KC2K

If the car was running fine before the valve adjustment (but just with some valve train noise - "ticking"), then you do a valve adjustment, then the car has started some low RPM jittering/jerking you describe, doesn't that point to a possible mistake in the valve adjustment? It might be worth going through that process one more time and making 100% sure everything is good. Or, maybe the sensors / wiring connectors that you removed to get the valve cover off - maybe one of those isn't plugged back in fully? It seems much more likely that the issues you have now are related to the work you just performed and not related to the possibly loose intake valves that existed previously.

Suggest double-checking the sensors and associated wiring first, then if that all looks good, double check all valve clearances.

Good luck!

Slowcrash_101

The stuttering may be a dying map sensor. Mine was doing that too, till the sensor died then the car would go into limp mode and not stay on.

Car Analogy

The recommendation to set them a little looser than Honda spec is for '06+ only, as they run lean. His car is an ap1. So this doesn't apply. Use stock Honda specs.

The way to be certain of valve adjustment is to toss the instructions, and use the 180 away method.

Turn crank (always clockwise only) until valve you want to adjust has cam lobe pointing up, 180 degrees away from follower. Adjust valve.

Ignore all the nonsense about timing marks and turning so many degrees, etc. That is where things get confused and people screw things up. 180 away solves all that.

If you insist on doing by book, then at least use 180 away to confirm you're doing it right. If cam lobe isn't pointing up, away from follower, you screwed up. Stop. Do not adjust that valve. Start over.

There is no real precision required here. Its not like cam position has to be perfect down to specific degree to adjust. Closed is closed. So long as cam visually appears up, 180 degrees away from follower, you're good.

The precision is in the actual clearance adjustment. And correct locknut torque, so they don't come loose nor overtorqued.

Ovr8ted

Stock cat, bought used however and I installed it shorty after buying the car.

It's nice to hear that no damage probably occurred. I suppose I wasn't specifically looking for any damage on the cams but I would also agree that I'd probably notice something really bad.

That leaves me with solving my jitter issue by tracking something else down.

Ovr8ted

This was my exact train of thought as well. "How could nothing have been wrong before but now after I mess with it something is amiss"

Planning to open her back up and re-check everything this week

Thanks for the reassurance

Ovr8ted

I did zip tie and map whack shortly after buying the car long ago, but things happen I suppose. I just can't quite connect the dots on why the issues would occur now after the adjustment vs before the adjustment. A failing MAP sensor should exhibit signs regardless if I touched the valvetrain or not, shouldn't it?

Ovr8ted

I did follow the book for my adjustment. I'll probably dive back in this week and maybe I'll adjust the method a little based on what you've said

B serious

You can just use the middle of spec for an AP1. You don't need to go to the loose end.

Billman250

AP1s that have tight valves are less than 4%. That is enough to apply the DBW logic.

I currently set all S2000 to .012 on the exhaust side. Do your engine a solid favor and do the same.

Car Analogy

However you do it, just take the 1 sec each valve to look at cam lobe position before you adjust.