adjusting the valves

[IDave]

Unless you are putting the feeler into a gap that is far too wide, there will be NO pounding on the feeler. It will simply fill the gap.
And, the gap was probably too wide because it was set by the TDC method.

 

[brian]

i check and adjust with it running.
if you use the same set of gauges every single time you do it, then yes you will wear out the feeler gauges.
i've been useing the same set for a couple yrs now, and before i check them next time, i'll need to pick a set of gauges up.

i preffer to do it running. however this method would probably almost impossible for one person to do.
one person mans the feeler gauges, while the other does the adjusting. it takes a few times to get the hang of trying to adjust a valve that's moving, but once you get the feel for it, it's cake.
half hour job from lifting the hood to backing it of the garage.

 

[Landpimp]

Snap On makes a nifty tool that make it a "bit" easier, they don't list it for a Toyota but for a Cummins I think, it takes what ever size deep socket(as some 2f's are 17mm others 14mm) and has a flat blade screw driver built into it(goes thru the socket), its not cheap but I found a used on on Ebay for $12.

John H

[quote author=brian link=board=1;threadid=13366;start=msg123994#msg123994 date=1079727528]
i check and adjust with it running.
if you use the same set of gauges every single time you do it, then yes you will wear out the feeler gauges.
i've been useing the same set for a couple yrs now, and before i check them next time, i'll need to pick a set of gauges up.

i preffer to do it running. however this method would probably almost impossible for one person to do.
one person mans the feeler gauges, while the other does the adjusting. it takes a few times to get the hang of trying to adjust a valve that's moving, but once you get the feel for it, it's cake.
half hour job from lifting the hood to backing it of the garage.
[/quote]

 

[jwest]

The section under 3-19 is a cold preliminary adjustment for cylinder head re-assembly, etc. Tuned adjustment should be checked idling and hot.

Landpimp, I saw that tool. Has the flat head and 12mm jam nut in one. Nice, but you still need two hands to tighten. I can picture a tool that holds the flat head screw stationary while you squeeze a ratchet to tighten the jam nut using only one hand. So much for dreaming...

 

[jim45r]

I'd like to know which toyota dealerships have to send out their trucks to get the valve adjustments right . . . I think that there may be a little smoke-blowing going on . . . As for the difference between the TDC method and the 360 degree method, if you know what you're doing, it shouldn't make a difference. If you don't start out in the wrong place (like on a cam ramp) the 360 method works fine. The TDC method works fine, too, and can be fast if you remember the firing order, have a starter switch, and have a good feel for bumping the motor around with it. Remember, the only thing that's critical is that you adjust the valve with the valve train on the heel of the cam lobe. There are a number of different ways to know this, but TDC is the most evident.
If you're fairly new to wrenching on your own rig and not really comfortably familiar with your understanding of the way it all works together yet, then the TDC method is pretty fool-proof (well, depending on how well you can find TDC).

 

[swank60]

jwest - I saw a rachet the other day that had a t handle at the end that was used to turn the rachet in reverse - it's only a half step there, but close.

Jim - yeah, that was a pretty big claim now that you mention it, but you know, you start worrying about other things and loose sight of that sort of thing...plus, dealerships don't ALWAYS get it right...

And I'm confortable enough wrenching on the thing, the valves are just critical enough that I'd screw them up and make things worse - and after hearing so many ways to do it (without much discussion, I might add) only made things muddier. I knew I could come here and hear it from guys keeping their rigs on the road, not a manual that was translated from Japanese to English at one point in it's life or a guy trying to sell you on how great his company is...I'd trust the guy who'se been under his hood screwing with the adjustment 3 weekends in a row over just about anything else you can get.

 

[IDave]

Let us know how it goes!

 

[MD11Fr8Dog]

[quote author=Landpimp link=board=1;threadid=13366;start=msg124000#msg124000 date=1079727795]
Snap On makes a nifty tool that make it a "bit" easier, they don't list it for a Toyota but for a Cummins I think, it takes what ever size deep socket(as some 2f's are 17mm others 14mm) and has a flat blade screw driver built into it(goes thru the socket), its not cheap but I found a used on on Ebay for $12.

John H
[/quote]

What's the tool number for that one??

 

[jwest]

I was just looking at them today. Hope you don't mind me steppin' in...
This one's YA8880. Sold by snap-on but made my another company.

 

[jwest]

This one too...
P/N V22A

 

[jwest]

Tomorrow, I'm going to try to rig a one handed screw/jam-nut tightener with this.

I'll fit a slotted bit through the socket hole and fixed to the tool body. One hand slides the feeler gauge while the other turns the tool to get the proper clearance. Then squeeze to tighten the nut. The slotted bit would be in a fixed position within the rotating socket. Yea... laugh it up... I'll let you guys know if it blows or not.

 

[Kief]

adjusting the valves?WHY?

NO NO NO NO! YOU GOT IT ALL WRONG! I know the best way to adjust valves, figured this one out from my favorite pig farmer turned cruiser head, yep, he told me the best way. You just run that old straight six, just like the old 235, it is actually a chevy motor you know, and after it gets good and hot you go ahead and tighten them ther valves down till it starts fumblin' and then you back it off a quarter turn. Who needs those over-priced feel gaugers? Don't worry about bustin' your fingers, unless your valves are so loose you can stick em under there, yeah, they'll break then.
If you have a hard time doing this while it runnin' then you don't have rhythm. That ok, adjust'em while it isn't running with yur feel gauger. If you want to find TDC just pull the spark plug and stick one of them skinny fingers of yours in the hole and when the piston stops smashin' it then you are ready except now you can't get finger out . This is the part where you say stuff you shouldn't and the neighbor's porch light comes on and his dogs start barkin. Back it off and remember where you had it. Adjust the valves with the hand that don't hurt. If you run out of fingers and both hands hurt, stop.. should only have a couple valves left. You should fix the noisiest valves first. Fix the other ones later.
Did I mention not to lean over the fan, hope its not too late. Good luck. Hard to type with all these band aids on.

 

[jim45r]

Hey, I'll paste a post from Eric Blankenship that I saw on birfield.com regarding this thread. I've never heard of the "adjust in 13s" method, but I'm going to try it on my next valve adjustment. That's what's great about these forums - every night is like sitting around a campfire, listening to stories - and no one interrupts! Thanks for starting this discussion, swank60! I've learned about six more ways to skin a cat . . . . and about $200 bucks worth of tools to help me do it!

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

I follow a write-up done by a Toyota master mechanic and have had excellent results; I've emailed it to several listers and would be happy to send it to anyone interested.
It's a variation on the TDC method in which you turn the engine for each valve. The way I remember it is "adjust in 13's". When #1 is down, adjust #12. When #7 is down, adjust #6, etc. It's absolutely fool-proof.

Just to add some fuel to the fire, IIRC, my FSM shows .012" for exhaust clearance... I assume it's that way for early F heads, but I have never seen that number ANYWHERE else.

Eric Blankenship mailto:fj40eric@verizon.net
Monroe, WA TLCA #6829
1964 FJ40 "Pullarium"

 

[ranger]

[quote author=Overlord link=board=1;threadid=13366;start=msg123790#msg123790 date=1079698574]
The 2F manual says to do it while the engine is running. Maybe Toyota doesn't know what they are talking about though.
[/quote]

The translation was lost from Japanese to English.

 

[IDave]

Boy, I can't understand what the big terror is some folks seem to have about hurting themselves by checking the valve clearances with the engine running. I mean, you'd have to be a major klutzenheimer to injure something! I suppose you guys adjust the timing and the air/fuel mixture with the engine stopped, too? I've busted a lot of knuckles loosening rusted bolts, but I've checked clearances many times now and never had an injury.

What a bunch of pussies!

 

[Landpimp]

thats the one I have

[quote author=jwest link=board=1;threadid=13366;start=msg124244#msg124244 date=1079763309]
This one too...
P/N V22A

[/quote]

 

[jim45r]

Ya, Dave, but I've known people that I wouldn't let work on a running engine, like my old friend that let his fan belt eat my timing light . . . Some folks have better situational awareness than others ("Trust me, Billy, the fan is still there, even though you can't see it")

 

[swank60]

I think when I sit down with mine, I am going to use the running method. I think it was iDave who said it best - when the engine is running where the adjustments really matter anyway, so it makes sense to set it on the fly...and I'd forgotten all about the "pig farmer" method, but I've know mechanics in the family who actually did it that way too (more or less by ear).

 

[IDave]

I actually understand, as I gain experience, how doing it by ear would not be so bad. I mean, the engine starts missing if you get the clearance too tight, and the clacking gets louder as things get too loose. "Just right" is a relatively narrow area between those two.

 

[jodtan]

iDave is right

I agree with iDave's method 100%. I've done it his way and it is so much easier as long as you're not stupid enough to put your body on moving parts. Guys, do you know how often you're suppose to adjust these valves? How about converting this to hydraulic lifter. Adjust once and forget about it. This 2f is PITA in my opinion.