Valve Adjusting Friend

[BrokeMyCar]

Let's say, hypothetically, you just did your first valve adjust. You're feeling all good about yourself because you finally understand what you're adjusting, how one part of your car works, and even tracked down a spark-plug-wire issue (yay, electrical tape!). Then you start it up and listen closely... and with the car cold one valve is clicking louder than the rest.

Do you:

a) Pour out the oil into a clean container and go in to re-adjust that side

b) Leave it for the next oil change (whereupon the spark-plugs are going too)

c) Leave it for the next valve adjust

d) Listen to it when it's hot and stop getting carried away, fool.

?

I'm asking for a friend, of course.

My friend also wants to know if he can reuse the "new" gasket if he goes in again. What a frugal, needy, ignorant bastard.

Babak

[JP911]

Jack up the side where the offending valve is, let the engine cool and the oil settle overnight, and then pull the valve covers without losing too much of your fresh oil. This is, of course, advice you should pass on to your "friend". Oh, and I wouldn't reuse the gasket.

[Christien]

I had this exact same question a couple months ago:
Clicking after valve adjustment

I reused the gaskets with no leaking, at least no more than I had before But then I did another adjustment a month or 2 later because it still wasn't great, and used new gaskets.

If you're re-adjusting an intake valve, you don't need to drain the oil or tip the car - you can just pull the valve cover off. Exhaust valves, yep, jack up one side or drain and replace. Personally I'd just drain and replace.

My valves do quiet down as the car warms up, though. If your (ahem, your friend's) valves are seriously out of whack, you're not going to do any damage by driving the car, you're just not getting optimum power. So try driving it, warming it up and see if they quiet down. I did notice more power once I got them adjusted properly. Not like discover 50 more hp, more like just noticing the car was a little quicker, felt a little lighter, and seemed to reach "cruising altitude" much faster

[BrokeMyCar]

Thanks for the tips/link; there was a great tip there on using a hose to figure out what's ticking that I'll try out soon!

Babak

[BrokeMyCar]

er, I mean my friend will try out soon. yeah