Done: first valve adjust!

[Hendog]

I started my first valve adjustment Satruday of last week-end. On Sunday I had all valves completed (or so I thought). I stopped for the night once I made my last adjustment.

I rechecked my work on Tuesday (Didn't touch it Monday) before putting things back together and found some valves were indeed off Being that it was my first time, I didn't sweat it and was just happy to have the time to do it right. I would re-adjust one night and verify a night or two later (life gets in the way sometimes). I made mistakes: at one time I readjusted a perfect set up on #4 only because I was not on TDC but rather the notch prior Oh well, live and learn. So finally, this past Saturday (a week later) I was ready to put the covers back on; and so I did.

In the end I must have checked my work four times. I remembered the comment by John Walker on one post "go over the valve adjustment again, now that you have some experience" and it rattled around in my head. I had the time and figured there was no sense in getting all in a hury to fire it up only to have to undo it all. Yesterday, I put the covers on confidently knowing I had achieved a very good valve adjustment.

I used the measuring method described by 2.7Racer where you measure the gap between the cam and rocker. I am grateful to Doug for that and in a greater breadth I am grateful to Wayne and this wonderful BBS. I could not have done this without these resources. I can actually feel the confidence growing to where I may one day be up to dropping an engine (I just don't have the need to yet

After putting all the parts back together and oil back in I was rewarded with a beautiful sounding engine after firing it up. What a joy
Thanks all

[ZOA NOM]

You only checked it four times?

[Hugh R]

Congrats!

Don't know if you've adjusted valves on other cars before, but there is something unnerving about having to do it completely blind. Very different from most other cars. I found it very hard to re-insert the feeler gauge. Easier to loosen and adjust again. In the end, I give everyone a calibrated "shake" to make sure there is some clearance. When I was sure which was the Z-1 mark, I dabbed it with some of my wife's red nail polish.

[Hendog]

Quote: You only checked it four times?


Well Yea! Your avatars got in my eyes

[ZOA NOM]

Sorry, my bad.

[dentist90]

Let's all be thankful these cars aren't 4-valve/cylinder!

[Al S]

That first valve adjust can be very gratifying Henri, especially when after you fire her up, you hear nothing but the whirr of the fan, and the pulse of the exhaust

[schleg79]

I used the measuring method described by 2.7Racer where you measure the gap between the cam and rocker.

Could you post a link to the thread mentioned above? Thanks..

[livi]

Well done !

Every thread with this specific topic builds up my own confidence. One of these years I am sure I will have the guts myself.

[Hendog]

Originally posted by schleg79
Could you post a link to the thread mentioned above? Thanks..

valve adjustment

And, yes, two valves per cylinder is a good thing in this case