Using starter during valve adjustment?
 

I'm preparing to adjust my valves again in a few weeks. I am going to do the project the conventional way, pull the plugs, turn the fan pully which turns the crank, and make cylinder by cylinder adjustments. I thought I would use the starter to turn the crank a bunch of times and then recheck the tappet gaps. The plugs will be out. Does anyone have a problem with running the starter with the covers off, oil out, and plugs out? Is there a better way? Is this even a necessary step?
Thanks.

no shops do it, so you shouldn't need to. oil will also drool out.

Re: Using starter during valve adjustment?
 

Aside from being messy, it is just so simple to just turn the motor over with a wrench to the exact position you need that I wouldn't even bother using the starter.

Re: Using starter during valve adjustment?
 

Isn't this where somebody chimes in to tell Chris - don't pulll the plugs? It's not required and could actually cause carbon to drop down and affect the valve adjustments?

Mark and all,
Thanks for the advice. Per the plugs, I pull them because I get so much belt slippage, I cannot turn (or with great difficulty) the crank with the fan pulley. It was such a pain the first time i did it, I tried with plugs out and found life easier. Your comment about carbon deposits effecting the valve seats while adjusting is interesting. Might explain some of my unsuccessful earlier tries.
CL
BTW, I might replace my plugs with copper this time anyway (platnuim double electrodes in there now) so I guess I'm positioned to make the same mistake again.

Copper plugs are the way to go. Do not remove the plugs to adjust the valves. Truly, do not do this. Carbon can indeed get under an exhaust valve. If this happens, then you can wind up with an exhaust valve that is too tight. In fact, it can be so tight that it never closes. This is one of the worst things that can happen.

To rotate the engine, you can apply sideways pressure against the belt on the right side. That is the belt comes up from the crank pulley to the fan pulley and then back down to the crank pulley. If you apply pressure on the right side, where the belt is returning to the crank pulley, then it will grab and you can rotate the engine with plugs in.

Another method is to put the car in gear, like 5th, and push the car. This rotates the engine.

A favorite method of mine is to raise one side and rotate the drive wheel that is off the ground with the tranny in gear. This way, you are rotating the engine by hand-rotating the wheel/tire. Adjust valves on one side at a time. Works well.

How could you possible stop it on the correct timing mark if you were using a starter anyway? Manually moving the crank is the only way to creep up on the mark. Tighten your belt first to see if that helps. If not, then follow Superman's advice & with one hand press the belt inward on the right side, while turning the fan nut with the other.
I just did a great adjust job (for the first time) because I felt I was being really careful in lining up the timing marks. When you get close to the mark,stop turning. Make a fist & gently bump the handle of your wrench to move it in small increments... you'll be able to line up exactly. If you overshoot the mark, don't turn backwards. Make two revolutions of the crank & creep up on the missed mark again. Good luck.
regards,
jlex.

Sman,
More great advice. The lift one side and turn the tire method is interesting. Someone on the BBS mentioned this and loved it. Can you really turn the engine this way? I guess so if you say so. Limited slip a problem?
So for me, plugs in - adjust valves. After adjustment, change plugs.
Thanks all.

Jlex,
I was asking in the original post if using the starter motor to spin the engine for several turns after adjustment makes sense in order to sort of seat the valves again before rechecking the tappet gaps. I didn't really consider using the starter to rotate the engine for specific valve adjustments.
Your comments and tips are much appreciated, however.

Nothing wrong with using a starter switch to bump the engine around. Although dealer techs are not the ultimate reference point, if you had a car up on a lift (they don't adjust valves on their back like us folks), would you raise and lower the car 6X in order to position a cylinder for a valve adjustment? (answer is no). They work on flat rate which doesn't necessarily mean they're not doing a thorough job; they're only doing it faster. Rolling the car in gear also works assuming you have enough room under the car to work and a long enough runway. I'd much rather push a button then rotate the engine with the tire while on my back.

Being basically lazy (you can tell), I use a remote starter switch - it doesn't take but a few seconds to connect to the solenoid. Each piston does not have to be at exactly TDC, ready to fire to adjust the valve set. However the valve to adjust must be closed, and there are plenty of other crank positions where the valve is completely closed. All it takes is to recognize that a valve is closed when the rocker arm is in contact with the heel portion of the cam lobe. The camshafts rotate at 1/2 the speed of the crank, thus the engine can rotate, for example, 20º while the cam only rotates 10º so there's plenty of latitude in regards to crank position.

Nor do you have to adjust valves in the firing order as long as you keep track as you go along. Just bump the engine around until the rocker arm contacts the heel of the cam, then adjust that valve, then repeat for the next valve. This method allows you to do one side of the engine (e.g. cylinders 1-3-5), button up the valve cover, then the other. This saves a bunch of time; more time if you double check the adjustments. Leave the spark plugs alone as suggested by others. You can drain oil at the same time to minimize oil mess.

Then again, I like to bleed brakes using the longish gravity method, so to each his own as long as the job is done correctly.

Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars

i use a lift, AND a creeper. position the car so the upper valves are reachable, and use a creeper for the bottom ones. a wrench on the pulley nut, while pushing in on the right side of the belt, turns the engine over easy enough with the plugs in. a starter button would be very inexacting, always going past the mark, on to some other cylinder, leaving open the chance that the beginner will get mixed up, and adjust the wrong valve. best to stick with the proper procedure. this ain't no ford.

Thanks for all the valve adjustment help. I'm not looking to get out easy on this, just do it right. Again, I was just wondering if turning the crank a few rotations with the starter made sense after adjustment but before buttoning up. Sounds like this is unnecessary.
So, it's manual turning with plugs in. I get it.

"...the beginner will get mixed up, and adjust the wrong valve. best to stick with the proper procedure. this ain't no ford."

John,
Like I said, to each his own. There are many ways of skinning the proverbial cat. Just wanted to describe another way of accomplishing the same task. BTW, in most engines, TDC, end of compression does not position both camlobes 180º away from full lift; it's usually many degrees away, thus exact TDC is not entirely necessary. For first timers though, follow the book.

Can't do this with a Ford, at least the very old ones. The rocker-to-camshaft connection is via a pushrod and the camshaft is buried in the block. The newer ones are automatic via a hydraulic lifter.

Respectfully,
Sherwood Lee
http://members.rennlist.org/911pcars

My 911 came with the condition that a Porsche dealership was never to work on it. As time passes I gain more appreciation of the wisdom of that condition. :( Jim