valve adjustment gone after 10 miles?!?!?

[Sh3rpak!ng]

I know it sounds weird. I have adjusted the valves on the car 3 times in the last 6 months. Car has 220k miles. In great shape.

First time on all original parts. It was significantly quieter and then 10 miles ~10 mins driving later valvetrain noise was back. Adjustments made to cold motor .010"

Second time I used new eccentrics and adjusted to .090", same thing, nice and smooth and quiet and then 10 mins 10 miles later, back to the way it was, no better or worse

Third time I used new bolts nuts and adjusted to .080" it was very smooth and quiet and drove very very well. It was more responsive, felt a tad bit faster and stronger in upper revs, throttle response was great. maybe 15 miles later, back to the way it was

What gives??

Should I adjust between the rocker and cam instead? I have heard of the valve stem getting worn and causing an incorrect adjustment with the feeler between the eccentric and the valve (yes I know the measurements arent the same if adjusting like this)

Do I need new rockers? (was planning on replacing them anyway when doing a HG)

This is going to drive me insane.

[Cabriolet]

I know it sounds weird. I have adjusted the valves on the car 3 times in the last 6 months. Car has 220k miles. In great shape.

First time on all original parts. It was significantly quieter and then 10 miles ~10 mins driving later valvetrain noise was back. Adjustments made to cold motor .010"

Second time I used new eccentrics and adjusted to .090", same thing, nice and smooth and quiet and then 10 mins 10 miles later, back to the way it was, no better or worse

Third time I used new bolts nuts and adjusted to .080" it was very smooth and quiet and drove very very well. It was more responsive, felt a tad bit faster and stronger in upper revs, throttle response was great. maybe 15 miles later, back to the way it was

What gives??

Should I adjust between the rocker and cam instead? I have heard of the valve stem getting worn and causing an incorrect adjustment with the feeler between the eccentric and the valve (yes I know the measurements arent the same if adjusting like this)

Do I need new rockers? (was planning on replacing them anyway when doing a HG)

This is going to drive me insane.

you may not be making the nuts tight enough. buy new nuts and bolts and possible replace the eccentrics as well.

as make sure the engine is cold when you are doing the adjustment.

when u are doing the job. put the feeler gauge under the eccentric and then it should be snug and slightly hard to pull it out.

[Sh3rpak!ng]

you may not be making the nuts tight enough. buy new nuts and bolts and possible replace the eccentrics as well.

as make sure the engine is cold when you are doing the adjustment.

when u are doing the job. put the feeler gauge under the eccentric and then it should be snug and slightly hard to pull it out.

Well, the nuts bolts and eccentrics are brand new. Just replaced them. Engine has been dead cold each time. I have the OEM tool to put tension on the eccentric.

Only thing I can think is maybe I did not tighten enough? I tightened the @$%&#% out of them with a 10mm wrench... I could have tightened them more, but I was afraid I would snap them. I think I read the torque is supposed to be 7-10 ft/lbs. I just kinda figured if I tighten really really tight with the wrench I probably met/exceeded it.

[Cabriolet]

wow. sounds like you are doing correctly. check the cam and see is it has bad wear? that's maybe the only other thing i can think of.

[Sh3rpak!ng]

wow. sounds like you are doing correctly. check the cam and see is it has bad wear? that's maybe the only other thing i can think of.

It didn't look like it has bad wear. But either way, even if it did, wouldn't the adjustment account for that? The rocker is adjusted tight against the cam when you adjust the valve clearance...

[digger]

have you actually checked that it changes? or are you just going by sound?

[SpecM]

. Adjustments made to cold motor .010"

Second time I used new eccentrics and adjusted to .090",

Third time I used new bolts nuts and adjusted to .080

I assume you mean .010", .009" and .008"?

[Sh3rpak!ng]

have you actually checked that it changes? or are you just going by sound?

I forgot to do that each time... meant to, but then just started going crazy with the wrench. I am going by a combination of sound and feel. After the last adjustment the car sounded very smooth, I let it idle up to operating temps and let it sit to see if it would change, it didn't. Then the next morning I drove it and ~15 miles later it was back to more or less how it was. It doesnt change whether the motor is cold or warm, sounds the same.. very clackety.

I assume you mean .010", .009" and .008"?

Yes

[StereoInstaller1]

Did you check the valve ends where the eccentric pushes on them?

I had this exact issue on an M20 a few years ago, the valve stems were worn and the measurement was wrong because of it

[Sh3rpak!ng]

Did you check the valve ends where the eccentric pushes on them?

I had this exact issue on an M20 a few years ago, the valve stems were worn and the measurement was wrong because of it

No, I didn't. Meant to, but I also forgot to do that. What was your solution to that? new valves? I also read about someone taking measurements from between cam lobe and rocker, with some equation to account for the rocker ratio

Quote:
-put the feeler gauge in between the camshaft and rocker arms.
that's a great way to score the cam lobes... not that it matters much on the backside, I guess.

Using math, with a 1.4:1 ratio for the rocker, .015 /1.4 = .0107 on the cam side, so if you lashed to .008 on the cam, that's .011 at the rocker... that won't burn valves, but if it's quiet, off you go.

One thing I found that helped a lot- new eccentrics. The old ones get flats worn in
them, and as you tighten 'em a bit, then the very end of that flat's hitting the valve
stem. Apparently, that's noisy. Also, messes up the geometry just a bit.
Found that out by accident.

[pbraeckel]

I am having a similar issue. I have adjusted 3 times to what the bentley manual states for a cold engine (.025) and I get a lot of noise after the car comes up to temp? Could that simply be an eccentric issue as they have not been changed by me? Car runs fine to me, but as I have never driven one before something was wrong with it, I do not know. This is my first e30 and I bought it with a broken rocker arm and did the work myself.

[Sh3rpak!ng]

I am having a similar issue. I have adjusted 3 times to what the bentley manual states for a cold engine (.025) and I get a lot of noise after the car comes up to temp? Could that simply be an eccentric issue as they have not been changed by me? Car runs fine to me, but as I have never driven one before something was wrong with it, I do not know. This is my first e30 and I bought it with a broken rocker arm and did the work myself.

I assume you mean .025cm? (~.010")

Mine is noisy when up to temp too. I have new eccentrics, bolts and nuts. Motor has 220k on it. I am going to do one more adjustment and remember to check it before I adjust to see if they loosened themselves... otherwise screw it. I just bought an overbored s52 block and 90% of the parts I need for the swap. In 2 months this will be goneeeeeeeeeee :D

[dewme5]

Possible valve guide problem. Possible top end oiling problem.

Lots of possibles. Measuring before adjusting again would be a help.

[Sh3rpak!ng]

Possible valve guide problem. Possible top end oiling problem.

Lots of possibles. Measuring before adjusting again would be a help.

Is there any way to diagnose top end oiling problem or valve guide problem? I actually do believe I have a slow HG leak. The coolant is not good. Has some slimy/oily contamination. I flushed the coolant with flushing compound and refilled it and it is better but still not great... wonder if the two are related.

I'll measure clearances when I adjust again. See what happens... can't wait for the s52

[pbraeckel]

I assume you mean .025cm? (~.010")

Mine is noisy when up to temp too. I have new eccentrics, bolts and nuts. Motor has 220k on it. I am going to do one more adjustment and remember to check it before I adjust to see if they loosened themselves... otherwise screw it. I just bought an overbored s52 block and 90% of the parts I need for the swap. In 2 months this will be goneeeeeeeeeee :D

Sorry yes, .025 cm. I couldn't remember which it was. And I did measure them before I re-adjusted them and they had not changed. Oiling wise I have looked in the oil filler hole with the engine running, and its slingin' oil, so I don't think it's an oiling problem. Is there a safe gap that is smaller to where it could potentially make less noise?