it starts

[Ral]

Just spent $463 at the dealership today for a valve cover gasket, stock airbox to rid myself of the cone filter the PO had installed, and a few other miscellaneous items I need. (oil filters, etc.) When it gets here it goes in for a $300 valve adjustment. This is on top of the ignition wires, brake pads, and s50 chain tensioner, and I put new tires on it a month ago. My car savings account needs some serious recovery. And, I gotta get the cowl rust fixed soon.

(pics soon- but none of these parts make a visible impression.)

[madjurgen]

$300 valve adjustment

[homegrone30]

+1

[Ral]

not quite understanding the laughing guy... I don't have the time or tools to get this done. And I've heard it quoted as high as $400. And it's an M3, which makes it 5x more expensive for everything.

[cramer]

Don't let people tell you it costs more because it's an M3, the valves adjust just like any other....

[Ral]

how much should I expect to pay?

[payney8]

id say $100-200 au is about right here in australia. Depending on quality of w-shop

[shiftbmw]

I've never paid more than 250, including shims, new gasket, labor etc etc for a valve adjustment on an s14. Before I paid that, I checked my tolerances of course to see if I needed one...you should too, it's easy. Plus, you can tell when a shop tries to take you for a ride...

And you bought maintenance items at THE DEALER??? What the fuck were you thinking? You could have gotten your maintenance items from someone like BMA for a considerably cheaper.

Stock airbox used for like 50 on s14.net most likely too...


M3 5x more expensive because it's an M3? That sir is BS.

Your M3 5x more expensive than mine because you shop at the dealer? Maybe...

[Ral]

I've been looking for a stock airbox on ebay, s14.net, etc. for quite some time now. Everything else I bought from BMA or pelican parts (depending on price). Also, having searched around here for a while, there's not many independent shops I would trust. And, I don't have the shim bucket tool, or a method and tools to see if they are in spec or not. To buy both of those, as well as research what shims to buy, buy them, and do the valve job myself is nearly as expensive and much more time-consuming than having it taken care of by a reputable shop (i.e. the dealer).

and the 5x was hyperbole, for those of you that missed it.

[shiftbmw]

Well good, because the dealer is a good way to squander money. I always have good luck with wanted ads on s14.net. There are enough people who have converted to alpha n and such where I'm sure there are airboxs lying around.

And it should be noted that when it comes to cars like ours, I wouldn't consider taking it to a dealer, unless there was someone who specifically knew the s14. They train mechanics to work on the newer cars...there's a different philosophy when working on those.

I, like you, wouldn't want to mess with the valve adjustment. I'd rather leave it in the hands of someone who has all the shims etc. It can be a pain in the ass. I still suggest you check your tolerances though. It takes a 6 dollar feeler gauge and an hour of your time. When I got my zinno, I checked my tolerances and they were in perfect spec. Saved myself 250 bucks.

[Ral]

yeah, I went there thinking they weren't gonna be able to do it, and would reccommend a decent shop. (a lot of dealerships won't work on E30's.) There was one guy who could do it. If they had answered a few questions differently I don't think I would entrust my car to them.

[madjurgen]

Oh come on. This is a one hour, two hour job max. Youre telling me you cant spare two hours once every 6 months? You can usually swap shims around so you only end up having to buy a few, I only had to put in 3 new ones last time. The shim bucket tool is a one-time investment. In this case it is an investment in the truest sense of the word, since its going to cost you 300$ every time you need to get them adjusted if you continue to take it to a shop.

So we're talking between 15$-20$ for shims and two hours of your time(again, I dont count the tool cost). But instead youre going to pay a shop 300$ and trust them to be as anal as only a car's owner could be. Come on man, dont act like the Porsche guys.

Since Im surely coming off as a dick, I'll be nice and email you my spreadsheet, which makes figuring out how to buy as few new shims as possible, very easy.

[Ral]

never done it before, so I have no idea what it takes. Also, how do you measure the shims you need? With a micrometer, right? how much do they run and where do I get them? Never seen a write-up on how to adjust these, but if it's really just a 2-hour job I'll do it myself.

[shiftbmw]

I want to say Gustave had a pretty comprehensive writeup on his website.

As for the actual adjustment, ehh, I just hate dealing with those shims...one of the few things I'll let a shop do.