[Dave at Pelican Parts]

I have tried this several times on my motor. All I can say is DON'T DO IT!

The cam base circle may really be a circle, but there is more going on than just the cam. There is deflection in the rocker stands, and probably more than that.

Every time that I have set my valves correctly (at TDC), then checked the clearance at a valve when its neighbor on the same cylinder was rocking, I have found the clearance to be larger than specified. So, if I had set my valves by using the "intake open, adjust exhaust" method, I would have set the valves to be too tight.

If you don't like trying to find TDC to set the valves, you can try Jim Thorusen's method. What you do is adjust the OPPOSITE valve from one that is rocking. When the front-left exhaust valve is open, you adjust the front-right exhaust valve. This is due to the way the VW cam works.

I still prefer the "stock" method--find TDC for each cylinder and adjust there. I have put paint-marks on my flywheel, so determining TDC can be done from the bottom of the car.

--DD