adjusting valves hot.

[lolcantturn]

Seems to me I remember reading that a hot adjustment is to 0.012", vs 0.010" cold. It is best to adjust the valves cold since that is an easily condition to reach.

Yep that's what the bentley recommends.. I'd just figure it would be better to adjust it hotter? Or it wouldn't make any difference?

[jlevie]

Seems to me I remember reading that a hot adjustment is to 0.012", vs 0.010" cold. It is best to adjust the valves cold since that is an easily condition to reach.

[lolcantturn]

You shouldn't adjust the valves when the engine is hot.. ever. Who gave you that idea?

The Bentley Manual + various older threads on forums of people adjusting them hot.

People say the valve lash is tighter when hot because metal expands at higher temperatures but they are always tighter cold..


I've done mine a few times now and usually I'll adjust them warm(20-30C) and when I go to check them, afterwords when the engine cooled down, they are tighter. Yesterday, at near freezing weather, I went to adjust/check them to replace a few stripped screws and they were super tight...when I purposely set them a bit loose last time when it was around 15C or so..

Did the engine run smoother when you adjusted them hot and tightened up?

[otto325e]

People say the valve lash is tighter when hot because metal expands at higher temperatures but they are always tighter cold..


I've done mine a few times now and usually I'll adjust them warm(20-30C) and when I go to check them, afterwords when the engine cooled down, they are tighter. Yesterday, at near freezing weather, I went to adjust/check them to replace a few stripped screws and they were super tight...when I purposely set them a bit loose last time when it was around 15C or so..

[rThor432]

You shouldn't adjust the valves when the engine is hot.. ever. Who gave you that idea?

[lolcantturn]

Yep I'm going to adjust my valves again. This time while the engine's warm. Now I already know how to do it, but how warm should my engine be? Unfortunately I don't get up to operating temperature (the halfway point on the gauge). but my engine at its highest temperature is untouchable. This would be ok, correct? And when adjusting it hot, should I keep it a little "loose," where the feeler gauge has a loose amount of play, or "tight" where it's somewhat difficult to pull out? Or keep it in the middle between those? Because I know some people prefer different ways of setting the play.