Valve Adjustment Question

[e30rik]

I know there’s quite a few threads on this already but I’m having issues adjusting my valves. The first time I attempted it they were super noisy and the car ran shitty. Second time (after reading all the threads on this) the car runs better and the valves quieted down a little so I think I’m closer but my car sounds like a Cummins currently. On cold starts the car has a slight misfire and acts like it wants to die with throttle. After a minute or so the car seems to perform fine minus the diesel like sound.

I adjusted them to .25mm but I guess I need clarification on when they’re ready to be adjusted. I understand the cam lobes need to be facing down but I’m wondering if I didn’t have them set perfectly before adjusting. Should the lobes face down towards the ground or towards the head (at an angle)? Doing 2 valves per cylinder at tdc, I can’t really get the lobes to be perfectly straight down. Should I adjust each valve individually so the lobes face straight down?

Sorry to bring up an age old topic but I want to make sure I’m doing this right. This is the first time I’ve done a valve adjustment.

[nando]

they just have to face away from the eccentric adjusters. there's about 200 degrees on the back of the cam where there's no lift on the valve, anywhere close to the center of that is fine.

I'd take a look at your eccentric adjusters to see if any of them are worn flat, or if some of the bolts have stretched. I found a bunch of my bolts were pretty worn out and it wouldn't hold an adjustment anymore, I replaced all of them and honestly haven't touched it since..

[e30davie]

I've always used my dads (probably not uncommon) old method of when one cylinder is "rocking" (exhaust just closing and intake just opening) you adjust the "opposite" cylinder. 1 and 6, 5 and 2, 3 and 4 being the pairs on the m20 or all or most 6clrs. so when cylinder 1 is rocking, adjust cylinder 6. etc. so you just look for the exhaust valve closing and keep turning it just as the exhaust is closing and the intake is starting to open and stop turning when the valves are "Rocking", then your opposite cylinder is in the exact right spot to be adjusted.

The cylinder "Rocking" will have tight valves (which you can feel), and then the opposite one both valves will be loose and you adjust from there. Does mean you might have to turn the engine more, but i dunno, has always worked for me and is nice and methodical so you don't miss one and you dont need to be looking for cam lobe location, just watching the rockers rock.

[e30rik]

Thanks guys, I think the noise I’m hearing is actually my injectors. Using a stereoscope (screwdriver) I can hear the injectors tick pretty good. If I put it up to the valve cover I don’t hear much of anything besides some vibration. Car feels decent besides the slight misfire and weird throttle response with quick blips. CEL is on so I’ll start there.

[So Live]

There’s a tool for setting preload. Put the feeler between the valve and the rocker, pull the spring, tighten the bolt. Has made my life way easier and my valve adjustments a lot more consistent. Don’t remember paying this much but this is the idea:

https://www.pelicanparts.com/More_Info/TOL3013.htm?pn=TOL-3013&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4PKTBhD8ARIsAHChzRI4wZoZTnW66UF0q5-GwcIUsf4ZEoGO7WLCAofVXb5VUtge7Fk7iLwaAoTaEALw_wcB

[It's Soda Not Pop]

Thanks guys, I think the noise I’m hearing is actually my injectors. Using a stereoscope (screwdriver) I can hear the injectors tick pretty good. If I put it up to the valve cover I don’t hear much of anything besides some vibration. Car feels decent besides the slight misfire and weird throttle response with quick blips. CEL is on so I’ll start there.

Yeah you should get the code(s) that the stomp test gives you and go from there. M20's tick. Even new everything and proper adjustment they tick. This is a non hydraulic rocker arm and fixed(after adjusted) eccentric. It makes noise like a sewing machine. It's part of it's charm.

[ForcedFirebird]

Good running m20 sounds like a sewing machine.