Dumb Question... When checking the valve clearances do i insert the feeler gauge in between the push rod and the rocker arm?
I plan on checking/ adjusting as appropriate this weekend. I like the idea of checking the gaps while the engine is running and stopping it for adjustiments.
Yes, the one from NAPA is great, especially for those of us shade-tree mechanics who haven't developed the "feel" for just the right resistance you need to get them correct (they'll tolerate some looseness pretty well, though).
Beginners tend to get carried away worrying about the precision of the adjustment. You can be off by .002 and never tell the difference, but you can't be too tight.
Another thing that causes people problems is worrying about having the engine at TDC. In fact, you can adjust the valve at any time the lifter is off of the cam lobe, which is roughly 270 degrees of cam revoltion. This means that you can just turn the engine until the lifter comes up and stops, then turn it a few degrees more and you can adjust it.
Having just done 3 adjustments in 2 weeks, just a few words.
Get prepared before you start. Know what you need to disassemble, become familiar with that, even loosen those two bolts on the right side of th motor that hold the aircleaner. You need to get it apart quick while the engine is still hot.
Have a new valve cover gasket on hand. The old one is probably due for replacement anyway.
I like the feeler gauge with the bend 1/3 up from the tip-they are easier to use.
Learn the routine-TDC for #1 will allow you to do half the valves at one time. Then rotate the motor 360 degrees and do all of the remaining valves at one time. This is way easer then rotating for each cylinder.
Get the engine hot before you start. Full bore, run down the freeway hot.
Then pull into your workspace, pull the aircleaner (the whole housing), pull the valve cover and get going. I rotate the engine with a pipe wrench on the crank bolt, or you can pull the plugs and just rotate by hand pressure on one of the belts.
You can do it while the motor runs-I think Pin Head does that, but I value my fingers and tried it only once. I thought it beat up the .008 feeler and so don't do it any more. The .014 feeler is tougher and didn't seem any worse for wear.
You will set them too loose the first time. Even though they will be noisy, that is safe for the motor. Too tight on an exhaust valve and it can burn. Good luck.
Learn the routine-TDC for #1 will allow you to do half the valves at one time. Then rotate the motor 360 degrees and do all of the remaining valves at one time. This is way easer then rotating for each cylinder.
Get the engine hot before you start. Full bore, run down the freeway hot.
I got my gaskets from C-Dan on friday. Yesterday I ran the truck for about 30 minutes around town to get the temp up. Following some of the reccomendations from IDave and Pin_Head, I checked the valves while the truck was running. 4 of the intake valves were tight and 5 of the exhaust valves were a little tight as well. Made note of which ones were tight. Stopped the engine and made the appropriate adjustments. Took me a couple of times to get them just right. However, she purrs like a Singer Sewing Machine now and runs great. The hardest part of this process was getting the new gasket seated the VC cover. Definitly get some gasket sealant to hold the new gasket in place. The whole process took about 30 minutes.
I hope this helps for those of you who are debating the Running Engine Valve Check method.
I do not understand.
