anyone that can walk me through hows its done, im doing a tune up on my car and would like to know everything that i should check thanks

 

um, you take off your valve cover, look at your cams and where they push on the valves (i guess they push on a lifter, which pushes on the valve), and measure the clearance between the cam lobe, and lifter. Make sure the cam lobe is sticking straight up for each measurement.

If they are off, you need to adjust them using a flathead screwdriver and... 12 mm wrench? I can't recall the exact size offhand. But you loosen the nut with the wrench, and actually adjust the clearance with the screw. The thing is, when you go to retighten the nut to lock it in place, the screw turns too. SO, you have to use both hands and hold the screw where it is as you tighten the nut. Sometimes you can account for a little bit of movement of the screw by purposely leaving the valve clearance a little too wide. That way, when you lock the nut down, and the screw turns with it, the clearance should be set correctly. I hope that makes sense...

2 tips:
-you'll have to turn the crank to get the lobes pointing the right way (up). What I do, is i jack up the front of the car, and put the car in gear (a high gear preferably). That way, i can turn the crank by turning the wheels, using a big breaker bar and a 1 1/4" socket on the hub nut.

-when loosening the nuts the keep the valve clearance, I use a mallet to gently tap the end of the wrench. That saves my knuckles from needless skinning.

Oh yeah, and the clearances you are looking to get are:

Intake -- 0.13-0.17mm (0.0051-0.0067in)
Exhaust -- 0.15-0.19mm (0.0059-0.0075in)

I got that from Jason's ZC for Dummies http://hometown.aol.com/nosajuf/nosajuf2.htm

One last thing: typically they give "hot" and "cold" valve clearances, that correspond if the motor is hot or cold.... this doesn't specify which... so i'm assuming that they are "cold" specs.

 

those are cold specs...not good to adjust valves on a warm/hot motor

 

Not trying to sound like a know-it-all but... you want to adjust the valves while the lobes on both exhaust and intake (for the cylinder your working on) are in the total closed position... that means the "flat" or "short" part of the cam is touching the ROCKER ARMS (OHC engines have no lifters, usually). A good clue as to weather you have the engine turned to the proper postion is to try and wiggle the rocker arms side to side on all 4 rockers of that cylinder.

This adjustment is pretty critical and you really should have a HELMS Manual handy while doin it, esp for your first time. You woun't blow the engine up if you screw up (unless your speacial), but it will run/sound like ****.

Done right, and this adjustment is like getting a new engine... very sharp, and responcive... ZOOM ZOOM!

Good Luck!

 

So far,no one has the correct anwser,well here it is...
1 adjust valves when engine is cold,Rotate crankshaft counterclockwise so No 1 piston is on TDC of compression stroke
2 make sure "UP" marks on camshafts sprocket are up and grooves are aligned,then adjust valves on No 1 cylinder
3 Rotate crank 180 degrees,cam turns 90,No3 piston should be on TDC of compression stroke,make sure grooves are lined up,Adjust valve4s on no 3 Cylinder
4 Rotate crank another 180 degrees,so No 4 is on TDC,then do same as above
5 Rotate again 180,do No 2 cylinder valves.

 

D-Man,

I say 6, you say a half dozen. How am I wrong?

LOL

 

because as your playing around,wiggling rocker arms,trying to find to flat spot on the cam,i would be finished.

 

...I'm sure you would beat me cause I like to chat with da ladies as they come up and ask me "What cha doin?".

 

reply would be..."nothing really just trying to rock your world". lolz

both sides i agree (d-man, CRXtacy). but what you really want to do is take your time when doing adjusting valve clearance.