Valve adjusting ?

[Gene-C]

Ok this is a picture for what I would like to talk about. I am in the process of Adjusting my Valves. I take it to TDC for #1 and I adjust the front right side starting with the farthest front spring. Everything goes well. Now I go to the next spring which is still adjusting the #1 valve and I can't get it to adjust. FIRST THING FIRST Before I adjust that spring do I need to turn the motor 180 degrees counterclockwise BDC. Or do I only do that when I move onto valve #2 I hope I have explained it well enough. Thanks

[Gene-C]

You first have to determine if you are at TDC. This is done by checking the position of the rotor in the distributor to see if it is pointing to the notch or the #1 sparkplug wire, when the timing mark on the pulley is aligned with the crankcase seam. Adjust the valve for #1 cylinder. Rotate the crankshaft pulley 180 degrees COUNTERCLOCKWISE until the mark you should have put on the pulley, lines up with the crankcase seam. Adjust the valves for #2 cylinder. Again, rotate the crankshaft pulley 180 degrees COUNTERCLOCKWISE and adjust cylinder #3. Again, rotate the crankshaft pulley 18o degrees COUNTRTCLOCKWISE and adjust the valves for cylinder #4. It looks like you need to change oil, that stuff looks very dirty?? :2cents: Jimbo

[UncleBob]

Why do you have heater boxes? But yeah, as LSJimbo says, you adjust BOTH valves before turning the engine..

[Gene-C]

This is just a picture I found on the web it isn't mine that is for sure. I am wondering this for a reason. I do understand that before I go to the second valve I turn the motor 180. It is hard to say what I am looking at doing. Each valve has two side which has two springs so there are 4 springs on each side 2 for #1 and two for #2 Now if I am going to adjust the #1 valve it has two springs to adjust. So I adjust the first one and then go to the seconds spring for the #1 valve before I adjust it do I need to Trun the engine Counterclockwise first? I hope I was more clear. I have a GM HEI distributor so I don't have points

[Mvovr]

You may want to read this thread. I found the information priceless. http://www.meyersmanx.com/forums/showthread.php?t=3099&highlight=adjusting+valves

[shaihulud]

Firstly the engine must be cold. That is not having run for hours. When you are ready to adjust the valves, because the cylinder that you are going to adjust is at top dead centre of the firing stroke, you are at what is called 'valves rocking', because both valves are closed. If both rocker arms don't rock you really do need to adjust your valves. Check the valves of all of the other cylinders at that time. You may only find one rocker arm that rocks, because all of the others are holding valves open. To adjust cylinder #1 you need to be a TDC firing on #1. That is indicated by the rotor arm being at the small crack in the rim of the distributor and the most left handed groove on the crankshaft pulley being opposite the crack between the two halves of the crank case. Usually the crack in the rim of the distributor should be at about 4 o'clock as you look at the engine. Mark that pulley groove with some paint or whiteout. The other groves, if you have them, are at 7 1/2 degrees and 10 degrees Before TDC. They are for timing. Adjust both the inlet and the exhaust valves of #1 which are the two right hand rockers in your picture. The 2 inner valves are inlets and the 2 outer valves are exhausts. I recommend 6 thou on the inlets and 8 thou on the exhaust. You will have rattly tappets but you won't burn out an exhaust valve. Rotate the crankshaft by 180 degrees anticlockwise and follow what lsjimbo says. Good luck. If all of that is still a mystery to you buy yourself, "How to keep your Volkswagen alive. A book of step by step proceedures for the compleat idiot". by John Muir. You will never regret buying it. I tuned my car yesterday and had Muir open during the entire process.

[5150bossman]

Try getting the Haynes Automotive manual for V.W. Beetles ('57-'74 I believe). Will have most everything you might want to do already worked out (with pictures too! ).

[joemama]

Sounds as if you are confused about the number of valves per cylinder, you have both an intake, and an exhaust valve for each cylinder, and both are adjusted at the same time, when yoiu say 2 springs, each of these springs works a valve, the outer valve is the exhaust valve, the inner valve is the intake, so in the picture you posted, numbered left to right, you have exhaust, intake, intake, exhaust. So in position number one, top dead center with the rotor pointing at number 1 plug wire, you would adjust both the intake, and the exhaust valve, then you move 180 counterclockwise, do both valves, and so on.

[croakintowd]

Hi Rawjuno, There's been good info offered here. I'd like to reiterate that each cylinder has one intake and one exhaust valve. Each is represented by a "spring" and a rocker arm. The following assumes you are looking at one head. Your intake valves are the two in the middle, the exhaust valves are the two remaining valves, located near the outer parts of the head. Once identified, take note as the intakes are set at a different gap than the exhaust. You adjust a pair of valves (One intake and one exhaust), while that cylinder is at IT's TDC, or as was said, the rocker arms are not being influenced by the valve stem, or the cam / pushrod. So, start with #1 cylinder by spinning the engine until your rotor is pointing to the place where your number one spark plug wire sits in the cap. This ensures that #1 is on it's compression stroke. If it is on it's compression stroke, then the valves are seated in their seats, and you can be sure it's OK to adjust that set of valves (One intake and one exhaust). Then, rotate the engine as previously described. Check that each cylinder is on its respective compression stroke by checking the rotor position. It should be pointing at the terminal on the rotor whose wire goes to the cylinder you're messing with. Now here's another hint: When you get the adjustment right, you hold the adjustment "screw" in position with a screwdriver as you tighten the lock nut. Don't let the screw move as you tighten the nut down. If you do,you'll end up closing your gap. If you do that, you may end up burning valves. Most folks will set things a bit loose, to be sure there is enough gap to avoid the burned valve problem. Now, here is another wild card. A stock VW uses aluminum pushrods. All the valve adjustment info assumes your engine has Aluminum pushrods. Some folks will put in Pushrods made of other material. Take Chromoly for example. Aluminum gets longer when it warms up. This is good, as the VW engine and the pushrods "grow" at similiar rates, so the valve adjustment stays sort of constant. With Chromoloy, it does not grow as much with heat, so your gap will get bigger as the engine heats up. So Chromoly has a different adjustment. It's pretty tight, then as the engine warms, that gap grows as the warming engine leaves the pushrods "behind". This is just "nice to know" info. The Chromoly adjustment is normally referred to as "nil" (nothing). I just set mine at .002, as a knowlegable friend said this was enough to make sure the valves are really completely closing. (That burned valve avoidance "thing" again). Hope this helps. It's easier to do than read about, but you do have to pay attention to a few things. Lastly, watch out that you don't cross your measurements referenced in Millimeters with those given in Inches. Good Luck,