Ok, as the title says, I'm doing my first valve adjustment on the car. I've gone through some of the DIY walkthroughs. Just wondering if anyone has any other tips and tricks that they've learned.

I need this to go smooth so I can attend Restaurant Fest on sunday

 

Take your time doing it. Make sure you have the right tools. FYI, the spark plug tube seals were a bitch for me to take off. Don't remember what worked though

 

I did this a few weeks ago, and in the DIY I thought the pictures left a little something to be desired. We have to do this after every few runs on our race cars so I was well versed in the procedure. I thought about doing a little write up but haven't gotten around to it.

Top Dead Center for cylinder 1 - Look for the two scoring marks on the wheel to be even with the head


Insert feeler gauge here - .010 for exhaust and .008 for intake


These are what you are adjusting - loosen the nut and then you can turn the screw, turning to the right will tighten the gap and left will back it out


For advice, my valve cover was stuck on pretty good. It needed a few whacks with a rubber mallet before I could pull it off the 5 posts, but I still didn't need to replace the gasket. Having the angled feeler gauge may not be necessary but it certainly helped. You can leave the spark plugs in but it will make the motor a little harder to turn over. Pull on the rockers a little to make sure they are loose before adjusting.


Here is the set that the original pictures are in should you want larger versions of the pictures to reference.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/10588611@N05/...57601984791973/

 

Thanks guys. If I need any help I'll put up an SOS! haha

I bought a valve cover gasket just in case.

 

Well, I didn't even adjust one valve. Got everything opened up and a couple of the intake valve retainers looked cracked. Sent the PM to Billman. If he can't get me in soon, does anyone know anyone in the area that they would trust to swap the retainers?

 

oh and I'll post up some pictures later.

 

What years have the retainer problems? You are making me nervous.

 

from Bill's posts, it's any AP1. Honda used thicker retainers in the AP2.

 

Good catch. I swapped VC's tonight and did quick visual on my valves too.

 

Well now I'm just nervous I have a ticking time bomb on my hands. I've never over-revd the car. At least never that I could remember, and I'd think that'd be something I'd remember. I PM'd Bill about setting up a time for me to make the trek up to him. I also see in his sig that he has a link to a thread, anyone know if I have to post up a request in that thread as well? I don't want to step out of line and piss the man off

In any case, here are a couple pics of one of the suspect retainers...