Well I decided to attempt doing
my valves tonight myself reading

that others do it here.  Talk about a challenge doing it yourself


with no help for the first time.  I had no clue!  But now that
I've

done it, the procedure itself like others have said is pretty
easy.

Didn't want to scare you but the first valve adjustment I did on my '72
Super Beetle way back in '91 took a week to get "just right". I
kept getting them too loose. When I was done I could adjust the valves in
about 20 minutes and get it right the first time.


MORE IMPORTANTLY...

When I started it up after doing it I'm getting lots of racket under


there.  I'm thinking I made them too loose? 


Yes. Loose is okay. Tight will burn valves. I got my CR-V valves too lose
the first time but found if I set the adjustment towards the tight end of
the range (.006) then in fact they were slightly looser than that (more
like .007 - Valves... James Valves...) These days they are spot on
thankfully.


I set them at the loose

end of the range thinking they would only tighten up over time but

maybe I should not have.  For example, the exhaust range is
.006-

.008 so I set them for .008 (and you can't fit the .009 in there). 


Similar on the intake valves but they obviously have a different

range. 

The tightening effect comes from the valve stretching over time - an
effect every valve does with age but something that we wish wouldn't
happen. On an aircooled VW (old Beetle, old Bus) the exhaust valves would
get "tight"  - lose it's adjustment - because that valve
on that engine would run very, very hot (remember these engines had no
water in them) and over the span of 80K or 90K miles (less if you
overheated it) it would stretch until there wasn't enough adjustment left
to leave it slightly loose. The problem was that the stem of the valve
was stretching and getting thinner and sometimes the valve stem would
break sending the bottom of the valve down into the cylinder to get beat
to death by the piston and intake valve. This ruined that cylinder,
piston, intake valve and the cylinder head... <EXPENSIVE> Careful
adjustment and noting which valve was getting tight was an easy and cheap
way to "predict" trouble before it happened. A good shade tree
mechanic could keep one of those old VW engines in tune and out of
trouble for a LONG, LONG time.


However unlikely - this could happen to a Honda (because the VW and Honda
and 99% of the rest of cars out there share the same tulip valve design)
but most likely would not because of superior metal alloys and an engine
design with alot more safety built into it (safety in that it won't self
destruct prematurely and catastrophically UNLESS the timing belt breaks).



By paying attention to which valves get tight and by how much, you can
track which valve may be defective and something to worry about. A good
shop manual will tell you how much the valve can "grow" before
it's a problem.


The slight "play" or looseness (.006-.008 on the exhaust valve)
is there to compensate for the engine parts expanding when hot. The
exhaust valve expands more because it operates at a higher temperature
handling the exhaust gases unlike the intake valve which is handling the
cool (relative) air coming through the air cleaner.


If the valve is too loose (but only slightly like your's) there is no
harm but the valve train is noisy and telling you that you got them too
loose. If it was REALLY loose then you would risk some damage long term
to the valve or the valve seat. It would have to sound like somebody
inside the engine with a hammer. It would be foolish to operate an engine
like that t

Hi Chris,

Did you get to take any pictures? Please post them. I am almost due
to have a valve adjustments and would love to take a look at your
pictures first.

Also, if possible, please post a picture of the set of tools you
used. That would help too.

Thanks,
Gopal

Sure, I still have them and will asap.

Chris

Ok thanks for the help!
Overall this is a Great do it yourself job to learn more about how
your car works. But doing it alone last night each step was a
challenge. Such as finding the cam shaft pulley to turn it, the
book didn't even mention where it would be. Then terms like TDC and
compression stroke are a bit humbling not knowing what you are
looking at in the beginning. Then where to stick the feelers to
measure was something else to figure out. But now thats its been
done and I'm through the learning curve, like you said its an hour
job. I was actually coming in to study the howstuffworks site
during the job a lot. Like I said, if someone showed you how it
would be a lot easier but it probably wouldnt force to learn as much
about what was actually happening.

By the way, the valves were REALLY tight when I first opened it
(105k). No feeler of anything remotely close to being in spec would
get in there. The lock nuts for the adjuster screw were cranked on
their pretty tight too. Doing it in 20 degree weather made it
pretty easy for the socket to slip off when it did give and then
scrape your hands up pretty good on all the exposed metal. I ended
up getting a small pipe to use for leverage and get my hands out of
the 'ouch' zone.

Wish me luck tonight that I can quiet this baby down.
Chris

Overall this is a Great do it
yourself job to learn more about how

your car works.  But doing it alone last night each step was a

challenge.  Such as finding the cam shaft pulley to turn it, the


book didn't even mention where it would be. 

The factory manual says to turn the engine with the crankshaft. Turning
the engine would put alot of stress on the timing belt. Beware of that
shop manual you've got if that is what they advised you to do. Might time
to chuck it. Helms Inc. publishes the "factory" manual and it's
really good. ($75) Chilton publishes a big green book that I think alot
of ($20). Haynes publishes one that doesn't provide enough detail for
me... Bentley publishes a GREAT one but they are generally only doing
books for European cars.


I started buying factory manuals a few cars and motorcycle back and I
really like them as compared to the average service manual. 



Also check your local library for good general "How-To" books
for the beginner mechanic. I recently donated several to our local
library. They are rich in pictures and explain the basic types of valve
trains and engine designs and how to care for them. If you run across a
book called "How to Keep Your VW Alive for the Compleat Idiot"
by John Muir, give it a look-see. It is old VW specific but he does a
very good job of writing a book with several chapters devoted to cars in
general in layman's terms.


Then terms like TDC and

compression stroke are a bit humbling not knowing what you are

looking at in the beginning.  Then where to stick the feelers to


measure was something else to figure out.  But now thats its been


done and I'm through the learning curve, like you said its an hour

job.  I was actually coming in to study the howstuffworks site

during the job a lot.  Like I said, if someone showed you how it


would be a lot easier but it probably wouldnt force to learn as much


about what was actually happening. 


By the way, the valves were REALLY tight when I first opened it

(105k).  No feeler of anything remotely close to being in spec would


get in there. 

I was told FWIW that Honda was having burned valve problems with this
engine because they were either too tight at the factory or because the
service interval was set too long for this adjustment. Mine were somewhat
tight too.


The lock nuts for the adjuster
screw were cranked on

their pretty tight too.  Doing it in 20 degree weather made it

pretty easy for the socket to slip off when it did give and then

scrape your hands up pretty good on all the exposed metal.  I ended


up getting a small pipe to use for leverage and get my hands out of

the 'ouch' zone.


Wish me luck tonight that I can quiet this baby
down.

Been there, done that. I would be doing that nightly as I don't have a
garage but thankfully I am able to do my Corvair transplant and Honda
service in a relative's garage a few streets over. Can heat it to a balmy
55 degrees or so. <grin> At least your engine is good and cold per
the adjustment requirements... The book doesn't say anything about how
warm or cold the mechanic has to be...


Good luck! See ya!


Chris

A few pictures (if you can manage) of what you are doing would help
us!

Best wishes...

Thank you for filling in the details....it sure does clarify things.

Regards,

By the way, I wrote 'cam shaft' pulley but meant to say 'crank
shaft' pulley which is what I turned to rotate everything.

See ya.

Thats a good idea. I thought about it last night but I was kind of
freaking out trying to figure it out. I'll take some digital pics
tonight since it should be relatively stress free.

Chris

Chris,

Did you have to replace the valve cover gasket?  Did you have to use any sealant to make sure that the oil does not leak?  Good job, BTW.

--Ron

>

I redid it tonight and tightened the valves. This time I set them
so that I could not get the largest feeler in the range (.005
intake / .008 exhaust) insterted but anything less than that went
in. It only took me an hour this time by the way.

Everything was much quieter than last night upon initial startup but
after a test drive I think they are still too noisy. I think its
fine to drive so I'll use it for limited driving tomorrow and plan
on readjusting tomorrow night. Not sure where to go from here on
the settings. I guess I'm just gonna have to keep tightening them
one feeler at a time until the noise is gone.

Chris M, what do you have listed as the adjustment range in your
manual? In mine I have .006-.008 for exhaust and .003-.005 for
intake.

The check engine light appears to be gone at least so far.
I took some good pics tonight so I'll post them when I get this
figured out.

Chris

To do this properly you need to make sure the engine is @ top dead center(TDC) for each cylinder your trying to adjust. so this way the cam isn't pushing on the valves.

Maybe you alredy knew this?

Hope this helps.

Bob, 02 crv(wifes)that I haven't adjusted the valves in yet  

1994 Dodge Diesel 4x4(mine)that I adjusted the valves on & have changed the headgasket,ported the head,changed the clutch & a bunch of other mods

>Did you have to replace the valve cover gasket? Did you have to use any
>sealant to make sure that the oil does not leak? Good job, BTW.

I have never replaced a valve gasket on a Honda - even my 20 year old
motorcycle...

Remove the valve cover and clean the head surfaces (clean, lint free towel)
and reinstall. Honda specifies no sealant so you can reuse the seal.

FWIW most gaskets need no sealant unless the sealant holds it in position.
I've got a little booklet that Fel-Pro gave us at the parts store where I
used to work and they explained sealants and gaskets.

And for you casual readers there are two listers named Chris - the newbie
doing his/her valves and me the "know-it'all" <grin>


Chris M. <"Busbodger" of "TEAM SLOWPOKE">
Cookeville, Tennessee

ICQ# 5944649
busbodger@...

'78 VW Westfalia (67 HP -> that is...67 Hamster Power) - Dharma
'65 Beetle - Type IV powered
'99 CR-V AWD station wagon
1972 Hodaka Wombat 125cc moto-chickle
2.5 Corvair engines for my Trans-vair Conversion
wife, kiddo, dog, and various slightly used cats

I redid it tonight and
tightened the valves.  This time I set them

so that I could not get the largest feeler in the range (.005

intake / .008 exhaust) insterted but anything less than that went

in.  It only took me an hour this time by the
way.

Wahoo!


Everything was much quieter
than last night upon initial startup but

after a test drive I think they are still too noisy.  I think its


fine to drive so I'll use it for limited driving tomorrow and plan

on readjusting tomorrow night.  Not sure where to go from here on


the settings.  I guess I'm just gonna have to keep tightening them


one feeler at a time until the noise is gone. 


FWIW My valves were a bit noisier than the factory settings and I wonder
if Honda doesn't build the engine with specs tighter than the repair
manual lists. I set my valves at the tight end of the spec and drove it
and I think now 5K miles later it's perfect to me. Maybe my valves have
tightened or something I do not know. My guess is that they sound looser
than they were initially but you the driver get used to it. Drive it an
oil change and then see what you think about the adjustment...


Chris M, what do you have
listed as the adjustment range in your

manual?  In mine I have .006-.008 for exhaust and .003-.005 for


intake.

Correct.


The check engine light appears
to be gone at least so far.

I took some good pics tonight so I'll post them when I get this

figured out.

Wahoo! Looking forward to the pics.


Chris

The other Chris.

Hey Chris,
 
Keep in mind that if you adjust your valves so that you can't hear them, they will be too tight, which is what you're trying to avoid by adjusting them. If you are outside the clearance range one way or another, you would be much better off with the valves slightly loose than too tight, but it sounds like from the description of your adjustment procedure that, as long as you're confident that each piston was at TDC during adjustment, that you did just fine.
 
I always adjust mine to the loose end of the spec's, as I do with my motorcycles which have a similar valve train to our CRV's, and I can easily hear the valves from inside the car while driving slowly on residential streets, which is what you want. Unless something is seriously wrong with your engine, over time the valves will lose clearance as you drive. You might want to go to a car lot, or if you known someone who has a CRV, and listen to the engine running at idle to compare to yours.
 
I suspect that you just became accustom to the way your valves sounded when they were to tight. Just remember, as they say in the motorcycle community, a tappy valve is a happy valve.
 
Dan Bittner
Sacramento
01 CRV

Hi,
I have not adjusted the valves on any of my vehicles since the
old '70 Toyota Crown 2300, but I remember that almost always they
were adjusted hot. As I don't have a shop manual for my '02 CRV,
could someone fill me in as to whether the motor should be hot or
cold.

Thanks,

Loz

Cold per the Helms Inc. factory manual...