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D.I.Y Valve Lash Adjusting

119K views 152 replies 70 participants last post by  UndutifulTomb87 
#1 ·
So today Dan and I did a valve adjustment and inspection on the new k24a2 I swapped into my DC5. We noticed several valves were getting "sloppy" and so I'm glad we were able to get this done. So here we go.

Tools Needed:
Angled feeler gauges
19mm deep socket and extension
Flat head Screwdriver
10mm socket


First you will want to turn the wheel to the right as far as possible. This will open the space to stick the extension and 19mm socket on to the crank pulley.

Now that you've done that it's time to start preparing.

I then took off the valve cover and placed it off to the side.


Heres your exposed engine head


From there you will want to use the 19mm socket and manually turn the engine over to top dead center on cylinder one. You can use the marks on the intake VTC gear to do so (the little arrow) and the marks down below on the crank pulley


Before you do anything you should know what your specs are. On the hood is the factory engine specs and it lists the valve clearances. I was not aware of that till just now. Pretty cool


You will be using 2 different feeler gauge sizes. One for intake side and one for the exhaust side. Start with cylinder one (closest to the cam gears) and check the clearance.


To start, loosen the bolt and slide the feeler gauge in. The most important thing to remember is to hold the feeler gauge as flat as possible.

You will then want to take the flat head screw driver and adjust the rod until it fits snug onto the feeler gauge. You should be able to slide the feeler gauge back out so don't over tighten the screw. Once you've got the screw set, tighten the bolt back down and recheck the clearance. When you're finished with the intake side move to the back and do the exhaust side.
Picture of screw and bolt


The firing order for any inline 4cyl engine is 1-3-4-2

When finished with cylinder one, turn the engine over manually again until you get the next cam gear alignment line at the top of the intake cam.


Move to cylinder 3 and repeat the valve adjustment process. Then just keep turning the engine over to the next marker to do the fourth cylinder


and one final turn so you can do the second cylinder. After finishing, go back around and check all of the bolts and clearances and call it a day.
 
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#43 ·
:face:never mind im a dumb ass and forgot the ground for the injectors:face:
all cylinders for the exhaust needed adjusting and only 1 and 3 need adjusting for intake.
now my exhaust makes the gurgle sound when shifting again. sound so good.


But for the spec anal guys heres clearance and tq specs straight out of helms

k20a3
Intake 0.21- 0.25mm(.008-.010) torque 14lbf-ft
exhaust 0.28- 0.32mm(.011-.013) torque 10lbf-ft

k20a2,k20z1
intake 0.21- 0.25mm(.008-.010) torque 14lbf-ft
exhaust 0.25- 0.29mm(.010-.011) torque 14lbf-ft

valve cover torque specs 7.2lbf-ft
 
#48 ·
Hey i have a couple questions and im hoping spaz can anwser since he seems like he knows his stuff.

1. do all the cylinders need to be at TDC or is it just cylinder 1?

2. after adjusting the intake side do you need to turn the crank to adjust the exhaust side, or just leave it and adjust both of them?

3. im assuming the the valves need to be closed for this so once i start at cylinder 1 and move my way down turning the crank 90 degrees all the valves should be closed, right?

thanks
 
#49 ·
the easiest way to adjust valves is to rotate the crank/camshaft and adjust the valves where the cam is pointing straight up, just keep track so that you get them all and apply the correct spec (intake and exhaust), the order that you do them in is irrelevant.
 
#55 ·
If you want to isolate where the ticking is coming from (most likely your injectors) -- take a long breaker bar, or a long skinny piece of hard wood, or a long screw driver, and put it up to your ear and press it against your injectors, and the base of your valve cover, and wherever you are trying to isolate a sound. (works really well for finding which pully is squeaking too!)

I have actually isolated WHICH valve tappet needed to be adjusted without even taking off my valve cover just because of how much louder the ticking was in one area of the valve cover in comparison to another.
 
#57 ·
I just did this and it does feel a little better but I have one problem.

my engine ticked before the adjustment and it still ticks. The only valves that seamed to be out of spec were cylinders 1 and 2. 3 and 4 seamed alright and the intake side was to spec. Wheres the ticking coming from? btw I have 112xxx miles
 
#61 ·
:ugh: thats a fail sound dude.

i read somewhere or a friend told me to get like a pvc pipe(not too long) and put it to your ear and then put it by the injectors then move on to the valve cover over where each cylinder is. you should be able to hear where the sound is comin from.

gl to you
 
#73 ·
So, the jam nut is 10mm? Amazon has the tool for $11 and since I'll be doing mine and my father in laws I figure it's worth the money.
 
#97 ·
fuck me.... I replaced my hood and I don't have the stock one is there another way to find out those specs?
 
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