weekendwarrior44

Really need some help guys, couldn't find anything that helped when searching so here we go
Just so you know, I did a valve adjustment about maybe 1k miles ago...

Last night I'm driving down the road at like maybe 30 and all of a sudden the valve ticking noise got really loud and I even heard them over my car radio. I immediately pulled into a parking lot, shut it off and popped the hood. The temperature gauge read normal temp as far as I remember and I noticed my coolant was boiling out of the reservoir. I let it cool down for a while and checked the coolant levels in both the reservoir and radiator and both had sufficient fluid. Motor oil was fine as well. After letting it cool down I tried to get her home since I literally was just around the block from the house but it didn't make it, car sounded like a lawnmower and I think it was misfiring too. It kind of felt like i was losing compression. I pulled into another lot and it immediately shut off when I put the clutch in so I went ahead and towed it home and took the valve cover off to take a look. I didn't see any obviously visible damage but after checking the valve clearances I noticed one valve on the exhaust side and the one directly across on the intake side were loose as hell on cylinder #2 and they had tons of play. the locknuts on them weren't loose when i went to loosen them to try and re-adjust the two valves. also the one on the exhaust side is sitting noticeably lower than the rest of the valves and the adjusting screws on both seem to have gone lower because the locknut now won't lock onto the screw and actually doesn't have enough thread for the locknut to go fully on the screw. wtf could have happened?

Also note I have AP2 retainers and keepers and about 20-30k miles ago had all 16 valves replaced with brand new ones, new supertech valve guides and stem seals, new timing chain, new timing chain tensioner and new head gasket as well.

Car Analogy

Loose valves won't boil your coolant. I fear something else caused an overheat, and this is what caused what you are seeing now and heard while driving.

Can you get us some photos of the valve issues?

Also, what led you to replace timing chain and guide? What led to replacing valves and stems?

Sent from my SM-G920P using IB AutoGroup

weekendwarrior44

I had 2 bent valves from when the previous owner had my car and finally found out that's what was causing a misifre i had back then. I just felt better replacing all 16 brand new instead of just the 2 and went ahead and did new valve guides and stem seals and everything and I only did the timing chain since they had it taken apart to do the valves anyways it was easy for them to access. the tensioner i only replaced because i thought my motor was a little noisey but it turned out to be normal valvetrain noise lol I'm at work until later tonight but I'll get some pics up as soon as I can tonight.

Slowcrash_101

Wait you mean the lock nut doesn't tighten enough on the adjuster screw? Look at your keepers, do they look like this?


Another thing that could have happened was that the lock nut was stripped while tightening.

weekendwarrior44

Just got home a little while ago and took some pics

Cylinder #2 exhaust side

https://i.imgur.com/vKtXb0E.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ijOMrZ4.jpg

Cylinder #2 intake side

https://i.imgur.com/YD8M66n.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/WJph7Q0.jpg

weekendwarrior44

well i attached some pics but i didn't go as far as removing my rocker arms

windhund116

Are those the stock OEM valve adjuster screws in the rocker arms?


The valve by #2 stamp on rocket arm assembly:

https://i.imgur.com/vKtXb0E.jpg



Valve on left side of this photo:

https://i.imgur.com/WJph7Q0.jpg

weekendwarrior44

yeah man, as far as i know all the adjuster screws and lock nuts should be oem

windhund116

Are you sure you were at TDC on each cylinder --- relative to the valves --- when you did the adjustments?

s2000Junky

WTF, someone totally fubared a valve adjustment. If you ran it like that id be surprised if you didn't damage something. Exhaust valves that are way too tight (which these clearly are) will stay open during the combustion cycle, and if they dont make contact with the pistons and bend or break your valve tree assy, they will surely over heat and melt down. This would explain why the coolant was boiling over.

Did you adjust the valves this way? Or did the company who replaced your valves? And not only are they not adjusted properly, but someone sure fouled up the nut and threads on those adjusters. Looks like real amateur work here. DO NOT START THIS CAR AGAIN until you can get someone experienced to properly adjust the valves, and hope no serious engine damage was done.