Valve adjustment

[GM]

I've just had the head done and need to adjust the valve clearances. Is the first valve inlet? inlet .008 and exhaust .012?   (Grey motor)
     Cheers Glenn         

[EffCee]

Glenn,

The first valve is an exhaust

Keith

[FCGos]

Glenn

Valves from front to back or back to front are, EI IE EI IE EI IE

Cheers Wayne

[GM]

Thanks guys, if I was smart I would've looked at the manifold.......... duh. Where my clearances right?

[FCGos]

Glenn

Clearances are spot on for an engine at normal operating temperature.  I .008" and E .012". 

To adjust the clearances you need to get TDC (top dead centre or when the cylinder fires) on each cylinder. You can start at TDC on number one cylinder with spark plugs removed and use a soft metal rod inside spark plug hole of the next firing cylinder in sequence of the firing order to determine TDC on the other cylinders when the engine is rotated in the normal direction of operation, or alternatively you can rotate the engine and adjust the valves on the cylinder that is opposite in regards to firing order to the cylinder in which the valves are rocking (ie when one valve closes and the other commences opening as viewed by one rocker coming up and then the adjacent rocker starts going down)

Hope this helps

Cheers Wayne

[OldGMHolden]

Here's another trick from an old fella.

For a straight six engine, the magic number is 13 (number of valves plus one).

When valve 1 is open, adjust tappet 12.
When valve 6 is open, adjust tappet 7.
When valve 9 is open, adjust tappet 4.
And so on.

The same applies for a four, only the magic number is 9.

Get the picture? 

Dunno about v6 or v8, never had the need or inclination to see if there was a sequence.

Cheers,
Gaz

[EffCee]

Alternatively to the above suggestions, as you rotate the engine, starting with number one, irregardless of whether the engine is 4, 6 or 8 cylinder, divide the firing order.
On a six cylinder engine, think of it as two sets of three cylinders, 1-5-3 and 6-2-4. In the diagram below it can be sen what the corresponding cylinders will be.

1-5-3
6-2-4

For example, a Holden 6 firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4. In the first rotation, no 1 will be on TDC, valves closed, no 6 will be "rocking". This effectively means on the valve overlap.

No matter what the engine, as you rotate and watch the second half of the firing order (in this case 6-2-4) "rock" on the valve overlap. This will enure that the corresponding engine cylinder can be adjusted, as the cam followers will be resting on the base circle.

Ensure that the adjustment sequence always is equal to the numbers of cylinders, +1.

1-5-3
6-2-4_
7 7 7

In any case, either by using the above method or the one using the method that Gaz suggested, both ensure that all the valves can be adjusted in just 2 revolutions.

Keith

[GM]

Thanks again guys, the engine is purring now.

         Cheers Glenn