First time Valve adjustment...I did it!

J Smith · 02-25-2004, 12:24 PM

First of all let me say that you fellas who perform this service while the engine is in the car are either extremely mechanical or very patient. My hat's off to you!

I dropped engine/tranny to do G50 update, and then got to other things, and then other things, and so on.....and so on.... I wasn't going to do the valve adjust basically because I didn't want to screw anything up. After seeing how easy it is to access everything while the engine is out, I decided to give it a whirl.

Really a rather simple procedure. I used the P123 tool (which seems as though it would be useless if the engine was still in the car), and it's not bad at all if the engine is out. I actually went around 3 times with the .004, then installed the .005 to make sure that wouldn't slide in, and then an .003 to see if it slid in easy. I think I nailed them all. I kept the .004 a little tight, but I can still go around and slide that in without too much effort, it just drags a bit.

How's my newbie procedure sound to the professionals here?

Josh

sundaypunch · 02-25-2004, 12:38 PM

Sounds good to me. You'll know for sure when you fire it up

Someone had a helpful tip in another thread. If you have a micrometer, adjust it for a .004" gap to get a feel for the proper drag on the feeler gauge. I'm going to try this on my next adjustment.

banjomike · banjomike's Garage

good for you! I did it my first time a few weeks ago. My back still hurts, and I have a bit of valve noise on the right side. Oh well, I'll do better next time. I was mostly satisfied that it started up when I was done. OH! no new oil leaks either!!!

B D · 02-25-2004, 12:44 PM

Congrats, don't get to excited though before you start it up. I completed my first one two weeks ago (engine in) and had to go back in and make some adjustments. I thought I had them perfect, but cylinder 6 had to be redone you could hear it.

J Smith · 02-25-2004, 12:51 PM

I hope it sounds good when it's back in and running. Knowing me, I'll probably check them all 4 more times before closing up the valve covers.

From what I've read, as long as I can get the .004 feeler in there, they can't be too tight. I really tried to make them snug on the .004, because I don't want to hear any noise that wasn't there before. They were all actually pretty close, a few exhaust valves were tight, and a few intakes loose. The car ran pretty good before, so I'm hoping I don't make things worse. We'll see next week sometime.

Superman · 02-25-2004, 12:53 PM

Congratulations. I like to use a dial indictors and the P-207 tool, but most folks prefer the feeler gauge. I can tell you that most novices adjust valves too loose. It takes a while to get the right "feel" of using feeler gauges. The drag you're looking for is more than the drag you get just because the feeler gauge curves as it leaves the gap. The drag is definitely an interference drag, but just not a tight interference drag.

Also, Glenn, bless his heart and that of his father, PM'd me something that others thought I was crazy for suggesting. I said that Porsche specifies a tolerance range for valve lash. It is specified at .004" +/- .002". But I could not find the reference when challenged. Months later, here comes Glenn's PM. As it turns out, this specification is printed on the factory sticker that's inside the deck lid. That is, on the back of the lid itself.

So it seems now that this measurement does not need to be EXACTLY .004", but here's the kicker: If it's MORE than .004", then you'll likely have a little audible valve ticking. Conceivably, this could make the car less smooth when creeping through parking lots. Not sure. But I do know that when you go on the small side of .004" (like, say, .0035"), then that ticking goes away. The ticking does not hurt anything. In fact, it is safer to have more lash than less lash. But quieter and smoother to have less lash. My solution is to adjust them on the snug side (somewhere between .0035" and .004"), and check them regularly. Remember, I don't use a feeler gauge, I use a dial indicator.

B D · 02-25-2004, 01:07 PM

Another thing, I never seemed to be able to get the feeler gauge (P 123) back in. Only time I could was when I knew the valve was loose, anyone have a similar experience? Should it be able to in reality with the all the obstacles, you can't get a straight shot at it?

Sorry for the highjack, hope this info will help you!

john walker's workshop · 02-25-2004, 02:47 PM

you have to assume a few awkward positions, but if you can get it out without damaging the blade, you should be able to get it back in. once the clearance gets on the snug side, the blade doesn't want to slip straight in, but after it's started in the crack, a back and forth twisting motion is required to move it in or out. if you can slip it straight in, it's still too loose.