Whats the guidelines for getting a valve adjustment?
 

What are the general guides? Mileage? Time? Noise? Type of usage? My 89 hasn't had the valves adjusted for 5-6000 miles and maybe 3 years. I don't notice any problem, but am wondering if I should have them do it at the next inspection. It's not like I want to hand the garage $300 for nothing. When do you determine its time to adjust them?

You can do it yourself for less than half that, including oil and a filter. Now that the weather is good, you should do it now.

I believe 15000 miles is recommended to check clearance.

Is there a guide for this somewhere?

from laundromatt

THe Bentley and Wayne's 101 books explain the procedure, if you do a search on the subject you'll find countless threads about it.

Take care.

Being that I bought the car 11 years ago and put 30,000 miles on it, it would be a lengthy time between adjustments. If the car sits for lengths of time, is there a time factor? Thanks also for the DIY suggestion, but those days are long gone. As far as a guide, I meant when it should be considered, not how the procedure is done. I have helped doing them a few times but would rather have it done at the garage.

If you're not running the car, there is nothing to change the adjustment. I do my valve adjustments every third oil change interval, every 9,000 miles.

from 98911

Time factor is not specified in the Bentley, just mileage, 15K miles is recommended.

from 89911

I was answering laundromatt's question.

The guideline is every 15,000 miles, period. It's in your car's maintenance manual.