Valve adjust help.

[old man neri]

Hi,

I am in the middle of doing a valve adjustment on my new (to me) 88 Targa. I am finding that a good portion of the valves appear to be too 'tight', as in the clearence is not enough. Is this normal or am I doing something wrong. I don't want to loosen them all up a little only to find out I was doing something wrong.

Help?

[Wil Ferch]

look here-->

valve adjustment

[HarryD]

Now A Tech Article Here

[kach22i]

I used the "BackSide" method and I'd say 1/3 were too tight, 1/3 were too loose, 1/3 required no adjustment at all.

The fustrating part was the very first one was way too tight, not even the smallest feeler gage would fit. It had me confused if I was trying to put it in right at all.

I was like a virgin all over again.

[hcoles]

something is wrong unless for some reason the pass adjustment was tight....or for some reason the valves are moving down in the seats... that's my 2 cents... it is ok for the feeler to get in there and feel somewhat tight to slide around..... is there someone that can come over and take a look? I don't know where you are.

[Dixie]

If there's not a lot of drag, the valves are to loose. Use the backside method. Unless you've got lots of experience using the traditional method, it will be quicker, easier, and more accurate.

FWIW: I just finished my valve adjust, tune up, new oil lines, and new fuel lines project. (Related valve adjust thread: Worst auto task in 30 years...) The car runs great. No ticking valves, and no leaks. I can wait for next weekend's event...

[justinbaldwin]

i've only done mine once, so this is just my twopenneth, but i found that mine were all too tight, and without going into too much detail here, i suspect that the garage that last adjusted them, just did them by hand ie screwed them in till they were just touching.

this would take seconds to do each one rather than minutes if done properly.

it's also possible that they tighten naturally, but i don't know if this is the case or not. judging from teh rest of the work that the garage did for me, i suspect crap work!

when i did them myself, i also found that using the special tool for adjusting them broke first time i used it. i resorted to just bending the last half inch of an old style/ordinary gap measurer and had complete success with it.

[old man neri]

Thank you all for your replies.

I just tightened one up and loosened another. The rest I left alone for fear of me not having the right feel. I was using the back side method the whole time but still didn't seem right that they were all (save the one) too tight. I started it up and it purrrrs like a kitten......well maybe like a cougar . Hopefully I will not hear tick tick tick once she heats up.

I am in Ontario. Maybe I will find someone who can help me or take a look. I just really would rather learn how to do it well rather than pay a mechanic every time.

Cheers!

[livi]

Hearing tick, tick from valves slightly on the loose side is perhaps annoying, but the 'danger' lies in the silence of the valves adjusted to tight.

Hey! Sounds like a horror road movie: "Silence of the Valves". Soon at a theatre near you. Or perhaps in your garage..

[justinbaldwin]

how is that the valves make a tick when they are loose, and no noise when they are tight? just interested to know.

[kach22i]

Originally Posted by justinbaldwin

how is that the valves make a tick when they are loose, and no noise when they are tight? just interested to know.

.......and what does too tight really mean, and how is that worse?

[burgermeister]

Valves that are too tight won't seat well, which means they don't cool well, which will lead to a burned valve....

+1 backside method. Remove feeler gages from holder. Rubber-band a couple of popsicle sticks 1/2 way up around the feeler gages - that way they won't buckle when you're trying to weasle them between the cam base circle and the rocker.

It's a PITA. Keep at it, you'll get there. No shame doing it again next week - I did my 1st and 2nd valve adjustment in rapid succession

I re-used the nuts and washers for the 2nd adjustment. Most of the lower ones on the exhaust side valve covers ended up leaking & were later replaced. The rest are dry 1000 miles later.

[Dixie]

The "tick, tick, tick" it the sound of the follower regaining contact with the valve. And the problem with adjusting too tight is it keeps the valve from fully seating. This can lead to overheating of the valves. Which in turn will cause them to break.

[kach22i]

Thanks........does a lack of valve seating ever come along with some white smoke on start up?

I've read a few threads where people describe smoke on start up and someone says the valves are not seating. I forget what color smoke though.