Adjusting valves can be confusing, especially if you don't have instructions written down for your specific motor or if you really don't understand the whole picture.
I adjust valves this way and find it to be the easiest and most universal method.
It doesn't matter what motor your working on, whether it is a 6 cyl a V8 , V12 a Harley or a VW -whatever.
You don't have to turn the motor to this cylinder to watch that cylinder to adjust x y and z on this one and turn it 180 to adjust p q t on that one. Or go past 180 and have to go around again and forget whether you were doing an intake or exhaust. That way is motor specific and the method has issues with things like -wrong information, forgetting where you are in the process, 4-7 firing order swap on a SB Chevy, big overlap cams or whatever unknown or assumed things in the motor that can effect valve timing.
With this method you can start on any cylinder and go in any order...right side first, left side first, front to rear, back to front, firing order -whatever.
Pull all of the plugs, hook up a remote starter and pick a cylinder. You can do one cylinder at a time. You can do it according to the firing order. Or you can do it totally random. I use a bright yellow marker and put a dot on the rocker after it is adjusted.
Adjust the intake valve when the exhaust valve opens
both of those techniques work just fine IF you have a stock cam. What if you don't or don't know for sure?
I was just offering a method that works on anything. Any cam, any motor, no manual, no assumptions.
A lot of guys are dealing with 30, 40 or 50 year old motors. Most of them have been rebuilt a time or two and it's only "hear say" what's in them. The cams are almost always upgraded.
Why not warm it up good, pull the valve cover, start it up and adjust them? Just as the service manual says to do it.
That's how they did it in the 50's and 60's and that is what the manual said back then. Guess they didn't know any better. Why make a mess and why try to adjust something while it's jumping around.
How would you do the first adjustment on a brand new motor?
here’s an old Jam Handy film strip of a guy tuning up the valves on a running Stovebolt engine at the factory in the 30’s. Skip down to 3:25 minutes on the video to see that part.
Also around that part of the film it shows a guy with a prop who is listening to the engine for noises. Pop taught me that was the best way to adjust valves more than
Denny Graham Somewhere north of Sandwich, IL
Denny linked this YouTube video of factory setting valve lash
I've got a few that I adjust the valves while running every year. It just takes some practice. I turn the idle way down, leave the valve cover gasket laying on the head to control the oil from running down the side of the engine. Everyone has a different comfort level to do things, I'm sure doing it without the engine running works just fine, I happen to prefer doing it warmed up good and running.
Just a thought. How you adjust valves is less important than Why you adjust them. Any technique that gets it done is a good one. Too tight is bad. Too loose is noisy but less bad. Some engines are more fussy. Some are more forgiving. That includes engines that are the identical in other regards. For my self I do the final adjustment with a fully warm engine at as low an idle as I can get. But that does not mean the other ways are bad. What is the best way? Any way that gets the job done right. One type open and the other adjusted...fine you are on the heel of the cam. Just where you want to be. #1 on compression and do the loose ones then # 6 on compression and do the rest...fine you are on the heel of the cam. Running at a low idle...you have just used the dynamics of the engine to help set the proper clearance...fine as well.Why I do it running? Because I don't need to know if there is wear on the shaft. I don't need to worry about wear at the rocker or the valve stem. All of that is right there in plain sight if you will. Just as quiet as you can with no missing. Lets me worry a bit less and gets me back on the road. And my feeler gauge lasts a bit longer. I still set with a gauge if I have taken any thing apart. I still use the gauge if there are any new parts. I still use the gauge for cold and first starts. Just running to see if I can get it quiet and make sure that valve is on the seat.
On SB Chevys, we used to cut a slot in an old valve cover. Then weld a little (wall) about 2 inches tall around the slot. Screw it down, and no messy oil spraying while doing the adjustment, not using a gauge.
57 GMC LCF 370 55 John Deere 40-W 59 John Deere 430-W 2000 GMC 4x4 56 John Deere 420-W Pix on Photobucket
I've adjusted my 270 while running... at proper idle there just isn't that much oil to throw around. By the time its at the rocker shaft its basically just flowing... little pressure other than the arms themselves.
Speed up the motor and the fan causes more oil to fly than the rockers.
I guess fr $20 you could get an old cover off ebay or a swap meet and cut the top off... but still... its just not that big an issue.
Like Steve H said...how you adjust your valves isn't as important as why and getting it right. All of the methods mentioned so far will work. I used to adjust my valves with the motor running because that's how the Old Timer that taught me did it.
It's just not necessary to have the motor running. It's much safer as well for the novice. And ICEO is so easy to remember. Just another option that's all.
Hollow65, Cummins recommends adjusting the valves cool ( below 140F ) no kidding
