3.2 Valve adjustment first time

[ViRu1220]

Hello everyone!
this is my first post here. I have been reading for awhile but just never signed up. Bought the engine rebuilding and 101. Wyane these are the really masterpeices. I usually have one or the other in my hand for at least an hour a day and I haven't done one project yet. long story short, had a 89 coupe last year for about 6 months (fresh engine and tranny rebuild) that was hit by a 16 year old and totalled (he had his license for about 3 months before he hit me). Never got around to doing any of the projects. Bought an 86 targa last week and it needs a valve adjust. My friend tried a valve adjustment on his motorcyle years ago and keeps telling me its impossible to do the 911 myself. he says its a precision machine let a pro do it. I would like to one day be the "pro" that does it. I have read your book and the online tech article. I am just wondering if there are any first time stories that you guys would share with me. I guess im just looking for reassurance its not that big a deal. And I would love to spend that 1000 bucks that would go to the shop on more parts to do more things to the car.

thanks,
Frank

PS would anyone care to hear another AA horror story with the DR

[yelcab1]

It is really not a big deal, although the first time for anything is going to be a bit ... confusing.

1. Finding TDC is tough, but first line up TDC for 1 (or 4), then wiggel the rocker arm of 1 or 4, and whichever is a little lose, that will be the one to adjust your valves with, and then proceed from there).

2. The gap, 0.1mm is really hard to find the first time. I suggest that when you find the TDC of the valve you want to adjust, losen the adjustment screw a bit (or a lot) until you can insert the feeler gage in there, and then adjust it to spec, and tight. Horror stories abound about the guys who did not get it tight enough.

3. On the 86, removal of the AC compressor and swing it up over the fender resting on a big towel is a plus.

4. Removal of the air ducting on the left hand side is also a big plus.

5. Take this opportunity to remove all the plugs, inspect them, maybe replace them, and that also makes the turning over the enigne that much easier (people have said to not do this because things will fall inside the engnine, well, never happened to me).

6. Buy the valve adjustment kit with all the new nuts, and keep the old ones around for spares. The valve cover gasket with a silicon bead is better, especially the exhaust side.

With the oil change, spark plugs change, air filter change or cleaned, and a valve adjustment, it should take you 4 hours. More than that, and you are doing something wrong. Good luck.

And enlighten us with the AA story!

[john walker's workshop]

carbon bits can fall between the valve and seat if you remove the plugs before doing the adjustment. then the valve closes on the carbon bit, you adjust the valve, and when the engine starts and the carbon blows out, you have a tight valve clearance.
you will also need the proper feeler gauge holder, because the tip of the gauge must be at 90 degrees to get under the elephant foot adjuster. you can't do it with a straight gauge, it's too flexy. some you can see, some you can't, and have to just feel it in and out.

[stomachmonkey]

Buy extra blades for the tool, you will bend a few as you learn the technique to get the blade in.

As you will see the blade is paper thin and any imperfections in it will give a false reading. Ask me how I know.

Make sure the nuts and bolts that hold the blade to the tool are tight or they may come apart will you are in there. Ask me how I know.

Car should be cold, try to get it to the workspace the night before and let the oil drain overnight.

Get some ratcheting box wrenches for the tight spots.

Don't over tighten the lock nut. Just snug it down.

TAKE YOUR TIME AND CHECK YOUR WORK BEFORE YOU BUTTON IT BACK UP.

Do NOT be worried about doing it in 4 hours or less especially since it is your first time.

Expect it to take a day. If you know of someone that has a motor out of the car or a local shop that has an open motor it's not a bad idea to take a good look at it and try your hand at getting the gauge in. It's tough to visualize what you are trying to do and is easier to understand if you've tried it on a motor that is out of a car.

good luck
scott

[Rick Lee]

If you have some other projects to do, dropping the engine makes a valve adj. a real cinch. I've done several now and not once with the engine in the car. Last week I did one in under 1 hour with the engine on a stand. There is a trick to getting the feel right. I can't imagine using that lame Porsche tool. The Island tool is THE one to use. Get stainless steel .004" stock and it won't break as much either.

[caliber60]

it should take you 4 hours. More than that, and you are doing something wrong. Good luck.

It took me 1 month the first time. You can not fiinish the first valve adjustment in one afternoon. There are a lot of frustrations invoved. You will feel it's impossible to get those blades in the gap. There are just so many things you need to learn and get the feel for it. Why do you think the shop charge $500 for it? You need to back off, cool down and go back to it again. I would say second time will take less than 4 hours.

[MOMO3.2]

Frank:

Make sure you tighten down all the nuts on the adjustment screws to the proper torque value after you are done. That was a mistake I made. One came loose after about 20 minutes of driving and things got a little noisy. Thank God nothing bad happened!

I gotta say it is a pretty frustrating task trying to get the blade in. I had to back the valves way off to create a big gap. The whole process can easily take 4 hours the first time.

I am NOT advising that you try this, but I have a sneaking hunch that one could 0 the gap between the adjustment screw and valve, then back it off a smidge and pretty much be right on. This may be a question to ask John Walker or one of the other experts on the board.

Good luck.

Mike

[old_skul]

Uh, I don't believe there is a German translation for "smidge".

[stomachmonkey]

How about "bissle", Schwabisch for "a little bit".

Considering the region that our lovely cars come from a bit of Schwabisch being spoken in the factory is not unlikely.

Scott

[Rick Lee]

Scott, they way it would come out would be "ay bissel, geh?"

[Tim Polzin]

Originally posted by Richard LeSchander
Scott, they way it would come out would be "ay bissel, geh?"

ROFL - Thats good!

Tim

[Raynald]

Hello All !
it is my first time too, my engine was rebult two years ago , and this week i change oil and check for valve adjustement with the blade, all the valves is OK, i don't have to readjust all the clearance is fine,i don't touch to the lock nut... i feel all the six have the same gaps, i check two time for to be sure !
Ray

[stomachmonkey]

Actually "bissel" is more yiddish and "bissle" is more commonly Schwabisch. Although yiddish and Schwabisch are pretty close.

Scott

[greglepore]

I think that Wavey or someone established that an eighth turn would be about spot on. I just put the Island tool in there, and tighten the ones I can't see until they hold the tool, then tighten the locknut. If the tool comes out without a good yank, its ok.

[Gordo2]

My tips,

Take your time. You are not competing to be on a crew. That said, I'm going with leaving a day for your first valve job.

When adjusting your first valve take some time to play around with it to get the feel for how tight it needs to be. I found that I could pretty much get the correct gap by the feel of how tight I turned my screwdriver with the feeler in place. This helps alot when you get to the back of the engine where you can't see what you are doing.

I backed the nut off about a full rotation or two prior to inserting the blade. This made inserting much easier (especially on the first one, where you aren't sure). Once I got the blade in place I could tighten the screw down to the the point that I could tell it was just beginning to bind on the blade. From there I would move the blade in and out and make very minor adjustments as required.

Good luck,

Gordo

[ViRu1220]

Thanks for everyone's reply. Well its convinced me to try it out. I just placed my first order with pelican last night. Got some electric seat switches and the bushing kit for the shifter stuff while the drivers seat is out. After I'm done with that little project i'll start on my major service.

i'll be doing:
oil
oil filter
airfilter
sparkplugs
ignition wires
fan belt
a/c belt
fuel filter
valve adjustment
hyperdrive motivator
distrib cap and rotor
brakepads front and rear
transmission fluid

have i missed anything? does the pelican parts major service kit include ignition wires? it says something about points but i dont know what that is. are there any tricks for the various things to replace? any tips on removing the old transmission fluid? yelcab said something about the silcon beaded gasket, is that in the service kit? i saw the gasket on pelican but didnt know if that was in the kit or not. I'm just going to take my time and really learn as much as i can the first time.

thanks for everything,
Frank

PS I'm working on my AA horror story, Where would be the best place to post the AA story?

[Hugh R]

Disconnect the battery first. You'll want to take the rear fuse box cover off to improve access and those fuses are hot all the time. You can short out the fuse with the top left valve cover very easily and fry wires (ask me how I know). Do a lower valve first you can actually see what your doing, then do the tops blind.

[ViRu1220]

Thanks Hugh,
I ordered everything I needed from pelican today. two days ago i ordered two seat switches and some hood and rear deck shocks. My experince with pelican was awesome. Its so easy. today i ordered brake pads as well today, had a question , called and it was quick and painless. I'll never go anywhere else. I'll post how everything goes when I'm done.

thanks again everyone,
Frank

[ViRu1220]

ok, got everything going today to start the valve adjustment. first started draining the oil, removed the oil filter and behind it there is something i have a question about. what is this?



is there supposed to be a cap or something on here?

next, i am under the car and checking things out and it seems that i will need to remove the cat converter to gain enough access to torque the nuts back down on the drivers side lower valve cover. i don't see anything mentioned about this in 101 projects or the online valve adjustment tutorial. i shot some pics...







is there anyway around not having to remove this, i could prob get the nuts off but getting a torque wrench in there with the socket on doesnt work.

thanks,
Frank

[toolman]

Yea, I think you will have to remove the (aftermarket) cat in order to gain access. It is probably a good thing though, since you will need as much room as possible so you don't have to do it by the brail metheod. Good luck and let us know how it goes, order your new gaskets and use new bolts.