Today I attempted to check/adjust my valves. My plan was to check all of the valves a couple of times through to try and get a "feel" for things. Then come back and adjust anything that needed it.

I started on the 1-2-3 US Driver's side exhaust valves. I was unable to get the 4 thousanths P213 feeler gauge into any of them. This was disconcerting.

I then moved to the 4-5-6 side exhaust valves and found that I could get the gauge into the number 5 valve, but it felt tight. Numbers 4 and 6 I, again, could not get the gauge into.

I also pulled the 4-5-6 intake cover and tried for a while to get a "feel" for those, but was unable to even get in under these. It seems a bit of a trick to reach in there blind. These do feel a bit looser by rocking them, but that's not a measurement by any means.

After too much trying I've managed to bugger the feeler gauge beyond practicle use and can't seem to locate my spares.

At this point I'm disheartened enough to take her in to a specialist and ask if I can watch/help while he does the job. This, of course, will cost me $6-800, or more.

I'm sure I can do this. I've replaced the distributor belt and the power steering and cam shaft seals. That was no picnic and this is rated a 3 by Pelican.

Question:

Is it possible/probable that all of my exhaust valves are too tight? That seems troublesome. It feels more like I'm doing something wrong.

Anyone care to enlighten me?

Anyone close enough to Warwick, NY willing to drop by and show me how this is done? She's all opened up and ready for the delicate work. I'd be happy to compensate you. Hell, I'm getting ready to spend some real bucks if I can't get comfortable with this.

Note that I've not yet made any adjustments.

As always, any input is appreciated.

Cheers,
Dave

 

Dave,

Search on this. A few good threads on the subject with different methods to adjust the valves. The feeler gauge should enter with some level of resistance... small bind... once you have done this a few times you will get the feel for it.

And yes, could be that the valves are too tight.

Let me see if I quickly find the thread with the adjustment techniques that allows to measure this easier - it was a thread with a link to Pelican...

 

Here you go:

Adjusting Valves

 

Dave -

Are you certain you turned the engine to the correct position for each cylinder?

 

its not an easy job, i had to do it twice to get it somewhat right, and it took me many many hours.
it can be very hard to slip the feeler guage on the top valves, so what i did was loosing them up , then slide the guage and tighten them. its the only way i could do it. make sure that the guage slides with some resistance to make sure its tight.

 

Dave, I find that the angle that the feeler gauge must enter is ackward at best. I have ruined a few spares by not getting the insertion angle correct.
As Mike stated, It may be easier to loosen up the adjusters and then know that that your final adjustments are correct.

 

Thanks for everyone's input. I've put the car back together without doing any adjustments. Well, I did adjust the #4 exhaust valve. I just couldn't get a feel for current state of the valves and didn't feel confident to do the adjustments. Ugh. Failure's depressing.

 

I am due for a valve adjustment also and I think I've decided to just take it to an experienced Porsche technician. The exhaust valves on the lower half of the engine look like it wouldn't be too bad to get to them, but the left side intake valves (upper part of the engine) look like a b*tch to get to. Could be wrong... never done it before.

 

Actually, the exhaust valves are easy to get to. After the exhaust and tin work are down the lowers are readily accessible from below. The intakes are more difficult to get to, but most things I've read suggest that all should be done from below.

My problem was that my valves were too tight and I buggered the feeler gauge before deciding to just loosen them all. By that point I wasn't confident that I'd get the adjustment correct with a crinkled feeler gauge.

It's all a learning experience.

Right now I'm thinking it's just too many hours work for me to want to do it again, but who knows. Time has a funny way of playing with our memories.

Cheers,
Dave

 

Dave, I sent you an email about this.

Guys you can try an indicator if you dont like the feeler gauge. Indicators make it easy to just check what you got.

Not trying to start an indicator vs feeler gauge fight, just offering an alternative.

 

I second the idea of using a dial gauge indicator until you get the feel of feeler gauge. On my first valve adjustment I gave up trying to get the feeler gauge into place between the valve and the screw and just completely loosened the adjusting nuts. The next time I adjusted the valves (about a week later) I was able to use the feeler without completely backing out the adjusting nuts but it still took me several more "attempts" before what I could feel, matched what the dial indicator was reading. I think I'm now quicker with the feeler gauge than I am with the dial indicator but just as accurate. It just took me a while to get to this point.

 

Jason, that P 207 "Z-Block" interests me. Is there always a stud exactly this distance from the adjusting screw?

Also, how long does it take you to do a full valve check/adjustment? I'm curious because, although I'd like to do my own adjustments, I'm finding that I'm spending too much time in the garage and not enough with the family. Maybe it's just the projects I've tackled lately. At any rate, I'm trying to determine if I'd just be better off with a specialist even if I am able to become competent at this task.

Thanks,
Dave

 

Dave I've only done one valve adjustment but it was certainly tedious and when I was finished I told my wife that whatever they charge at the shop, it's worth it. My only concern is that I've heard stories of shops just changing out the valve cover seals and calling it a day having not done any adjusting but still charging for the 6 hours labor so make sure it's a shop you trust.

c

 

Not always (I remember a problem with cylinder #3 and possibly one other), I have another dial indicator holder that I've used. With the Z-block I may have even used a small flat "extension" of metal to reach all of them, I don't remember exactly. There is another holder that is better but $100USD more expensive. The Z-block is cheap and will provide you with feedback until you learn what a slight draw feels like.

I don't remember but my last two valve adjustments were performed with the engine removed so probably not very long.

On the last valve adjustment I paid for (90k service in 2001) the labor came to $936.50USD (the receipt is in Adrian's book. ) so for me I would have to really screw-up big time to not come out ahead.


I actually found two of the small (intake) valve cover gaskets left inside of my heat exchangers from my last "paid for" adjustment...

 

The last time I did it I used a "Last Word" indicator starret makes. It is very small and gave me much better access to the face for reading it. It also simplified the attachment and made it easier to swivel it in and out of the way for adjustments. Here is a link. I'll pick one up one of these days.

http://catalog.starrett.com/catalog/...sp?GroupID=577

I'm not 100% sure, but I don't think the indicator you show will work with the engine in the car. A back-plunger type doesnt need as much clearance above the measurement point and I think is needed here.