valve adjustment

[sig_a]

Originally posted by livi
While waiting for my maintenance stuff to show up in the mail, I opened up the engine lid today to have a look see. Sniffing around in the bay to mentally prepare for the task.

O'boy, is that a close fit !! I all but lost my nerve. I can´t even begin to figure out how you guys manage to reach in to change the plugs, let alone do the adjustment. I need to fight the creeping feeling of regression back to 'clueless physician - what the hell were you thinking'.

Hello Markus -

Speaking from very limited experience, the actual valve adjust isn't that difficult and becomes more and more routine the more valves you adjust. Patience (it's a slow process to check - recheck - adjust - readjust) and concentration (did I remember to tighten up that jam nut?) are key. You can't help but learn from cylinder 1 and then 6 and then 2. By the time you get to 5, you will know you could have done cylinder 1 better than the first time. I did all 12 valves twice to get it right, and I know I could do it at least faster a third time. Once you remove the "S" pipe coming from the heat exchanger and tie as many of the electrical/accelerator cable lines out of the way, getting to intake valve 3 isn't as impossible as it looks. The same with the other side. Intake 6 isn't any more difficult than 3 if you use a mirror to help get the .004" shim in place. I stowed the ac compressor at either the center of the engine or off to the right side of the fender. As long as you pad the storage location well, it will not present any problems. I taped the ac electric wire in place on the compressor to keep the original wire routing. This provides one less thing you have to remember when you reconnect it. The air cleaner cover and filter also must be removed, which is much easier once you remove the ac compressor. There's really pretty much room in there once you relocate/remove the obsticles. The exhaust valves are actually easier than the intake if you have the car up at least 20 inches on secure jack stands. My 1987 has a catalytic converter on the driver side which requires some improvising on some (used the side of the screwdriver at a 45 degree angle on 4 as I recall) valves when adjusting down the jam nut on the swivel foot screw. I used a small (3" ?) screwdriver for all the adjustments and a 6 or 7 inch long box end 13mm wrench. I couldn't get a torque wrench on the valve cover nylock nuts, so I cross-tightened them all as even and as snug as I thought necessary. Gaskets (Rentz brand?) are working and no leaks. I also changed the plugs (NGK iridium) and distributor cap and rotor. I put the oil back in and it started right up. That was last Thursday. I drove the car from Cincinnati to Rehoboth Beach, DE and back since then. Round trip: 1200+/- miles without incident. There is no torque spec on the jam nuts -- but make SURE ALL OF THEM are tightened so they don't come off. I was surprised how tight mine were to unloosen. Good luck, sig_a

[livi]

sig_a,

Thanks, thats very good to here. I have read and reread all (and I mean ALL ) the valve adjust threads here, along with 101 Projects and Bentleys. Over and over. Feels like I know the drill exactly. Have memorized it all. Thats how I go about most things new to me.

Thing is - when I actually took a GOOD look down in the bay it looked almost impossible.

You guys all have four feet long spider thin arms with joints that can bend 360 dg ?

[rooked 930]

Has anyone done this method (or standard method) on a 3.3 turbo (no cat)? Just looking for hints on which parts you recommend should be removed and which can probably stay (and some getting tied back)...

Cheers,

Rob
'79 930

[GrantG]

Originally posted by nesslar

Seems strange that noone has mentioned that with Doug's advice (wonderful stuff!) the valves could all be adjusted from under the car, at the much more accessible lower covers. Lift it, pull the covers, adjust, button things up, lower the car, drive like Hell!

I think there is some confusion here (either on your part or mine), but I think you need to adjust the intake valves from the engine compartment and measure the exhaust clearances from the same spot. You can adjust the exhaust valves and check intake clearances from under the car with the new method...

[nesslar]

GrantG!
Now I see what can transpire when I ask someone to forward my input. Of course it is not you that was confused.

No biggee, but what I was trying to get at was that it seems that only having to mess with the adjusting screws up top while checking the gap from underneath would eliminate a whole bunch of "blind" fiddling with a gauge from the top.
I love the idea of checking at the cam, for sure. Doug's brainwork is still awesome.

Regards!

My new plates are on the way, and will read:
......86TARGA......
H4s are in the garage, soon to be installed.

[GrantG]

Ok, no problem - just wanted to be sure I wasn't missing something

[SCWDP911]

sub'd

[lespaul]

sub'd

[HarryD]

I noticed that this was added to the Pelican Tech Article Section:

Backside Valve Adjust

[911 Dog]

This needs another bump. Works GREAT!...Thanks Doug.

[2.7RACER]

A few month's ago I came across a post by Joe911 from 2003, where he described adjusting his 911 valves by measuring the gap at the rocker arm and cam.

Joe Riley is from Gainesville, Florida and deserves the credit for first describing this procedure on the Pelican Forum.

I'm sure others have done this as well and not given it any further thought.

It is interesting to me that Joe and I share the same last name.

Perhaps somewhere back in time we may even be related.

Porsches valves have been adjusted correctly for many years before the "backside method" came along.

I found this method to be a bit simpler for those of us who adjust valves occasionally.

Many people from around the word seem to agree.

However you adjust Porsche 911 valves is not important. Getting it correct is.

Thanks to Joe Riley of Gainesville, Florida in 2003, we have an alternate method to properly adjust 911 valves.

[York]

Fantastic! I just adjusted the valves on my '86 a few weeks ago and they sure were making a lot of noise. Just did them again using the backside method to check the standard adjustment and they were all a bit loose. I adjusted them again using the standard method, and checked the backside with the 0.0025" go and 0.003" no-go feeler gauges, and now I get it! The 0.0004" feeler is pretty darn tight when the valve lash is properly adjusted, impossible to get back in to the slot after you remove it. Previously I would have thought that was too tight. Thanks all for this great information. Adjusting valves is fun, but not being sure if they are correct was detracting from the experience. Now the guesswork is out of the equation.

[SCWDP911]

getting ready for my first, but lucky enough to have a fellow pelican nearby to hold my hand through the process... or maybe he is there to yell at me right before I screw up. I get confused...

[porsche930dude]

I could be thinking too hard on a saturday but i think the reason the .025 and .003 gap works on the backside and .004 works on the adjuster is because the angle at which the rocker rides on the cam is different than the angle at the adjuster making the distances different in relation to each other. Know what i mean

[911 Dog]

If you want to double check your backside adjustment but don't have one of those P feeler gauges, run by your local motorcycle shop and pick up one of these for $4.00

One end is .004 and the other end .005 in a Nice compact size.

[mca]

Originally Posted by porsche930dude

I could be thinking too hard on a saturday but i think the reason the .025 and .003 gap works on the backside and .004 works on the adjuster is because the angle at which the rocker rides on the cam is different than the angle at the adjuster making the distances different in relation to each other. Know what i mean

Just clarify, it is .0025 and .003 for the go and no go.

[snbush67]

Originally Posted by mca

Just clarify, it is .0025 and .003 for the go and no go.

.0025" should go (fits in)
.0035" should not go (too big)