Hey guys, it's winter so my car is up on the jack stands while I prepare for the spring race season. I'd like to adjust my valves but my garage is not heated and it's the dead of winter. Is there an ideal temperature to adjust the valves or any other precautions such as starting the engine and letting it get up to temperature? Thanks

 

I usually adjust valves after the engine has sat overnight. Ambient temp prolly no lower than 50ºF. Not sure there is any benefit to adjusting them, in the dead of winter (so we're saying 32ºF or lower?).

 

You want the engine to be cold and it sounds like you meet that specification. Don't warm up the engine beforehand. Most people let the car sit overnight to get it cold for an adjustment. Stone cold is what you want and you have that!

 

Exactly. Dead cold. Never warm engine for this task.

 

Page 6-10 in the Service Manual. Cylinder head temperature UNDER 100°F. You're already in the garage but for others just pulling into the garage will exceed this. Just be patient and let it cool. Set to max clearance as valves tighten in use. Set AP2 exhaust valves, especially the DBW engine. to 0.001" looser than spec.

-- Chuck

 

Taking the car apart cold will make it very difficult, and you will break the coil pack connectors.

Take it apart hot. Hoses, bolts, coils, vc top hats, move harness. LEAVE valve cover in place, and you won’t dump oil onto the exhaust header.

Lift the cover off in the morning and adjust the valves.

 

Thank you, guys!

 

Out of curiosity why would you purposely aim for max clearance?

The clearance range was determined with the understanding that the metals will expand during use. I've always done valve lash adjustments to the tightest end of spec to get every little ounce of lift possible for more powah...

 

Exhaust valve burning, due to insufficient seat time. This is very old news, see the warning thread in the stickies at top of the forum ^

All S2000 exhaust valves are racetrack safe at .012.

 

ooooh for 06-09 AP2's, that's why I never heard about it.

My first S2k was a 2002, and this new one is a 2003. I never was interested in an AP2 so that makes sense why I'd never heard of it.