Ok I have a 1990 civic dx. 1.5 d15b2. I have just replaced the head and was starting on the valve lash adjustment. I got cylinder 1 at TDC rockers were loose and then I adjusted them. The service manual says to turn the crankshaft 180 degrees and to adjust cylinder 3 but the rockers on cylinder 3 are tight and the ones on cylinder 4 are loose WTF??? someone please give me some insight

 

your firing order is 1-3-4-2.

NOTE: Always rotate the crank in a COUNTERCLOCKWISE motion
UP mark of the cam is facing UP adjust #1
UP mark facing the exhaust side of the head adjust #3
UP mark facing down, adjust #4
Up mark facing intake, adjust #2

Hope that helps.

 

i did that but when i got to cylinder 3 it was tight and i could not adjust it but the #4 cylinder was loose. When i put the head on the TDC marks were where they were spose to be and all the valves on cylinder 1 and 4 were closed did i not have the head to TDC on the compression stroke? Im at a loss

 

Just check your mechanical timing. There's not much to mess up on when it comes to valve lash. Hoorah explained in perfectly. If your timing is dead on and you rotate counter clockwise as instructed then you will be fine. If the rockers are tight on number 3 after rotating counterclockwise with the UP on the exhaust side, then loosen them and adjust to spec. Then rotate 180 again, adjust #4, rotate 180, adjust #2. If you follow instructions EXACTLY then it matters none how tight or loose they are initially. That's the whole point of doing the valve lash in the first place, to set it properly. As long as you end up with it within spec before moving to the next cylinder then don't worry about anything else. You just replaced the head, of course the valves are going to be out of spec.

 

Also, make sure the feeler gauge is completely flat when you check clearance. it could be too loose but feel like a slight drag just because you have the feeler gauge slightly sideways. Then it would tick and sound like poo.

 

so answer me this, if i have the head set at TDC what should the valves look like? Should the valves on cylinder 1 & 4 be completely closed? also the vehicle isnt running yet its in pieces. The head is on and all the timing components are on also (belt, Pulley,Gears)

 

I've never worried about what the valves look like before I set them, only one question is critical to proper valve lash: Is the mechanical timing correct? If the answer is definitely yes, then you're thinking way too far ahead during this process. Did you set the crank to tdc, which is the single white mark to the right of the 3 marks that are together? If so, then did you ensure that the cam gear was in the proper position? I'm sure you used the manual to guide you in timing the motor, right? That is the only thing that will keep you from properly setting valves. If these things are correct, then stop thinking and follow the instructions, and you will have them set properly. It really doesn't matter what the valves are like BEFORE the adjustment.

 

Ok, The mark on the gear for the crank is lined up with arrow on block, The white mark on the pulley is lined up with the timing cover, piston 1 and 4 are up. On the head the TDC marks are in line with the top of the head and the dizzy is pointing to #1 but does that guaranty that its on the compression stroke? isnt it spose to be TDC on the compression stroke?

 

The motor is at TDC if Everything you said is true, the "up" arrow should be just a small hair toward the exhaust side. When I mean a small hair I really mean that. The surface of the head is angle slightly toward the front. If all of that is lined up then the timing and everything is correct.