How long did your first valve adjustment take?

[hcoles]

yes... agreee drag should be DRAG

[greenie]

Hello Burgermeister,

I had a very bad time with my first go at this on my 85 3.2

I also own a 914 , I can adjust the valves in a couple of hours.

I could not believe how difficult this procedure was, I could not get a feel for the tightness required, couldn't see what I was doing, and when I did think I had the gap set the adjuster would turn when I tightened the nut.

After about 10 hours of this abuse I buttoned it up & took it to a pro.

This was one of the few times I've paid for service, the money was well spent!!!

The mechanic said that it was very tough for him also, he recommended I buy new adjuster screws & nuts for the next time. I purchased these from our host.

I have about 10,000 more miles until required.... I'm dreading the task.

Greenie

[ros74911]

my 1st time was a disaster. it took me the whole day and through the night. but i was determine to finish it. i didn't know that you're not suppose to use a ramp on the rear tires and have at least a 15qt. bucket to catch oil. duh!!! on my part. i found that out the hard way. oil spill all over the garage like exxon valdez. i went through trash to find empty bottles just to catch more oil. can you believe it i drained both sides at the same time. ha ha ha... oil finally stopped dripping. so, i started my valve adjustment. i was moving right along. then i realize the car was moving everytime i turn the fan pulley. i said to myself hmmm....i guess it was suppose to do that. then it got worst. so, i stopped the turning. i took out the ramp and jacked up the car rear ends. so, i continued on step by step traditional method here pelican site tech articles(couldn't fiure out the backside method). whew, i finally finished plus cleaning oil spills by midnight. so, the next day got up early and test drove the car. it was a failure. all my hard work down the drain. it was loose like tin cans rattling inside. so, i adjusted the valve again for another 5hrs. this time i double checked it before i button it up and test drove again. wow!!! the car was just amazing to drive. i went for a long drive to the coast. ahhhh.... finally i can enjoy my car.

[mca]

Haven't done the valve adjust yet b/c it was done rather recently by my mechanic.

However, I did just replace my fuel filter which was supposed to be a 15 minute job ... bah. If my old filter had been easy to remove, I would still say 45 minutes. Pretty tight in that corner.

I guess that my point is that I expect to do the work in 2x the amount of time alloted by the 101 Projects book when doing it the first time.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by mca

However, I did just replace my fuel filter

The week before I adjusted the valves I replaced the fuel filter and accumulator (regulator) at the same time, that was a task and a half.

Every 6,000 miles for those two, right?

[mca]

Originally Posted by kach22i

The week before I adjusted the valves I replaced the fuel filter and accumulator (regulator) at the same time, that was a task and a half.

Every 6,000 miles for those two, right?

I think that every 6k is a fair guide for fuel filter changes. I have had my SC for 2 1/2 years (about 6k miles) and had never changed the fuel filter ... and have no record of when it was replaced. I can tell you that the filter was VERY heavy and the fuel coming out of it was rather NASTY to say the least.

I probably won't mess with the accumulator until it fails (shows signs of failure - hot start problems, fuel pressure issues). If I recall, the accumulator is a little too pricey to be changed every 6k.

The valve adjustment is more along the lines of every 10k but everyone has their opinion / preference. With track use, the valves will probably need to be adjusted more often.

[rusnak]

I approached my first valve adjustment with a fair amount of trepidation, and even now I have to say my mechanic gets the assignment half of the time because he can adjust the valves in less than half the time it takes me.

If it's your first valve adjustment, get the 911 feeler gauge. Also buy the factory valve cover gasket set, and you will want to change the oil and filter at the same time. If you are due to replace spark plugs, that is a good final step before putting the valve covers back on. It's also easier if you remove the ac compressor, heater elbow (on the 3.2 cars), catalytic converter, and also clean the engine with a power washer and non-petroleum based degreaser the day before. You have to adjust the valves with the engine absolutely cold (ambient temperature).

[khamul02]

Also, I picked up a DVD and old school VHS tape that covered the procedure. It made me feel a lot better about myself the first go around. Both are nice resources for the visual learner.

[imcarthur]

3 times over the course of a month last summer. Twice using the 'traditional' method. I just couldn't get the feel. The last time I did the racer2.7 backside method & it was done. Much, much better.

6 hours the 1st. 6 hours the 2nd. 3 hours the last.

Ian

[burgermeister]

So - just what makes the valves go out of adjustment? I can't imagine it's wear on the cam / rocker - the valvetrain would need replacing in no time. Can't imagine the heads warp much over time, either - seems a noticeable loss of compression would result. I suppose the valves could slowly recede into the head by wearing their seating surfaces (in which case, the tendency would be to get tighter)?

Has anyone experimented with letting them go longer than 10 or 15 K miles? Or is that just sacrilege (in which case I shall never mention it again!)

Oh yeah, for the backside method - how do you keep the .0025 feeler gage from buckling while checking the gap? I am imagining a little holder, or maybe supergluing a thicker leaf to the lower part of it...

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by burgermeister

how do you keep the .0025 feeler gage from buckling while checking the gap?

Just oil it or keep it oiled, wiggle it don't shove or thrust /push it.

The very first one I did using the backside method even my smallest feeler (way way smaller than .0025 inch) would not go in. No one said they could be too tight, but I found out, yea I found out.

Now I've got the ticket to ride, beep beep n' yea...............

[don911]

Originally Posted by Rusty Heap

My first time valve job only took 1/2 an hour....................to drive it to John Walkers shop!

okay, I guess it took an hour because I had to drive back there to pick it up.......he heh.

+ 1

I did mine once that was enough for me. I've replaced the motor, suspension from bushing to t-bars, entire interior but the valve adjustment is one job I gladly take to JW.

[FenderBender]

I just did my first one several week ago. Full weekend project for me. Did it the normal way, then went back and did it the "Backside" way. I like that method better.

I happened to have some red and green small zip ties. Attached the green to the "go" Red to the "no Go". Made the gages easier to handle and identify.

Big Messy PIA

I did not sand the lowers covers flat and still have a small leak.

[rs6er]

Slightly OT, but how long does your mechanic take to do it. I had a top end recently, and when I brought it back for the valve adjustment at 1000 miles, I was charged 6 hours labor for that alone.

[mhinch]

I'll be doing my tappets early next week when I get my clickadjust tool, I've not read of anyone Stateside thats used one, it was a very popular tool in the UK before hydraulic tappets became commonplace. I've used the tool years ago on various motors, with good results, so I thought I'd try it on the p-car.


I'll report on the results as soon as I've had a play.

[GrantG]

That's a cool looking tool. Its shape would make it difficult to use with regular method, but it might be great for the favored "backside" method. How does it work (adjust) and how finely can you set it?

EDIT: Just found this: http://www.lbcarco.com/clik/Clikadjust_1.html
Interesting,but I'm pretty happy using the feeler gauges on the backside...

[Wil Ferch]

The click tool is interesting. Use it with this sentence I've posted before....

"Seeing the valve adjustment bolt is 8mm x 1mm pitch...too bad we can't get a device that precisely opens the adjustment nut 36 degrees ( or so) from closed.

Target is 0.1 mm gap. One complete 360 degree rotation is 1mm. We want 1/10 this or 1/10 of a full "rotation" .

- Wil

EDIT--> from the "clickadjust" ad link posted in this thread..." The Clikadjust is a specialized screwdriver that provides an audible click for every 1/30 (12° ) of a full turn so that for a given rocker arm and adjusting screw, a given number of clicks equates to opening the gap from zero to a certain gap distance. ..."

So, for us 911 guys, this would be three clicks ( 3/30 of a turn or = 1/10 turn)...and we're "there" ???

[GrantG]

Originally Posted by Wil Ferch

The click tool is interesting. Use it with this sentence I've posted before....

"Seeing the valve adjustment bolt is 8mm x 1mm pitch...too bad we can't get a device that precisely opens the adjustment nut 36 degrees ( or so) from closed.

Target is 0.1 mm gap. One complete 360 degree rotation is 1mm. We want 1/10 this or 1/10 of a full "rotation" .

- Wil

EDIT--> from the "clickadjust" ad link posted in this thread..." The Clikadjust is a specialized screwdriver that provides an audible click for every 1/30 (12° ) of a full turn so that for a given rocker arm and adjusting screw, a given number of clicks equates to opening the gap from zero to a certain gap distance. ..."

So, for us 911 guys, this would be three clicks ( 3/30 of a turn or = 1/10 turn)...and we're "there" ???

It does seem like a nifty method, but I'd still be nervous that the setting would be changed, once you tighten the lock-nut. I guess we could always try a few valves and double check with traditional methods to be assured that it was accurate...

[Wil Ferch]

I'm beginning to sense a "real good thing" in combining this tool with Doug's backside adjustment method ( that is...when "needed"...since his method checks the *need* in the first place without un-doing any screws or nuts !).


Of course, we can still use Doug's backside method *after* the click tool is used too...as a "go / no go" check.

Fabulous.

- Wil

[Dixie]

Here's three things I hate about the backside method.

• You have to constantly crawl out from under the car.
• You have to literally guess at how far to turn the screw, as the feeler gauge is out of reach..
• You have to decide how hard you have to force the .003 gauge to qualify as a "no-go". I've had valve that I swore were perfect. But after 5 minutes of fiddling, I could force the .003 gauge in.

Here's three things I hate about the traditional method.

• How much drag is the right drag?
• You have to be even more of a contortionist.
• You can't see anything when adjusting some valves.