Hi,
2-3 weeks ago I had my valves adjusted by a local SoCal performance shop that specializes in S2000's. The guy that did the valve adjustment only waited an hour or so with a fan blowing on the car before he started adjusting them. I've read that the engine has to be a certain temperature (cooled down for 5-6 hours at least?) before the valves can be adjusted to the proper clearances.

So I've noticed that my valves still tick, and so I've been thinking... was it done improperly? Should I ask for a refund/re-do?

 

I am pretty sure they werent cool enough, however the tick could be a tct are you sure its the valves?

 

id say 5-6 hours is a little much. if you brought your car in and they immediately put a fan on it and started work after 1hr then maybe that was too quickly. if i drive my car to a shop to do the valve adjustment, ill usually let my car sit and then put a fan on it for maybe an 1hr to 2, but definitely no more than 2hrs unless its a hot day.

just take it back to the shop

 

I do not think it's the TCT from what I've researched on TCT's, plus I can hear the ticking speed up and slow down depending on my RPM's. It gets very noisy at 3k RPM, then dies down a bit until 5k RPM. I can hear the 'ticking' while cruising on the freeway @ 3.5-4k RPM's. However, it very well could be the TCT. Maybe I should order one of Billman's modified ones just in case.

Also, ever since I had my valves adjusted it's had a slight 'thump' vibration during idle that I immediately noticed as soon as I started my car at the shop where I got my valve adjustment. I asked the guy that did it and he said my car just needed to relearn idle. He attempted to make my car relearn idle, but it was still there. I've reset the ECU once or twice in the past couple of weeks but that weird thump is still there. It wasn't there before.

Also, occasionally while moving in 1st gear, it will lag a bit and seem to hang/'dip' a bit in power between 1.5k to 2k RPM. It never did this before I had the valve adjustment, so I'm guessing if the adjustment was done incorrectly it could cause that weird, small fluctuation?

Any input would be very helpful.

 

If the valve cover was removed, and the fan was blown on the exposed valvetrain for an hour, then your adjustment will be ok.

If the fan was blown on the engine with the VC on, then it's no good.

It takes a minimum of one hour with a fan on the bare valvetrain to make it cold enough for a valve adjustment. I know because its how I do them.

 

billman250 always has the right answer

 

Lets hear it. I had a bad valve job done at a dealer years ago and my TL came back sounding like a diesel.

If in doubt take it back. I didn't know this but most places have a time/mile limitation on work.