Diesel RVs: [diesel_mercedes] Shakey - Breaky Air Cleaner Mounts

I should really have been counting , at three rubbers most times I know I've put at least two dozen new air cleaner rubbers in my '84 300CD since buying it , at least three metal ' T ' brackets too ~

When the engine is cold , it shakes @ idle in gear *so* much , it's blurry to the eye , I'm quite sure that's when it breaks both the rubbers and the occasional 'T' bracket .

To - day @ lunch time , I scrounged up a 40 year old Snap-On extra deep 14 MM 3/8" drive socket , 6" long extension and a ratchet and a 1/4" flat blade screwdriver & set to work ~ first thing was to loosen the well stuck locknut , it was rusted / grimed to the idle speed adjuster screw so I had to remove the whole thing from the injection pump , this is prolly easy for Der Black Forest Elves with thier Pixie hands but I have glove size # 4 mits so it was tricky to get it out of there without dropping it to never be seen again .

Once I had it out , I cleaned up the threads until the nut spun freely up and down the threads , backed the nut a few turns out and re - installed the idle screw and managed to get it's fine threads started in the alloy hole with out stripping them nor breaking off the alloy tab on the IP......

Then I held the screwdriver as delicately as possible and twirled it in until I felt the top touch the IP's actuating lever , then I started the engine and turned on _everything_ to load it down , put it in drive and adjusted the idle stop screw in until the idle *just* went sikly smooth , used the tip of the screwdriver to run the lock nut down then used the deep socket to lock the nut , it seems to be fine .

I let it run unladen in neutral with lights off and so on , the engine didn't speed up at all , not like Gasoline engines do . this is what I wanted as I don't like high idle , is causes trannys to slam into gear and reduces engine braking sharply , etc. , etc .

To - morrow morning I'll find out if I really made it better , if not I'll have to take the tools out to the car in the dark and try it then .

I just want it to stop breaking air cleaner's & mounts ! .

-Nate