1st time valve adjust

[Jp-oh]

What does everyone think? TDC cyl 1?

Cheers

[SoCalSK8r]

Yep - looks right


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[OsoMoore]

Looks good. Remember the crank shaft goes around twice for every time the distributor goes once.

Take it easy and don't get frustrated if you aren't able to tell for sure if they are right. The only danger is too tight, and as long as you can get the feeler in and out you are probably fine.

[SoCalSK8r]

For me this is one of those passage of right jobs that just need to be done. Honestly it's not hard at all and a bit over hyped I'm terms of difficulty. With that said I screwed it up on the first pass so check your work.

[douglas bray]

Your dizzy's internal shield is trash. It should look like this:


http://www.pelicanparts.com/catalog/SuperCat/911M/POR_911M_ELIGNT_pg6.htm

[Jp-oh]

Well that went as well as could be expected. There were a few needing adjustment and the car runs much better after of course. I do feel a good sense of accomplishment (read having saved a bunch of money). But, contrary to what a member alluded to above, this is not an over-hyped job RE difficulty. It is not difficult in theory at all but in practice I found it near trauma inducingly frustrating and long. Obviously with practice it would become easier but it's awkward in the car.

Not only that but most threads and DYI tutorials (as helpful as they are and I could not maintain my car without them) tend to oversimplify and gloss over details. Like "snug up" the lock nut.. Metric or SAE snug? I assume metric. Another example is a rear window seal and the admonishment to "be careful with the defroster wires and unplug them" never mind that you need to unplug them in the engine bay and that they go all the way around the seal and that the new seal you have has no holes to feed them through.

Oh well I can be pretty pedantic about these things and I'm good for a while again and the next time will be easier.

PS no nasty head stud related surprises...

[OsoMoore]

Congratulations on getting it done and hearing the difference. The first time I was pretty sure some of mine were louder afterwards.

[scarceller]

If you do these with engine out then you have a much better idea of howto do it engine in car. First time in car adjustment is not easy.

Nice job.

[Jesse16]

Yes, congrats on getting it done. I just did mine yesterday, about the 4th time and I'm now feeling fairly confident in my ability, took me 4 hrs from walking out to clean hands. Much better/quicker at clearing the wires, A/C Compressor, Heater pipe, etc.. I know all my tool sizes and have the right size mini short flat blade screwdriver and short 13mm combination wrench. With the exhaust valves, I can see and fit the feeler easy so I only loosen and adjust any I can't get the blade in or if it goes in too easy. I like the feeler to be very snug. I'm also much quicker rotating the engine to each position to adjust, no hesitation now.
On the intake side, I tend to loosen all the nuts and screws to get the feeler in and then snug it back. Most of mine came out very close to the same but I can tell she's a bit quieter. My DE insp. shop would always yell at me, "adjust those valves will ya ! " No yelling now.
I just need a faster way to remove and re-tighten all those valve cover nuts. What do others use ?

[Jp-oh]

Congratulations on getting it done and hearing the difference. The first time I was pretty sure some of mine were louder afterwards.

Oh my car is louder than before but lots of valves were pretty tight. I'll update my impression after my drive just now. I picked up the rebalanced front wheels, slapped them on and headed into the office. Front end shake gone? Check. Sweet sweet sunny weather? Check. Car pulling like a tank and sounding awesome? Check check. My sense of saving money has turned into a sense of actual accomplishment. It's amazing what a nice vintage car in good tune on a sunny day can do for a person'a mood.

Now on to the rest of the perpetual list of ****e that always needs attention

[Tidybuoy]

I've adjusted my valves 4 or 5 times now. I've done it the traditional way which I thought was the most difficult as getting the feeler in is not super easy. I've done it the back side method which was a little easier. In both cases, I find that it is easier to maneuver around if you remove the side engine tin.

The last few times was with the Kirk Valve Lash adjusting tool - this (by far) gave me the best feeling for accuracy and I highly recommend this (or similar) tool. By far, the best $85 I've ever spent on a tool.

Porsche 911 (1974-1989) - Tools - Page 7

Lastly, my most recent valve adjust was with the engine out and on a stand - wow, does that make it easy

[lespaul]

I have had success with the backside method but I am interested in the Kirk Valve Lash Adjust tool. How does it functionally work?

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by lespaul

I have had success with the backside method but I am interested in the Kirk Valve Lash Adjust tool. How does it functionally work?

It's really very simplistic. You loosen the jam nut, then this tool fits over the valve adjuster and you tighten all the way down, then you line up a small wheel so that the pointer is at a certain mark, then you turn the adjuster counter clockwise the the next mark - which is calculated to the precise measurement to get you to .004.

After using the tool, I measured all my valves with too feelers (the correct .004 and one size bigger - for the go/no go effect). Every valve was spot on.

Here's a thread - started by Kirk, that shows how the tool works:
911 Valve Lash Adjustment Tool

[Jp-oh]

Originally Posted by Tidybuoy

It's really very simplistic. You loosen the jam nut, then this tool fits over the valve adjuster and you tighten all the way down, then you line up a small wheel so that the pointer is at a certain mark, then you turn the adjuster counter clockwise the the next mark - which is calculated to the precise measurement to get you to .004.

After using the tool, I measured all my valves with too feelers (the correct .004 and one size bigger - for the go/no go effect). Every valve was spot on.

Here's a thread - started by Kirk, that shows how the tool works:
911 Valve Lash Adjustment Tool

A question was posed in the rebuilding forum but is a good one here too; can the tool be easily viewed and used with the engine in the car on the cylinders closest to the front etc.

[Tidybuoy]

Originally Posted by Jp-oh

A question was posed in the rebuilding forum but is a good one here too; can the tool be easily viewed and used with the engine in the car on the cylinders closest to the front etc.

Yes, the tool is easy to use, even with the engine in the car. If you look at the photos on Kirk's thread, he has 3 sets of markings on the tool. This enables you to use the markings that are on the top, or bottom, or side - depending on where you are (i.e., laying on the ground, leaning over the top, etc..). Of course, using the tool on my engine stand was extremely easy and took 10-15 minutes to do all 12 valves. With the engine in the car, it took about 30 min.

[OsoMoore]

Originally Posted by Jesse16

I just need a faster way to remove and re-tighten all those valve cover nuts. What do others use ?

My wife did the cover nuts for me while I was working on the transmission. Best way I know of!

[Jp-oh]

Originally Posted by OsoMoore

My wife did the cover nuts for me while I was working on the transmission. Best way I know of!

LOL Wow! My wife would just as soon light it on fire as help fix it!! Lucky bastard!

[DWeg1998]

Originally Posted by OsoMoore

My wife did the cover nuts for me while I was working on the transmission. Best way I know of!

Sounds dirty

[OsoMoore]

Originally Posted by Jp-oh

LOL Wow! My wife would just as soon light it on fire as help fix it!! Lucky bastard!

She worked on doing some actual adjustments too (backside method with the engine out) and definitely agrees that it is a tough thing to get right.