Another valve adjustment question...
 

My engine is out and I adjusted the valves over the weekend (twice). I've read through all the techniques, and I'm still a little curious...Are you suppose to feel a "little" drag on the feeler blade, or a "lot" of drag. Wayne's book says slight drag, and I've read where most people do not have a tight enough gap (especially if they are adjusting the first time). Any thoughts...?

Slotcar-

If you have a micrometer available, set it at 0.004" and try sliding the feeler blade through it a few times to get a feel for the drag. You can pick up an inexpensive micrometer from Harbor Freight.

Jim

Yes, this is the way Bruce Anderson teaches to feel the gap.

Slotcar,
Review the thread titled "valve adjustment".
There is a simple method for adjusting 911 valves.
No need for special shim holding tools.
Use an ordinary feeler gauge set with a .0025" and .003" feelers.
Much simpler than trying to develop the "feel".
Check each valve before adjusting, saves time.
Have fun,

Pretty hard to do because of the angle needed on most valves, but on the one that is the most accessable, if you can't feed the gauge back into position, it's too tight. But, that's the secret, knowing that you're not trying to feel drag on the gauge while at an angle not square with the top of the valve stem. You need to try each valve in more than one position to be sure. Especially if you haven't done this a bunch of times.

I don't know how each and every mechanic does his adjustment, but I don't depend on sliding the gauge back and forth at all. I tighten the screw to a certain feel and then hold it while cinching the nut which invariably changes the feel of the screw and, hence, the gap. You get to know how to slightly overtighen the screw and set it with the nut for the correct gap. Do this enough times on the easy ones to test and you've got the technique for the hard ones to reach while attempting to slide the feeler gauge.

it's better to have slightly too little drag than too much. Error on the too little drag side.