First time valve adjustment - happy or frustrated??

[chrisbruck]

Contemplating doing my first valve adjustment over the holidays. Engine will be in the car. I do all the regular maintenance myself and am familiar with the procedure. Car's not my primary transportation and driven on the weekends so will have time to go slow.

My question for those first timers... were you confident with how things went or totally frustrated and feel like you screwed in all up? I'm more concerned about the tight working space and doing some of it "blind" in the car and feeling confindent in the gaps.

I have a local shop that could do it for me if needed but kinda want to try myself.

[Dr J]

I did my first valve adjustment after an engine drop to see how it worked. After practicing there, I did it a few years later with the engine in the car. That time, I went through it a few times because I did not feel comfortable that I was adjusting it right. Getting the feeler gage in is a pain.

Next time, I will use this tool, which others have liked.
Kirk engine valve adjustment tool. Part #: PEL-VALVELASH

My recommendation as a first timer is to get this tool. It should be much easier and foolproof.

[wildcat077]

I've done it a few times when i had a 3.2 in my car , best thing i can say is to get whatever tool makes the job easier , i used the old school short feeler gauge with the loop but there are better user friendly tools out there.
If you plan on using the old method and tools make sure you have plenty of spare blades for your feeler gauge as they get destroyed easily !

It gets easier as you do it a few times, just make sure you double and triple check when you think you got it right ...

[dicklague]

I use the 36 degree method with a custom built crank shaft wrench. Make it a breeze.

Kirk is OK, but 3 degree tool is easier.

[QueWhy]

Wasn’t too bad at all. The first one takes a while but once you get the feel they go quickly. The short feeler worked fine for me and considering how infrequently you need to do the job I decided to skip the speciality tools.

Heed the warning to double and triple check. I left one loose and it drove me crazy until I went back and fixed it.

[proporsche]

I did my 1st time on a 930 back in 1985 and after i have finished there was a big noise.Of course i had to do it again ,not eazy task 0n 930..so, my mentor showed me how to do it without any feeler gauges.
Since then, i have been doing it like that ..just by feel in the hand..
Ivan

[Nick Triesch]

I always adjust and check them twice. If you adjust too lose they will clack like crazy! Also motor will be full of oil when you put back together so it would be a pain to readjust the exhaust valves.

[mo-mon]

Do it! Be mentally prepared. You said you're familiar with the procedure. Be methodical. Write down the cylinders in order on a piece of paper or whiteboard & check each one as you complete the adjustment. Label the plug wires. I found upper #6 to be challenging, #4 also because I didn't want to move the compressor.

I found the prep work to be more tedious than the adjustment itself.

[sugarwood]

Are you going to do the feeler gauge method or the Kirk Tool method ?

[sugarwood]

One tip, if not mentioned. You don't need to drain your oil.
Jack up one side, maybe higher than minimum to remove wheel, and no oil came out for me.

[Canada Kev]

The first time for me, I had a couple, "Oh, damn, what have I gotten myself into?" moments.

It took an entire day (probably about 12 hours) to do, along with a couple other items such as fuel filter and fan belt. But at the end of it, I was far more comfortable with the process and thought that it would be fairly quick and easy to do when next I did it. It took about five hours with far less stress the second time a number of months later.

Now, I do them in about four hours with hardly any swearing.

I even had one a couple years back when afterward, I had a valve that was ticking rather loudly. After work a couple days later I decided to take care of it quickly; I jacked up that side of the car, pulled the valve covers and AC compressor off and had everything buttoned back up in an hour and a bit. I didn't even drain the brand new oil.

Like most chores, it most definitely gets easier the more often you do it. Create your comfort zone and develop your little tricks to make it easier for yourself. The feeling of accomplishment and self sufficiency is hard to beat.

Good luck!

[Dr J]

Check this video out.

https://youtu.be/o1H9WNRC_Yc

[Coloradocurt]

My first 911 valve adjust was in 1973 on my then-new '72 911T Targa. My feeling at the time was that of a 1st year medical intern doing open heart surgery on The Almighty!

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by Dr J

Check this video out.

Wow, that's an excellent video

[bigel]

I performed two valve adjustments on my ‘87 since acquiring it, the second after a complete disassembly and on an engine stand (much easier this way).

That said and since I’m a second-guesser anyway, I was always left to wonder whether or not the valves were adjusted properly, if not ‘just right.’ Well, I just ordered a Kirk valve lash tool and will be using it to perform my next valve adjustment in the Spring.

I very much look forward to reporting back to the forum on my results.

[dkirk]

Thank you Dr J and Pelican for posting this accurate video - much appreciated!

[Koizumi]

Yes this video is awesome Thank you.

[dan88911]

Did my first valve adjustment this past summer.
I checked each valve with the backside method first then adjusted with the kirk tool.
And again followed up with the backside method to check my work.
Over kill however, I wanted to get it right.
+1 on the kirk tool.

[RDM]

Yes, it's frightening the first time.

But once you've done it, new vistas of possibility (and confidence, and ownership) take root. You move (mentally and competence-ly) from where you are now to someplace further along.

Or you could pay someone to do it and stay as you are.

[Koizumi]

Originally Posted by RDM

Yes, it's frightening the first time.

But once you've done it, new vistas of possibility (and confidence, and ownership) take root. You move (mentally and competence-ly) from where you are now to someplace further along.

Or you could pay someone to do it and stay as you are.

Well said, in a myriad of ways. Cheers