Sin_Chase

I did a full valve adjustment on Monday and all went fine using the no-go go method. Except for one valve.

On cylinder 3 intake side, right side as you look at the intake. I could adjust to a 0.009" gap with the aim of it being a correct 0.008" after torquing the locking nut with the feeler gauge still inserted prior to measurement but the adjustment screw kept tightening further (and messing up the gap) while torquing the locking nut. After much messing around it appears that the adjustment screw just kept tightening and seemingly bent the feeler gauge as if there was no resistance for it to push up against.

The rest of the valves for cylinder 3 adjusted as expected without any problems at all.

Is this a cause for concern? Seeing pictures of cracked retainers showed that the valve stem would start to drop lower than it should, could this be what is happening here?

I ended up adjusting to a 0.013" gap and torquing the locking nut which gave me a good 0.008" gap but I think it needs looking at.

What are peoples opinions?

lower

I may be wrong here but i thought that when the valve stem retainers were damaged the head of the valve would appear to be lower in relation to the valve stem retainer but the valve head would actually still be at the same height as all the other valves. Ie the valve stem retainer was deforming but was still allowing the valve to operate normally until it failed completely.

If the valve stem itself dropped the valve would not seal and you would have no compression on that cylinder, which you would notice by very rough running and misfires.

Sin_Chase

You make a good point.

Any ideas what could be causing the erroneous behaviour when adjusting this valve? I thought that potentially the friction between locking nut and adjustment screw was higher and was always overcoming the resistance placed upon the screw with the feeler gauge in place.

Pete Findlay

Similar experience when trying this technique. The additional torque applied the the screw when locking just allows it to keep screwing down, either through bending the feeler into a depression in some way, as you suggest, or even perhaps compressing the valve spring itself? Whatever, something clearly wrong with my technique...

chrispayze

You should hold the screw steady with a straight bladed screwdriver whilst torquing up the nut, otherwise the nut will always try and turn the screw as it 'bites' on the threads. You'll need a ring spanner or a hollow socket & driver. You can use a torque wrench for a double check once it's tight. Just be careful not to over tighten with the ring spanner etc.

Pete Findlay

I was trying this method

http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?...eature=related

... but clearly haven't got the right 'feel' for it. Did it in the end by noting the screw position, then backing off to allow for the creep on the screw when tightening. Slower, but got there in the end!

veehexx

thats the way i do it. nipped up with screwdriver+spanner, and then a final nip by ratchet, giving it a final clearance check just to be sure.

CHIPPO

I found that it did require a bit of fiddle factor to get them right, its not an exact science and even had one or two alter when just re-checking the tightness of the nuts at the end, so I did recheck every thing twice.

Dembo

Maybe you loosened the lock nut excessively? I just did the minimum required to adjust, so didn't take very much to tighten back up. Plus what the guide doesn't really tell you is it's so hard to get the feeler gauge in the right place.

Kobe

hello dembo , just noticed my car on your sig... those were the days
are you still around banbury?