a daily driver for a couple of months, but only sporadically after that. Certainly way less than 5,000 miles--- probably more like 2-3,000 at the most.

Here I am trying to insert the feeler gauge to check the #5 cylinder (nearest the radiator) intake valve. The .004 gauge won't fit because the valve is set too tight. Recommended practice when setting valves is to err on the side of 'too loose' rather than 'too tight'. This valve needs to be loosened.

This next intake valve is set properly, and you can see the feeler gauge is able to slip through to the other side, with just a 'slight drag' as it is pulled through. That is a technique that you will develop a 'feel' for, pun intended, as you do it a few times. When in doubt, I will test the gap with the .005 gauge, and if that gauge can slide through, it is too loose. I would tighten it a hair.

Here is another tight valve, as you can see. The .004 feeler gauge cannot fit, and is bending as I try to slip it through.

This valve is set OK, as were most of the rest. All of the 5 exhaust valves were set correctly, but I found three intake valves that were too tight.

TROUBLE BREWING:
Here is an example of a problem often talked about in diesel forums: the separator bracket is missing on the injection lines, and if you look carefully you can see where these two have been rubbing. There is also a little rust developing. That is trouble ahead. I will need to separate them better, and I probably should replace them to avoid a burst injector line. I HATE when that happens! :)

Thar She Blows: W115 Diesel Blowby Video

As part of the preparation for performing a leak down test, I reset three out-of-spec intake valves last Saturday. I was also curious about the amount of blowby that the engine was putting out.

Well, you may recall that Saturday was the day that some were predicting the world was coming to an end at 6pm. After finishing setting the valves about 4:30pm, I decided that I didn't want the world to end without recording for posterity how much blow-by Marlene was putting out. So here is a short video of the event. :)

How much blow-by is too much blow-by? Opinions welcome.

N.B. This diesel engine is consuming a quart of oil every 150-200 miles. Coincidence?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BnXaMkyA0hw&feature=youtube_gdata_player



I really don't know how to evaluate the blow-by.... That is more of a sideshow.... I have heard from others that it is not that big of a deal...

My concern is the 1 quart every 150 miles, or so, of oil consumption. For the amount that I drive the car, frankly, even that isn't a big deal.... But I would like to determine the cause, and then decide what's to be done about it.

It is really a neat car, I like the style, and, as an OM617 W115, it is an historic and increasingly rare model.... So I would like to preserve it. Historic in the sense that the 1975 300D was the first time Mercedes put a 5 cylinder diesel in a sedan.... And it was only in the W115 for those two years, in 1975 and 1976. Then the W123 was introduced.

My son loves it, and I plan to give it to him at some point. I would like to give it to him in better shape than it is now.

Oh, and did I mention... It was also built the year I got married... So a bit of Romantic Nostalgia there also. It is more than just nuts and bolts, and dollars and cents.

All of the above enters into my decision as to what ultimately needs to be done to the car. More than you wanted to know, I am sure.

Mercedes Diesel Rebuilding DVD

I came across a website that offers a 4 hour DVD on rebuilding the Mercedes OM617 Turbo diesel engine for $79.98. It is a little pricey, and it is not technically for the W115 OM617, but it may be a valuable resource reference for someone to have. The engines are similar enough that I am sure that the DVD will contain much info that is relevant to the W115.

Check out the short example video.
http://www.benzproducts.com/benzproducts_main_page_007.htm

Here is the main website:
http://www.benzproducts.com/benzproducts_main_page_002.htm


I also added the above information to the "Service Manuals for the Mercedes W115 300D" post (May 13, 2011) in this blog.

Making A Pair of Homemade Valve Wrenches

Adjusting the valves on a OM617 engine involves some tight angles to get your wrenches in. Mercedes recommends a special set of bent-handled wrenches to accomplish the task. You can purchase a pair of Hazlet wrenches... But they are pretty pricey.

Alternatively, you can bend your own wrenches to do the job. If you do a search (valve-wrench) in Peachparts Mercedes Diesel Discussion forum, you will find some pretty well done examples. Some guys buy a separate pair of 14mm wrenches, heat them with a torch, and bend them. Another alternative is to do what I did: go to your local bike shop, and buy a pair of their thin handled 14mm bike wrenches. I then put the wrench in a sturdy bench vise, put a piece of pipe over the handle for some leverage, and then bent it to the angle I wanted. They are not elegant, but they are simple to make. They work great, and they won't cost you a small fortune.

I had made a pair of these bike wrenches 10 years ago when I first got Marlene on the road, but, over the years, I seem to have misplaced one somehow. So I went out to the bike shop this week, and bought another 14 mm thin wrench for about 10 bucks.

Today I put it in the bench vise, slipped piece of pipe over it, and bent it. I have added some pics of the process. The first pic shows the bent and the unbent wrenches together.

The next pic shows the wrench in my bench vise.

I now have placed a piece of pipe over the handle of the wrench to get some leverage to bend it to the angle I need.

This pic shows the two wrenches again ..... Both bent now.

You can tinker with it a little more to get the angle just right. The only drawback to using thin handled wrenches like these is that you may feel a slight bit of flexing as you tighten down the valves. These worked fine for me today, but I did recheck them with a regular wrench to make sure the lock nut was tight.

I have added a link to the Diesel Giant Valve Adjustment Procedure in the sidebar. Please check it out if you are thinking that it is time to adjust your valves.

Old Faithful Starts Marlene May 14 2011

Old Faithful

I inherited "Old Faithful", a circa 1960's battery charger, about 18 years ago when my Dad passed away.  It had served him faithfully at his Sunoco Service Station since at least the early 1960's, and probably before that.  I can remember using it to charge batteries and start cars when I worked there in high school and college. I have used it to start 'Marlene' on countless freezing New England winter mornings over the past 11 years. Although it is now nearly 50 years old, it has never failed me.  It creaks and groans a bit as it starts up these days but....  then again, so do I.  We have that in common, and perhaps that explains why we have gotten along so well all these years.  ;)
In this picture I am using Old Faithful to jump start Marlene today to move her into the garage to officially begin the restoration project. Drumroll please. :)

Here you can see that Marlene is safely ensconced in the garage, although.....

it is a tight fit!!

Work done for the day, I prepare to curl up with a good book (Chilton's Mercedes Service Manual) in a comfy chair, complete with my car ramp ottoman, and a nice glass of Cabernet Sauvignon in the newly-created lounge area of The Backseat Driver's Baur and Grill Club (my garage).   More on that in a later post.

Service Manuals for the Mercedes W115 300D

UPDATE II: I came across a website that offers a 4 hour DVD on rebuilding the Mercedes OM617 Turbo diesel engine for $79.98. It is a little pricey, and it is not technically for the W115, but it may be a valuable resource reference for someone to have.the engines are similar enough that I am sure that the DVD will contain much info that is relevant to the W115.

Check out the short example video.
http://www.benzproducts.com/benzproducts_main_page_007.htm

Here is the main website:
http://www.benzproducts.com/benzproducts_main_page_002.htm


UPDATE:  I am taking Peachpart forum member Army's suggestion to include some other online resources, such as mailing lists and forums that can be a resource for W115 owners.  Thanks, Army!
Peachparts Diesel Discussion  Forum:
http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/forumdisplay.php?f=15

New Mercedes forum catering to the W114/115 Series:
http://www.stroke8.org/

Kaleb Striplin's Mercedes email List:
mercedes@okiebenz.com

Any other suggestions are welcome.




This is a partial listing of some of the service manuals that are available for the Mercedes W115 300D. I have copies of all of the manuals listed below. There may be other manuals available. In addition, Mercedes did offer the official Factory Service Manual, I believe. I do not know whether it is still available through Mercedes, but you can probably find one on EBay or Craig's List from time to time. I believe that the FSM is available on CD, and that is what I bought on eBay a few years ago. Or at least I THINK it is the FSM that I bought.

:)

There is no Haynes Manual for the W115 that I am aware of. The Haynes W123 Manual has info on the early W123 300D engines, which are similar to the W115 300D engines. There are some differences, however, so proceed carefully.


Anyway, here is the partial list of Mercedes Service Manuals that may be helpful to the W115 owners out there:

Mercedes-Benz Tune-Up Maintenance
Gas and Diesel 1958-1976. Clymer Publications. 1976.

Chilton's Repair and Tune-Up Guide Mercedes-Benz 1974-84
Chilton Book Company. 1984. Part No. 6809

Haynes Automotive Repair Manual
Mercedes-Benz Diesel 123 Series 1976 thru 1985
4 & 5 cyl. Haynes 63012. Haynes North America, Inc. 1986.

Chilton Mercedes Coupes/Sedans/Wagons
1974-84 Repair Manual 48300. Chilton Automotive Books. Published by Haynes North America, Inc. 1997. Includes Wiring and Vacuum Diagrams. Or so it says. I don't see any wiring or vacuum diagrams here for the W115 300D. Those are very hard to come by, in my experience. If anyone has info on that, please email me and I will be happy to post it here.

I have a pic posted of the cover of this manual, if anyone is interested. It is in the post on May 10, 2011 entitled "Getting "The Backseat Driver's Baur and Grill Club' Prepped for Marlene's Restoration".

I will try to get some pics of the covers of the other manuals I have listed here, so you can see what they look like.


Mercedes-Benz Model 114/115 Service Manual Library
Compact Disk
Complete Service Manual. I purchased on EBay from a Vendor in Turkey a few years ago.
MERCEDES BENZ W114 W115 SERVICE REPAIR MANUAL 114 115

5/14/2011 Update: Thanks to forum member Diesel911 in PeachParts Mercedes diesel discussion forum for posting this link as a source of DVD and CD Manuals.

http://www.startekinfo.com/StarTek/outside/9124/?requestedDocId=9124

Here is a link to the thread in PeachParts Diesel Discussion, another valuable resource, btw:

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?p=2717436#post2717436

Thank you, Diesel911!

This link was posted by PeachParts forum member Army. Although it is for the W116, there may be some useful cross-references for W115 owners.

http://www.w116.org/library

Thank you, Army!

I always like this sort of info on all the W114/115 Series:

http://et.mercedes-benz-clubs.com/mediawiki/index.php/Kategorie:W114/W115/en

New Additions to the Sidebar

I have added a couple of links to the sidebar related to W115 restorations. Both just happen to be white W115s, at least at the beginning. One is a YouTube video, and those are always fun! Please check them out. :)

Getting "The Backseat Driver's Baur and Grill Club' Prepped for Marlene's Restoration

Now that the extra engine block is sold and gone, I was able to clear some space in the garage last night by disassembling the cherry picker crane hoist, and stashing it toward the back.  You can see it in the pic standing on end just to the right of the yellow engine stand.  There is an older pic in the sidebar of the crane supporting the old block which is attached to the engine stand.  I love that engine hoist, by the way.  It is a big, sturdy Green Monster, unlike some of the cheap, lightweight hoists I have seen recently at Harbor Freight Tools.

I also did a little re-arranging of a couple of my tool chests, placing them off to the left side.  Finally, I did a general clean up of the garage so that I now have a work space, albeit a bit cramped.  We will just call it 'cozy'.  

Incidentally, this garage workspace --- although it is continually evolving---- has been officially christened as "The Backseat Driver's Baur and Grill Club".... but that will be the subject of another blog, another day.

Below you will see another pic of a couple of my new Best Friends:   a Mercedes Service Manual, in this case a Chiltons;  a Diesel Engine Compression Tester; and a Leak Down Tester.  Both of the tools were recently purchased at Harbor Freight Tools in Berlin, CT.  Say what you will about Harbor Freight Tools, but they do make tools affordable.  Whether they make them well, is another question altogether, and we shall soon find out.  Since I am not a Professional Mechanic, but rather a hobbyist, these tools only need to do an adequate job for me this once.  I may not need them again, so I cannot justify paying top dollar for them. 

While there is no Haynes Manual for the W115 Series, I do have a copy of the Haynes W123 Manual, as well as another Chilton's, the 1974-84 Manual, as well as a Clymer's. There is some usable info in the W123 manual, because the early W123 300D engines were very similar to those in the W115.   In addition, I also have the W115 Factory Service Manual CD that I bought on Ebay from Turkey. So I may be spending some Quality Time with my new Best Friends very shortly. 

My plan is to do a Leak-Down test--- my first--- and try to get a better handle on exactly what this engine needs.  As I understand it, the leak down test is generally considered a more reliable diagnostic tool than a compression test.  The Harbor Freight Leak Down Test tool did not come with the proper fittings for my engine, but the Compression Test tool did.  So I bought both.  I may do the compression test anyway, since I have the kit. 

I will need to do a little reading to see how to get the most accurate and usable results from the Leak Down test.  For example, I know  the test should be done on a warm engine.  Do I need to set the valves beforehand, or does it not matter? Et cetera.
   

The basic problem with this engine is the excessive oil consumption, to the tune of about 1 quart every 100 miles or so. This is NOT a misprint!  :)  There are no oil leaks, so the oil is being consumed internally, and the leak down test should tell me where it is going.  I do have a fair amount of blow-by, but I am not sure that the blow-by can account for all the oil use.  I anticipate that it will need new valve stem guides and seals, but I need to know if the rings are shot.  If it only needs head work, I will probably have my spare head redone, and swap that onto the block.  On the other hand, if it is determined that it needs bottom end work in addition to the head work, I will need to decide whether to open that whole can of worms:  rings, at the very least;  cylinder honing and/or re-sleeving;  and maybe pistons, rods, bearings, YIKES!  That could get expensive quickly.  Rather than go through all of that, I would most likely just go ahead and find a complete used engine and swap that in.

I have no illusions about my prospects here, by the way.  I am already lining up a used replacement engine in the expectation that I will be needing one soon.  The smart money is betting that I will need that replacement engine.  We shall see.

At any rate, we are now a couple of steps closer to getting started.  Stay tuned.

About half an hour after my last post, I got a call from the guy (Richie) who wanted to buy my spare crankshaft. He came up today from about 80 miles away with a friend, and we loaded the block into the trunk of his W126 Mercedes, had a very enjoyable chat about Mercedes diesels, BMWs, trains (his friend is a train enthusiast), and the Civil War (I am an enthusiast) and they departed. I mentioned the Chowdah Q in September, so, although they come from a town about 80 miles west of here, we may have a couple of new faces there, who knows. Nice guys.

So now I need to get the engine crane either disassembled or at least moved out of the way sufficiently for me to bring Marlene inside the garage. Tomorrow is Mother's Day, and we have some out of town plans, so it may be a few days until I get to it. But getting that block/crank out of there is a big first step.

I do have other spare parts for the W115 Series if anyone needs something. Check the used parts page on this blog. Shoot me an email, and I will check to see if I have what you need.

Update on 'Marlene Diederich'

Ok, things have been on hold for quite some time now. I am hoping to get started on the project in the next few weeks.

I have been spending some time getting the workspace organized, i.e., cleaning out the garage, adding some tool storage chests, and trying to get rid of some of my spare parts. The main hold up has been with the latter: I have a spare block on an engine stand, and my cherry picker engine crane set up in the middle of the garage... Taking up a ton of space. (See pic in the sidebar.) I have a buyer for it (he actually just wants the crank), but, for one reason or another, we haven't been able to arrange a mutual time for him to come get it. He is coming a distance, and needs to enlist the support of a friend with a truck, and between that, the recent Holidays, etc., we have had to postpone numerous times. I am ready to just scrap it and move on at this point... But I will probably give it one more shot.

Once that clutter is out of the way, I can move "Marlene Diederich" into the garage and begin the work. First on the agenda is a leak down test, and a compression test... To get a better assessment of exactly what is needed in the present engine. If it looks like just head work will be needed (e.g., the bottom end pistons rings, etc., show no serious problems) then I have a spare head that I will have redone, and I will install that one on the original block. If the bottom end also shows a need for work, I will probably just pull that engine and find a replacement used engine to swap in there.

I have a couple of possibilities for that eventuality already, just in case. And that has also contributed to the delay, although not as much as the foregoing. I have a guy with an engine from an early W123 (1977, I believe), pre-turbo, same early glow plugs... That should pretty much swap right in. However, the engine is stored in his friend's barn... When I originally contacted him, he needed to wait for the snow to disappear to be able to get to the barn to get the engine. In the meantime, the rain and snow collapsed the barn (!). In addition to the MB diesel engine, the barn unfortunately also contained a number of collector cars owned by his friend.... And the situation is now mired in an insurance claim. Sheesh. Apparently some of the cars were insured, and some weren't. So it is a mess, in more ways than one. He can't very well go in to get the engine until things get sorted out a bit insurance-wise.

Anyway, I am planning to proceed with the leak down test, etc., and it is possible that it may turn out that I won't need that other engine. That is an optimistic assessment, of course. But I can move ahead on that basis, until I find out otherwise. In that case, I may be somewhat held up waiting to get that replacement engine.

My goal is to have this resolved, one way or the other, in time to drive the car to our annual local Mercedes Chowdah Q on September 10, 2011 in Rhode Island. I am already looking forward to Curt's Famous Burgers, and some more of that Moose Sausage, not to mention Dwight's Famous Clam Chowdah! :). Mark your calendars!

New: Used W115 Parts Page

This is a pic of the left taillight lens for the later W115 series that I have for sale on my new used parts page. I also have the right side lens in similar shape (I do not have the screw-on retainer knobs, however) as well as many other used parts. Check out the used parts page and email me with your needs. tom82baur@gmail.com

Texas: man killed under car lift February, 2011

http://thefacts.com/news/article_d66505f4-3f03-11e0-bd41-001cc4c002e0.html

71 yr old, under a lift.

Very sad.


Here is another one.... A car hoist accident from Australia in February 2010.
http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:TGeGQNQKJ0IJ:www.goldcoast.com.au/article/2010/02/17/189621_gold-coast-news.html

Indiana:
http://www.wishtv.com/dpp/news/local/marion_county/car-falls-on,-kills-man-at-southeast-side-apartments

Sandusky, Ohio
http://www.sanduskyregister.com/port-clinton/2010/oct/13/port-clinton-car-falls-jack-kills-man-33

Jacksonville Fl:
http://www.news4jax.com/news/26402651/detail.html

Michigan Today! April 11 2011
http://www.wsbt.com/news/wsbt-michigan-man-dies-after-car-falls-off-jack-traps-him-20110411,0,3424726.story

Toronto Canada
http://toronto-on.ca/2011/03/man-killed-when-car-falls-on-him/

Genesee Township, Michigan
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2011/02/genesee_township_man_dies_afte.html

It can happen to you. Think safety.

Safety First, Safety last, Safety Always!

All credit to Tom D., Frederick, and 'funola', and many others who are working/thinking about this, for the benefit of all.  Great work!

--------------------

I have compiled a little of what you guys have done, and I want to post it here--- and a bunch of other places, too---- in case anyone missed it.  It is important stuff to know, and too important to miss.

OK Boys and Girls, we have some of our Best Guys working on this, in the interest of keeping everyone safe.  Please read it:

From ‘funola”, Peachparts Mercedes Shopforum Diesel Discussion

I dug out my Craftsman ratcheting jack stand and gave it a close look and a quick test. Mine is the 3 ton and I assume the 4 ton is of simillar design. I raised it halfway, crouched, stood and balanced myself on it, reached down and yanked upward on the handle. To my surprise, it (and I) dropped all the way to the bottom! That was very sobering! Jack stand with pins will never do that! I was expecting it to catch on the next tooth on the rack but not so. The handle only needs to be raised upwards 3/4" to release the rack for it to drop. I'll try to find the owners manual and see what warnings/ instructions are provided.

With the car's weight (let's say 3000 lbs) on the jackstands, how much force is required to hit the handle at such an angle and cause it to go up 3/4"? Any mechanical engineers here want to take a stab at it? The jack release handle is 4.5" long.

From Tom D.... bimmerforums E21 1975-83

---

it's actually just a simple machine and the mechanical advantage can be calculated. however, one factor is missing, the small section of the lever on the other side of the fulcrum. lets assume it's 1 inch. the handle is 4.5 inches. the car is 3000 lb.. and has a 50/50 weight ratio. each corner carries a load of 750lb. the mechanical advantage is 4.5 therefore it would take a total of 167 lb. of force to release the lock.

3000/4 = 750
750/1 * 1/4.5 = 167

keeping in mind that work in is always equaled to work out, so in order to raise 750 lb. 3/4". you would have to exert 167 lb. on the lever for a distance of 3 3/8 "

4.5/1 * 1/.75 = 3.375

__________________

This also assumes no damage to the ratchet or pawl and a full engagement... If you saw the pic of the junk stand I found IN USE you have to question yourself... Whiskey Tango Foxtrot are you thinking????

Thanks Tom D.

fjk, jr.  (Frederick J. Klorcyzk, jr.)

------------------------------------------------------

From Tom D. again bimmerforums E21 1975-83

i finally got a chance to look at my ratchet stands and my calculations although are correct, the operation of the ratchet is not like i imagined it.

the corner weight is still 750 lb.

the lever is 5.5" on one side of the fulcrum and 1.5" on the other. that makes the mechanical advantage 8.25

the pawl only needs to lift the weight 1/16" and move sideways 1/8" to disengage.

so without allowing for friction it would only take 90 lb. of force to lift and 1/2" of travel on the handle to move it off it's perch.

not good!

Tom D

----------------------------------------------------

From ‘funola”, Peachparts Mercedes Shopforum Diesel Discussion

I couldn't find my owners manual so went to Sears to look it up. I told the salesman about the accident in CT and he knew about it. He was very helpful and made a copy of the manual from a jack stand on the shelf for me.

Here it is. There's no warnings about not bumping the handle or positioning it with the handle facing away from the car.

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/showthread.php?t=295591&page=5

__________________

I am going to post this all over the place, and I encourage everyone else to do the same.  There was another report of a guy killed under his car in Texas last week.

New Page for Used W115 Parts

If anyone has a need for used W115 parts... Please check out my new 'used parts' page. Click on the tab at the top of the blog. I have lots of parts... all from my 1976 W115 300D that went to the crusher.

Jack Stand Safety III

While this blog is dedicated to my restoration project, we will continue to publish any info we feel relevant to promoting safety in the car hobby. Nothing is more important than keeping our fellow gearheads safe.

http://WWW.STACKSTANDS.COM/

Info from Christian's dad. Check these out.... Strong sturdy, no moving parts. Worth a look?


Safety first, safety last, safety always.

Surprise! Are ratchetting jack stands as safe as you think they are? Try this!

Quote:
Originally Posted by funola
I dug out my Craftsman ratcheting jack stand and gave it a close look and a quick test. Mine is the 3 ton and I assume the 4 ton is of simillar design. I raised it halfway, crouched, stood and balanced myself on it, reached down and yanked upward on the handle. To my surprise, it (and I) dropped all the way to the bottom! That was very sobering! Jack stand with pins will never do that! I was expecting it to catch on the next tooth on the rack but not so. The handle only needs to be raised upwards 3/4" to release the rack for it to drop. I'll try to find the owners manual and see what warnings/ instructions are provided.

With the car's weight (let's say 3000 lbs) on the jackstands, how much force is required to hit the handle at such an angle and cause it to go up 3/4"? Any mechanical engineers here want to take a stab at it? The jack release handle is 4.5" long.
Quote----------------------------------------------

Very interesting post.... Thank you very much. I would like to post your results in other forums to continue to raise consciousness on the subject of safety... As well as productive discussion. Yours is a most interesting experiment, worth looking at some more, in my opinion.

Video: Falling Jack Stands

It is an ad for a creeper but.... a picture is worth a thousand words.

http://www.creepex.com/Cr/crash.html

Think safety:  first, last, always.

Another Avoidable Tragedy

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/htm...rfatality.html


March 27, 2011 Bremerton WA.

Post this everywhere. This poor guy evidently didn't get the message, and now he never will.

Sad.

Stay safe, fellas. It has happened again.

Redundant safety systems.  NEVER trust a jack.  Chock the wheels.  Sturdy safe stands under strong, solid points.  Rock the car BEFORE you go under it.

Jackstand Safety II

In the interest of continuing the safety conversation, here is another post from the late Christian K's Dad.... reposted from another forum.

Frankly, I like the pin type stands also.


"Jackstand suggestions...

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

until I design my own sailor proof stand... of course, the chosen support point is equally important as well... take a look at these. Keep in mind, a single ratchet six ton stand killed my son, and he had two in place plus a tire/wheel assembly under the rotor on the side the stand dropped. Don't save money on safety!!!

Link: Amazon.com: jack stands: Automotive

See items 4, 7, 11, 50, (60, 63 - kinda like the bases on these and distribution of weight but need to see the steel specs), 67 and 103. Personally, I am liking the pin only stands now as human performance does not enter into the equation. You don't pin it, it doesn't work. The double safety ratchet/pin design requires human performance to put the pin in. Without it, what do you have? A ratchet stand.

Also, I was taught as an engineer that you do your calcs and multiply by seven for safety and certainty. Hence, my suggestion you look at high tonnage capacity stands.

It is a life afterall - maybe yours - put a price on it. To have my son back I'd liquidate all I have and move to a tent.

Frederick Klorczyk, Jr."

Jackstand Safety

This was posted by bimmerforums member "potenza" in response to the safety issue and the tragic death of Christian Klocyzk.

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd205/TKDJimi/IMG_0529.jpg

http://i220.photobucket.com/albums/dd205/TKDJimi/IMG_0533.jpg

I am thinking I may build a set. And you? Comments welcome.

TIME OUT: PUBLIC SERVICE SAFETY MESSAGE FOLLOWUP

I was stunned to receive this post in bimmerforums today, in response to the safety message that we posted recently in bimmerforums and on my other blog. The post is from the father of a young man who was crushed by his car while changing his oil.  He lives in a nearby town.  I had no idea that the father would read my post.  The original post that provoked this response is attached at the end of this post. It includes a link to the local newspaper report of the tragedy.  I have also included a link to the original post in bimmerforums:
http://forums.bimmerforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=1619552

There is a lot to read here, I know.  It is a heart-breaking story, but it is the reality that we sometimes lose sight of.  Please read it all.

I present the father's post from bimmerforums in it's entirety.  Stay safe, fellas.

---------------------------
"I am Christian Klorczyk's father
Good Day,

I feel that I must respond to this post for the sake of accuracy, the honor of my son and family name and also to attempt to save other lives.
Lynne and I are the parents of three sons, Frederick III, Christian, Parker and our "adopted sons", his twin brother Jordan, Dimitri and Dan - all "carguys".
As stated in the article....
"The 21-year-old died Friday after a BMW he was working on collapsed on him in the family garage. Fred Klorczyk said that a floor jack likely failed while his son (Christian) was under the car changing the oil."

Jeff Johnson did a great job on the article on our son, brother and friend and I thank him for that. Jeff was a true gentleman who talked to us for hours in our darkest times to get an accurate depiction of our son and family. However, and unfortunately we do not have it on tape, nor is Jeff a "gearhead" and doesn't really understand jacks, jackstands and multiple layers of safety. I never said, nor is it accurate to say "that a floor jack likely failed..."

Christian is an experienced mechanic who started working on cars and following Formula 1 when he was a small child. He and our whole family witnessed Ayrton "Magic" Senna die at Tamburello 15 years ago. Yes, Christian was only six at the time and he would wake all of us up at 6:30AM to watch the pre-race show in Italy on satellite.

Christian is a true car guy as are his brothers and friends. My business is in the most safety conscious market in the world - nuclear boats, nuclear ships and nuclear power plants. That mentality is my life - has been since I was a kid engineer out of school. Ask any of my employees how I feel about safety. They have the right to stop any job and call me at anytime as no one is to ever get injured on our jobsites. This naturally carried over to my homelife. By the way, my father was a large machine mechanic by trade and a "gearhead" by avocation. No one would use the wrong tools - we have them all and all are of quality. No one in my garage or driveway would ever go under a car with only a jack of any kind holding it up. The jack elevates the car, jackstands support at proper points while working underneath and the jack is removed to improve accessibility. Period. Block the wheels if necessary. Emergency brake on. Car in gear. A lift would be better but we just were not at that point in our lives yet.

Christian had the right front tire off so that he could shine his double halogen lights on the work area and see clearly. He also had that tire/wheel under the right front rotor as an extra measure of safety as is a habit of ours when possible. He had four ton Craftsman jackstands in use. Two were just bought at Christmas when I sent him to buy a new jack since ours is getting to be five years old. Hydraulic cylinders and seals degrade over time. He didn't buy the jack since he felt what Sears, etc., had were junk so he bought more four ton stands but without safety pins. I did not realize there were redundant safety stands until... it was too late.


Christian was using my father's creeper for the first time. He found the creeper when cleaning the garage over Christmas. When he applied torque to the ratchet handle to break the plug loose, he experienced the law of physics of "equal and opposite reaction". As the plug broke loose, the creeper did also in a direction opposite to the torque vector Christian applied. Some part of Christian's body, some part of the creeper, the mallet beside him, something - we have no video, just supposition and theory... tripped the right front jackstand lever inadvertantly from the underside and a ton of the BMW E46 3 series xi crushed his chest and his right cheekbone. He never took, or could even attempt to take a second breath. Death was immediate and painless. If I were beside him at the time this occurred I could have done nothing to save him. This has been verified by five friends of mine who are doctors. I used the floorjack Christian used to elevate the car to get the car off of him. It was parallel to the car just as he would place it when he removed it from the jackpoint. I had to engage the cylinder with clockwise rotation which tells me Christian removed it per proper procedure. I had the jack underneath and car off him in seconds. Jackstands were under before I crawled from under the valance while Lynne called 911. Lynne came under with me from the wheelwell and had a pulse on his neck. She said he it was strong. I was doing chest compressions and trying to get a verbal response until the EMTs got there. When I heard LIFESTAR waved off over the EMT radios I had a sick, sick feeling.


A critical factor, in my professional engineering opinion, is that the creeper raised his body 3.5" higher than it would have been if he would have been working on the concrete as he was used to. It also raised his head 4.5" higher as there is a foam pillow headrest. Both creeper caster wheels at the head position were sheared from the creeper. I can only wonder that if Christian did not use the creeper would he have had the jackstands that high, would the energy at 9.8 m/sec squared have been decreased to a minimum so that if the freak accident happened he would have been injured less, would the extra measure of the tire under the rotor have saved his life without the extra creeper height, would he be alive today? Only God knows.


Christian is a fine, fine man who was known for his smile, intelligence, passion and willingness to help anyone at anytime... just like all of his brothers and "adopted brothers". The five of them and myself were his pall bearers. He would have it no other way. We were that close.


Also, to my fellow "carguys" and "gearheads", please learn from this tragedy. Scrap your cheapo jackstands... do your research, find the best jackstands there are, use the secondary and tertiary safety factors, do not fall to the temptation of human nature and operator error - use the extra safety factors! It may save your life, or maybe the life of you son. Had I would have known such Christian would be with us today.


Lastly, if you want to drive fast please do not do it on the road. Racetracks are readily available for that adrenaline rush we all crave. Track days with instructors are cheap and you are protected far more than


Godspeed Christian! May you be driving God's Veyron for him.


Please feel free to cut and past this article anywhere you think it may prove valuable to fellow "carguys". I pray that none of you ever suffer such a tragedy. May God Bless you all.




Frederick J. Klorczyk, Jr.
Waterford, CT
fjk143@aol.com
Last edited by FJKII; Today at 05:17 PM.. Reason: typo"




This was my (Tom) response to the father (Frederick):

Amen.
As the father of two grown sons, I can only imagine the sorrow and pain you and your family have experienced the past two weeks. Words fail to capture the depth of sadness we feel at your loss. Please accept my sincere and heartfelt condolences. Thank you for sharing your thoughts with us in your beautiful letter.
I posted my original post in several other forums, and, based on some of the responses received, I know Christian's story has been read around the world. Many people now know what a great kid he was, and he may have even saved a life. I know that can in no way make up for his loss, but I hope it is some small consolation to you.
God be with you.

Tom
Niantic
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Here is the original post from 3/14/2011 regarding the tragic accident to which the father responded above:

TIME OUT:  PUBLIC SERVICE SAFETY MESSAGE

This is a great, fun hobby.  But we should never lose sight of the fact that it can be dangerous, and actually lethal.  Please take a moment to read the very sad local story that happened this weekend nearby.

Safety first:  always, always use redundant safety systems when working under a car.  Please. 

NEVER trust a jack.  Chock the wheels.  Use several sturdy jack stands under safe, strong jack points. Watch for weak, rusted areas.  I like to throw a spare tire/rim under an upraised wheel... just to give me that little extra margin of safety, should all else fail.  It happens.

The article below was on the front page of the local paper today.  He was changing the oil on his BMW.  21 years old.  I don't care how strong you are, very few of us can bench press a car off of your chest.  I know I can't.  And I don't ever want that opportunity to prove I can't. 

Waterford man died doing what he loved most

Stay safe.

I hope my project can look like this....

I'd like to do something like this.... same car, same year, same color, same engine.  I even have a set of those euro-style headlights in my basement!

The W115 300D was also known as the 240D 3.0. early in production.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Zlr22_HFb8Q&NR=1

Choosing a used engine

I have been busy with some BMW stuff so I haven't been able to get back to this. My son, Brian, and I have done a little prep work to get the garage space ready for a project. I hit the Harbor Freight Parking Lot Sale today on our way to visit our older son, Andrew, and his wife, Sara. Picked up their 11 drawer tool chest to get a little better organized in the garage.

I am waiting to hear from a guy down state who has the engine I want... It is apparently still in his barn... Waiting for the snow to melt enough so he can get access to it. I will either pick it up with a truck, or he may deliver it for a fee. Six to one, half a dozen to the other.
The other engine I had my eye on .... Still in the vehicle.... I would have to perhaps take the whole car... Which he has largely stripped already, and haul it here from 110 miles away. Much simpler to just have this other guy just drop off the engine. We shall see, stay tuned.

Reconsidering the Rebuild: Is a Used Engine a Better Solution?

After consulting with several rebuilders, I am reconsidering the practicability of rebuilding this engine.  Depending how much work it needs (valves, seal, guides, rings, cylinder sleeves, pistons, gasket set, etc, not to mention possibly reboring and honing the cylinders...) estimates run from $1500 to $3000 and up.  How practical is that for a car whose value is mostly sentimental rather than financial.  After all, this is NOT a Gull Wing Mercedes!  It is a great driving, classic-style car, that is loyally loved and appreciated by the W115 aficionados.  Both of us.  It is not as if it is about to win the Concours D'Elegance at Pebble Beach.

So the question becomes how much is it worth to me to get it into good running condition.  Let us not forget that in addtion to all the mechanical work required here, it will also need some prep and a paint job, as well as some "freshening' of the interior.  Although I haven't really set a budget for this project, it is clear that costs could easily get out of hand here if I am not careful.... and practical.  So I need to consider if I have any alternatives to rebuilding the engine. 

After doing a few searches on craigs list, some possibilities have arisen.  Several people are selling used, low mileage engines for the 300D at the present time, spread a bit over southern New England and New York.  These are all 300D engines from the later series W123, however.  Prices range from $350-1200.  Some adaptability questions arise, obviously:  will this engine fit;  what are the differences between my engine and these later models, etc.  Is it the same glow plug/ignition system, or are these the later versions?  The basic engine is the same (some may be 2998cc vs mine which is 3005cc), and I think that as long as it is a non-turbo engine, it should be pretty close.  Even the turbo version should work,actually, but I don't want to go that route.

So I am presently pursuing those leads for used engines, and I have been in contact with three sellers, so far.  I still need to evaluate which, if any may work best, and which is the best deal, all things considered.  Two are some distance away, one is still in the car, and one can be delivered to my house.   If it is a decent engine at the right price, this is really a no-brainer.  I can do the installation in my garage... a quick and dirty solution, and relatively cheap.

Stay tuned.

Broken Piston Ring in #3 Cylinder

I pulled the rest of the pistons out of the block today.  #3 piston had a broken ring (shown above).  The other pistons appeared OK, again, to the untrained eye.  No other visible damage.  I will need to obtain a micrometer to measure them before deciding if they are still serviceable.  I took the cylinder head to a machine shop today.  They will examine it a let me know if it is still good, and what, if anything, it needs.  I also visited a local engine rebuilder.  Fascinating shop:  he is rebuilding a 12 cylinder Ferrari, a Fiat Racing engine, a 1929 Bentley, a Jaguar 6 cylinder, an Essex, and a bunch of others.  Nice fella from New Zealand, very cool place.

Introduction: Restoring Marlene Diederich

After coming within a hair's breadth of selling my beloved 1975 Mercedes W115 300D, I have decided to rebuild her instead.  I bought her in 1999, and originally promoted it to my wife as "Our Weddding Car', since it was built in the same year that we were married, 1975.  She was, shall we say, less than enthusiastic about the purchase.  She saw right through my little ploy, but chose to indulge me and to overlook it, and that got me over the hump.  Man smart, woman smarter.

I paid $500 for the car as a non-running vehicle, and that included delivery to my driveway.  The previous owner had rebuilt the engine but had never been able to get it running, after 'spinning a bearing" on a cross-country trip. After a few years HIS wife wanted it gone.  Whatever ploys he tried evidently didn't work.  Man smart, woman smarter again! 

At the time, I didn't care about the non-running status, since all I really wanted was the rust-free West Coast body.  I already had a running, rust bucket 1976 300D.  My plan was to simply swap my 1976 engine into the 1975 body. Naturally, 'the best laid plans of mice and men.... etc. etc." 

Marlene is in need of considerable attention:  using way too much oil; paint is in poor shape; interior in need of refurbishing.

I have a spare engine that was smoking too much from my 1976 300D that I sent to the boneyard about 10 years ago... I stripped it of anything remotely useful, and the parts have been stored in my garage since then.  The first step is to examine the 1976 engine to see if it is salvageable for restoration.  I looked at it today.... it is showing some rust in the cylinders.  I will have a machine shop look it over for a final determination.  I will also have them look over the cylinder head, which I kind of buggered when stripping it off the engine.  When I stripped it, I wasn't thinking of reusing it.  I was more interested in getting a look at the internals.  If either the head or the block is salvageable, or both, I can rebuild, pull the other engine, swap off the parts I need, and reinstall it in the car, with a minimum of downtime. 

However, it is very possible that the 1976 engine is beyond salvage, and I will then just rebuild the original 1975 engine.
..... To be continued.!

A word about the name:

I have owned the car for 12 years now, and I have never been able to successfully arrive at a name that really fits.  If I was going to choose a name, which I have never done for any of my cars,  I wanted something Germanic, something meaningful, and something... catchy.   My wife likes the car, so I wanted to include her in the selection... and I suggested "Diederich", a family name.  She thought the name should be feminine, which I couldn't argue with.... having come up with several male names that just didn't make it.  So....   a feminine name...  to be combined with the Diederich family name.... Hmmm.   What about Marlene, my wife asked?  BINGO!  Marlene Diederich it is!!

I pulled the first piston out of the 1976 spare engine today.  It appears ok to my untrained eye... but I may seek a second opinion from a TRAINED eye.   I think the problem with this engine, based on a cursory visual inspection, is in the #5 piston, and maybe #4 also.  It was smoking a lot, back in 1999, so I am thinking it needs rings.  I used a ridge reamer today to remove the ridge in all the cylinders, and those two cylinders seemed to have an accumulation of oil, in addition to the normal carbon buildup.  With the ridge removed, the #1 piston came right out without any problem.  I hope to get a look at #4 and #5 in the next couple of days, and that should be an interesting comparison.

Both the block and the head are cast iron, and the cylinders are sleeved.  This block has been sitting in my garage for over 10 years, and there is some rust showing in a couple of the cylinders.  This is not a good sign, and if I decide to use this block, I will probably have to re-sleeve the cylinders.  The sleeves are available, but the installation and prep will probably have to be done at a machine shop.  Cost:   the sleeves are about 40 bucks each (x 5);  installation cost is unknown.