Do you guys leave the TDC sensors in or remove them before pulling the valve cover?

 

i tried leaving them in but found that they got in the way when pulling the valve cover...

they're easy to remove...

 

worked for me

 

I removed them , primarily to clean them as they do get some build up on them. So I cleaned them while they were out and reinstalled them when the valvecover was reinstalled.

 

just one follow up note to this diy. The proper rotation for adjustment is 1,3,4,2, turning the crank 180 degrees each time. I did it by eyeballin the direction of the cams as listed by the OP - such as \ / , so it worked out for me, but if you follow the 1,4,3,2 directions it might not work.

There are markers on the cam sprockets that help you determine if the cams are in the proper position each time you rotate them for each cylinder, that might be helpful to know just to make sure you have the cams in the proper position if it is your first time trying it on this vehicle. I'll try to post up the marker locations for each cylinder later tonight.

 

I would like to know also, i have 96K on mines, think it's time?

 

I'll add a bit more information here to help future owners do this procedure. Just to verify the sequence for the adjustment is cylinders 1,3,4, & 2, in that order. Line up cylinder one at TDC with the two timing marks on the cam chain sprocket lined up with the cylinder head surface, perfectly horizontal with the head surface. The marks on the camshaft gears are to be facing eachother dead on.

Then rotate the crankshaft 180 degrees(or cams 90 degrees) to line up cylinder #3. The timing mark on the exhaust camshaft gear should be straight up and the timing mark on the intake gear will be straight down (keep in mind that the engine is cocked on an angle, so you are lining up the marks based on the engine's angled stance.

Rotate the crankshaft 180 degrees to line up cylinder #4. The timing mark on the exhaust cam gear will be horizontal facing the passenger side of the engine. The intake cam gear timing mark will be facing the driver side of the engine horizontally.

Rotate the crankshaft 180 degrees to line up cylinder #2. The timing mark on the exhaust cam gear will be facing straight down, the timing mark on the intake cam gear will be facing straight up (again based on the stance of the engine angle).

One thing I do between each cylinder adjustment is to spray some engine oil on all cam lobes and the timing chain sprocket prior to rotating the engine to the next cylinder to keep things well lubed as you turn the engine without oil pressure. You will know that you have the cylinder lined up properly when the cam lobes face this direction \ / on each adjustment, to indicated you have them at TDC.

I hope this helps, as it gives amateurs a bit more information to use on the adjustment procedure.

 

I just finished up doing the first valve adjustment on my AP2 (about 42,000 miles) and the result seems excessively loud.

I'm sure I was working on the correct cylinder at the correct crank position, and I know I was using a 0.010" (0.25mm) feeler gage. I triple checked these things.

I found that on every single valve it was excessively tight, both intake & exhaust side. I couldn't even get the gauge into the gap on any of them. This does seem rather strange, as the gap should only increase with time (wear).

But before, the engine didn't make very much noise at idle when it was warm. Now at the cold start it rattled a good bit, and then once warm was still rattling some.

Since this is the first valve adjustment, I admit I don't know exactly what our engines should sound like when properly adjusted. Is some rattling normal, even when the engine is warm?

I can take a video later if anyone thinks it will help.

 

[QUOTE=Habitforming,Apr 16 2010, 05:26 PM] I just finished up doing the first valve adjustment on my AP2 (about 42,000 miles) and the result seems excessively loud.

I'm sure I was working on the correct cylinder at the correct crank position, and I know I was using a 0.010" (0.25mm) feeler gage.

 

Good call, it is indeed louder on the intake side. I think I need to redo all of them and be more careful on the feel. I've done tons of B series valve adjustments, but they don't have rollers. It's a very new feeling for me. (that's what she said)

so, down to min spec all the way around. I checked the .008" and wasn't able to get it into any of the rollers either. They were uber close together apparently. I've been having some performance issues. Hopefully this works it out. Also cleaning IAC while I'm under the hood.