Re: Valve Adjustment & the Shop Manual

["Eric" <ericp@xxxx>]

Thanks Dave,

I've now actually begun the adjustment. The engine is in surprising 
ly great shape inside. Clean,- actually shiney- no signs of sludge or 
overheating, no signs of valve stem or cam wear. (But then this car 
only has 20K on it!) 

As you said, I did only find two valves (on the one bank I have 
completed so far) that needed adjustment - but WOW, what a 
difference! The rocker noise has diminished a lot. I still have one 
bank to go.

I decided to just adjust (or check) each valve at it's low spot (or 
exactly opposite the peak, and only follow the manual with regard to 
the clearance measurement.

As a sanity check, I took a compression reading of each cylinder 
before I started, and am comparing that reading - to one taken after 
I finish. - This will at least tell me that I have not "over 
adjusted". (this, combined with accurately measured clearances).

So far, I'm pleased with my results. And I'm hard to please! :-)

Eric
Dunedin, FL



--- In dmcnews@xxxx, "jtrealtywebspannet" <jtrealty@xxxx> wrote:
> I just completed a tune-up on a "D" and I found after 30,000 only 3 
> valves needed adjustment and it was very minor. The valves don't 
> change all that much. If you need a lot of adjustment to quiet a 
noisy 
> valve I think you will find bigger problems. BTW I find the 
procedure 
> in the manual hard to follow so I just make sure when adjusting a 
> valve that the mate in the cylinder I am working on is open, that 
way 
> I can be sure the one I am adjusting is closed. That ticking might 
not 
> be a valve. When you get the valve cover off look for signs of past 
> overheating, coked up oil, sludge etc. Check oil pressure and do a 
> compression test to check the health of the engine. Mechanical 
> problems with the motor are rare but if the engine was abused 
> (overheated or run with low or never changed oil) all bets are off.
> David Teitelbaum
> vin 10757
> 
> 
> --- In dmcnews@xxxx, "Eric" <ericp@xxxx> wrote:
> > I have decided to check and adjust my rocker arm clearances, 
since I 
> > have this loud rocker ticking. (no, it is not an exhaust leak at 
the 
> > gaskets...that was checked)
> > 
> > I grab my trusty shop manual and open to section C:05:02 and :03, 
> > figures 26 and 27 where Method One is laid out clearly. I 
> interpreted 
> > the instructions in the chart as: position cylinder 1 so that 
Intake 
> > and exhaust rocker arms are "on the rock" or on the peaks, then