HwangTKD

Well guys, I spent the better part of Sunday (9 hours), doing a valve adjustment and swapping out spark plugs, diff fluid, tranny fluid, and oil. This post is for those who are contemplating doing these services by themselves. I am not mechanically inclined at all, the most I've ever done in the past were oil and filter changes.

Valve Adjustment - This job was bit of a nightmare. I had to use several different sources to finish the job (Various posts by Billman, this guy - , and robinette's valve Adjustment guide. There are some differences between AP1 and AP2 valve cover removals and most of the visual sources are for AP1's. once disconnecting all of the hoses and unbolting everything, I was unable to remove the valve cover for about an hour. No matter how hard I tried, I could not lift the valve cover out without the rear getting caught. I figured out that I had to pop the rubber trim that runs the whole length (technically width) of the car - the black "plastic tray" that's in front of the windshield. If you look at the video, it's the black perforated plastic piece that he puts his sockets and bolt on. . The valve Adjustment would have been super difficult without the bent feeler gauges and the valve Adjustment tool. I recommend getting both. If I were to do this job again, I would probably need 4 hours. Btw 4 for my valves were so tight I could not get the gauge in. So glad I did this service.

Diff and transmission fluid - Simple, if you can do an oil change you can do this. The difference in shifting (cold and hot) was amazing. I highly recommend swapping out the transmission fluid if you have any notchiness. My diff fluid was extremely dirty and needed to be replaced.

Spark Plugs - Very simple process, Easy especially when I had everything apart. Just use caution if you need to gap - nkg's have their own gapping and installation methods.

In conclusion, I was initially going to bring my car to Billman but I wanted to do all of these services by myself. It was a pain in the a.. but very rewarding. For those who are contemplating doing this and have limited mechanical skills, IMHO, save your time, back, knees, and a bunch of headaches and just bring your car to Billman or other trusted s2000 mechanics. For what Billman charges, it's a no brainer.

Chuck S

Good day spent doing a good job!

Does give a satisfied feeling doing this yourself! For folks who have not yet done this simple but tedious task the valve adjustment may be easier with the car on jackstands to lift it to a better working height. Bent over for all 16 valves will take a toll on your back! The $10 tool and bent feeler gauges are key to this.

New OEM-spec spark plugs come factory gapped. And with antiseize on the threads.

-- Chuck

HarryD

Getting the valve cover off my first time was such a PITA. There's an extra connector or wire or something in the back that you can disconnect or move out of the way that makes it 100x easier, which I figured out on my second attempt -- slid right off.

Good on you for a job well-done though!

What torque did you use for your spark plugs? 20-25 ft-lb?

HwangTKD

I initially did 25 but I was super paranoid that the plug was going to backout so I ended up with 30.

Halfassjack

Use long bent feeler gauges. Makes it 10 times easier.

rpg51

Even though in my youth I rebuilt several engines and adjusted valves on many cars I am going to have a professional adjust my valves. This, in my view, is a task that is very important #1, and #2 there is something to be said for experience when you are setting the gaps. I think I could do it well enough, but I also think someone who does it all the time will have a better feel for it than I do. Poor valve adjustment can cause no end of trouble. All you have to do is read this forum regularly and you begin to realize that tight valves are common and that valve issues can lead to serious trouble. So, imho, for wannabe mechanics like myself, I agree with the OP - take it to a pro for this task.

EDIT - CHANGED MY MIND, SEE BELOW. I'M GONNA DO IT MYSELF.

redwing497

Nice job doing all of that, especially in one day. I performed a valve adjustment on my '07 last spring/summer because I felt the car wasn't performing as it should. I wanted to do it on my own even though i've never done anything that complicated on a motor before. I was able to do the job, but it absolutely destroyed my lower back. Took me weeks to recover and missed a few rounds of golf. Next time it's due for one, I'm taking it to someone else. Satisfying to complete on one's own, but if you have back problems, let someone else do it.

vortamock

Great job on getting it done! There's a good feeling to taking on a challenge and doing it yourself.

I did a valve adjustment on my AP1 last summer. I've worked on cars quite a bit over the years, but this was my first valve adjustment. I used bent feeler guages, but not the adjustment tool doohicky that you use on the nut/screw. Using the trick the guy does in this video, except with a torque wrench, it only took about 3 hours from the time I started pulling my tools out until I got out of the shower after cleaning up. You get a feel for it after the first couple valves and the rest go quick.

https://youtu.be/dwjbGPYGlyo

... not sure how to embed the video...

panda25

i love seeing threads like this. if i had a garage and tools i'd be inclined to do this stuff myself, but i'm mostly exhausted from work on days off and just want to be lazy and have things done by a professional, lol.

had my valves done professionally last week, mechanic said they were pretty loose. quicker throttle response and smoother operation, swear it even revs faster now. this has been money VERY well spent for labor.
my spark plugs are torqued to 19, is that too low?

HwangTKD

I'm no mechanic but the most recent threads on spark plug torque on s2ki points to 24-25 lbs as being the magic number. If you do decide to re-torque the spark plugs, know that it's a pretty easy job.