How often do you adjust your valves?

[woodisgood]

Be honest. Every time I do I think I should do it more often.....I am at about twice a year.

[KenC]

That's plenty for a DD M20

[rThor432]

Twice a year is overkill, it's not an old aircooled VW engine. I'd say every 10-15k if I had an M20.

[stamar]

Ive only had the car 15k miles now so I guess its due.

[Killacortes]

I was paranoid when I had my m20 I adjusted it like 4 times in the 9 months I owned it lol

[BlackbirdM3]

I adjust mine when they need it. I check them every 4 months or so, or on the track car, before an event.

Will

[bastianshaw]

What's worse case scenario if I've slacked off for 2 years

[SkiFree]

What's worse case scenario if I've slacked off for 2 years

And the cam would probably be pretty pitted.

That's worst case.

[bastianshaw]

anyone got a link to that tool jlevie was talking about like feeler guage w a spring?
I need to get in gear

[rThor432]

^^You can use a bent coat hanger. The spring style [factory] tool is nice, but not necessary. Bent coat hanger, 10mm, .010" feeler gauge (45 degree blades are nice for this), flat-blade screwdriver (for the hose clamp), and 5-10 minutes are all you need.

[bastianshaw]

whats the factory tool for? and is it a good idea to go tighter like .009 and? .008m on intake since ive neglected it for awhile? to account for the additional wear

[TehPilot]

It only takes 15 minutes to adjust your valves?^

[nrubenstein]

whats the factory tool for? and is it a good idea to go tighter like .009 and? .008m on intake since ive neglected it for awhile? to account for the additional wear

No, you're accounting for wear by adjusting the valves.

That said, I would adjust at the cam. .006-.007 at the cam works nicely (clearance is tighter due to the rocker ratio - actual clearance at the stem is exactly the same as .010 at the valve). IMHO, adjusting at the cam is a) easier, and b) is less likely to run into accuracy issues from uneven wear on the valve stem.

[bastianshaw]

No, you're accounting for wear by adjusting the valves.

That said, I would adjust at the cam. .006-.007 at the cam works nicely (clearance is tighter due to the rocker ratio - actual clearance at the stem is exactly the same as .010 at the valve). IMHO, adjusting at the cam is a) easier, and b) is less likely to run into accuracy issues from uneven wear on the valve stem.

maybe the second time;)

[rThor432]

whats the factory tool for?

It is for moving the eccentric adjuster. I always adjust my valves tighter than factory spec. Lots of guys do it in an attempt to quiet the motor down a bit more. The smoothest and quietest BMW single cam I've ever worked on was an M10 in a '74 2002-- I couldn't fit a .006" feeler blade between the eccentric and valve stem. Not saying that I'd do that (I wouldn't..) but I guess that's how far some people go.