Stoatmaster

Evening chaps,

Decided to adjust my valve clearances as part of my 54k service. Unsurprisingly they were all rather tight.

Now, when adjusting the buggers the issue of 'feeler' gauge drag raises its head again. I can't seem to find a sweet spot for the feeler to sit in. I can shuffle the feeler back and forth to what seems to be to tight a setting when it suddenly frees up again. When I finally do get what I think should be a good adjustment, a larger size feeler goes in with approximately the same drag!

I've now set all the valves, but I've reset No 1 to TDC again and will recheck everything again tomorrow. The video below illustrates a feeler in place, does this seem too 'slack'?

http://youtu.be/1CzApQJT-tY

Settings I'm using are .25-.29 exhaust. (Trying to get light drag on .25 and heavy drag on .30), and .21 - .25 for inlet.

I hate feeler gauges, they always seem so subjective to the angle they are at.

simonix

Try this:

Put a feeler gauge in 1 thou thicker than you want to achieve.

Tighten the retainer bolt with that gauge in place.

Pull out the gauge with needle nose pliers. You should now find that when you put the correct gauge in place it should be the right gap.


This method is what I used, and helped me a lot. An old trick which an old mechanic told me!

Hope this helps.

Floppy

There is a really good how to done by a forum member a few years ago. Might be worth a search

Spies

There's a set of 3 videos on youtube using the above approach.

Stoatmaster

Hmm, I quite like that idea. Removes a certain element of doubt. Have the afternoon off tomorrow, so will have another go. (They are likely fine as they are, but it pays to double check!)

TangoVTEC

The 'one too high - mole grip' pull out method works.

If you're finding that the gap seems to be 'tightening' its probably because you are (or were when setting Initially) bending the feeler slightly. Just a little curve can change the feeling of things.

Also, presuming you're using the correct tool make sure you don't lean your weight down onto it, which will of course affect things.

Stoatmaster

Well went with the go, no go method and got a good adjustment on all the valves. They were surprisingly tight, but I don't think they had been adjusted before. Noticeable improvement in idle and revving however, so pleased with the outcome.

Valve train is a little noiser than before now however, and the tap which I always assumed was a sticky tappet is little more noticable. (I now see the F20C uses rollers)

Any thoughts as to what the noise is? It has always done it, it's now just a tad noiser than before after the valve adjust.

Video here; http://youtu.be/A2hLeg6f1Kc (The sound is obviously a little amplified)

Ultra_Nexus

First video i'd say slightly too much slack on the feeler gauge.

Oh, one thing to bear in mind with the go/no go gauge that I fail to mention in my videos - you ALWAYS need to check because you can simply compress the valve spring by overtightening the tappet and lose your setting.

Tap could be you TCT, but if it's amplified, bugger all to worry about.

Stoatmaster

Yep, used the method you suggested, but then made a check with the correct feeler and adjusted as needed.

The noise is a tad annoying, always thought the TCT was more of a clicking noise. I'll get a stethoscope on the rocker and see if I can pin it down. To be fair most S2000's seem a tad agricultural at idle.

Thanks

TangoVTEC

Most are, What's your mileage?