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Mc Valve Spanners

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  • Mc Valve Spanners

    After discussing doing a valve adjustment on the plentiful Merc Diesels and the special bent spanners available, I came across some cheap 14mm spanners this afternoon and couldn't resist the temptation for a bit of DIY.
    I saw the idea on Diesel Giant or Mercedes Source ( can't remember which one now) and it seemed like a good idea I just couldn't resist shamelessly ripping off.

    The spanners were simply heated up and bent up and kicked back level. I bent each one the opposite way so as to give me different offsets for the best possible chance of getting the right angle on the nuts. I also bent the shafts slightly different lengths and put different size handles on them for working reference as to which spanner may fit which nut better.
    The ones I copied from are painted red which I think is a good idea but being that what I normally make are photographic accessories and they are always black, the spanners got what was available at the time and that was it. So far these things have put a big dent in Helga's Monthly maintainance budget but that $10 is still good for a couple of filters and a can of red paint yet!

    I ground the heads of the spanners down on the edges and on the faces. The nuts on the valves don't need to be done up with tremendous force ( and are drowning in oil) so the spanners dont need a huge amount of strength. As the tools I bought were combination ring/ open end'ers, I heated and flattened the ring section and than shrank fitted it over a piece of hollow tube. A quick run round with the MIG welder to lock them up solid, a reheat and quench on the heads, lick of paint and they were done. Nice quick and satisfying job and saved about $60 on what similar designed tools are available for on the web.

    I can see how much easier these things will make the job and I'm almost tempted to open the valve cover up again and re-do my valves even though I only did them earlier in the week.... But not quite.

    At least it won't be a job I put off next time and should be a lot quicker and less fiddly.


  • #2
    Re: Mc Valve Spanners

    Well done and thanks for posting it here.
    Please let us know how they go when you open your rocker cover this weekend

    Tony
    Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.

    Current Vehicles in stable:
    '06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
    '04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
    '2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car

    Previous Vehicles:
    '90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
    '80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
    '84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
    '85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
    '99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
    '98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
    '06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
    '04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
    '06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).

    Searching the Biofuels Forum using Google
    Adding images and/or documents to your posts

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    • #3
      Re: Mc Valve Spanners

      David, I'm going to try and copy you and have just bought a couple of $1 spanners to bend into shape. I don't know how to weld so I'm wondering if I can do it without handle extensions.

      The spanners are about 18cm long, will that be enough? What is the minumum length for the middle bit (between the bends)?

      Also, where do you get your valve cover gaskets from? Do places like Repco stock them?
      Sean

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      • #4
        Re: Mc Valve Spanners

        Get them from MB Spares in Canberra, overnight delivery and excellent service for a LOW price.
        Tony
        Life is a journey, with problems to solve, lessons to learn, but most of all, experiences to enjoy.

        Current Vehicles in stable:
        '06 Musso Sports 4X4 Manual Crew Cab tray back.
        '04 Rexton 4X4 Automatic SUV
        '2014 Toyota Prius (on ULP) - Wife's car

        Previous Vehicles:
        '90 Mazda Capella. (2000 - 2003) My first Fatmobile. Converted to fun on veggie oil with a 2 tank setup.
        '80 Mercedes 300D. 2 tank conversion [Sold]
        '84 Mercedes 300D. 1 tank, no conversion. Replaced engine with rebuilt OM617A turbodiesel engine. Finally had good power. Engine donor for W123 coupe. (body parted out and carcass sold for scrap.)
        '85 Mercedes Benz W123 300CD Turbodiesel
        '99 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my darling Wife's car)[sold]
        '98 Mercedes W202 C250 Turbodiesel (my car)[sold]
        '06 Musso Sports Crew Cab well body. [Head gasket blew!]
        '04 Rexton SUV 2.9L Turbodiesel same as Musso - Our Family car.
        '06 Musso sports Crew Cab Trayback - My hack (no air cond, no heater).

        Searching the Biofuels Forum using Google
        Adding images and/or documents to your posts

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Mc Valve Spanners

          Hmm, $1 spanners. I went for the high quality $2 examples!
          I would have gone for the .50C jobs if I could have found any!

          I think the spanners would be more difficult to use without the extentions if you bent them than if you just left the things as is.

          I didn't measure the height, the ajustment nuts are at the top of the valves and you only have to clear the camshaft directly over the top and the injectors to the side. I don't think the dimentions are at all critical really.

          I got my gasket from a place up the road from me called Sydney wide European. They are not the cheapest place around but convineint to me. There is another place at Villawood that would have them that are a euro specialist and MB Spares in canberra have them as well.
          You may want to order some other spares like filters or hoses while you are at it and they will send it to you. I believe they are one of the cheapest places ATM.

          Repco may have them but I don't think you could find a more expensive place to buy anything than from Ripco, even a stealership because they would probably buy from them then add their outrageous markup.

          If you would like to bring your spanners over I can heat, bend and weld them for you or you are welcome to just Borrow mine.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Mc Valve Spanners

            Thanks guys. I'll probably get the gasket from MB spares as I need some other bits from them too. I've actually found some metal tubing which will slip over the ring end of the spanners (once I've bent them and squashed the rings a bit). Even if I can't weld them into place I'm sure they will work fine.

            The car's running great on her new diet of biodiesel/WVO blend. She takes a bit longer to start in the morning, especially now that it's a bit colder, and I need to keep the revs up for a couple of minutes or she dies. But once she's warmed up she runs perfectly.
            Sean

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