E30 Valve adjustment DIY ?

[bronzitbeige]

So here's a decently in depth video on how to adjust your valves for mostly all e30's I believe:

http://youtu.be/tkkKGcDXnz8

But for anyone out there that has done this before, is this really the proper way to do it? Are the numbers he gives for the adjustment of each cyclinder correct? And also, is it best to do yourself with no prior experience (besides this video tutorial) or would it be inexpensive to take it to the right mechanic? Any feedback would be appreciated this is also my first post as well

+more info on my 90 325i;
It is running quite fine.
In the beginning of this video, it shows that 'sowing machine noise', for my car I can kind of hear that relevant sound too on mine, but at the same time my car is running well. I'm just scared of trying to do this adjustment through this tutorial and somehow have it messed up or worse than before (when coming to worse MPG or etc.)

Only barely bad thing about my car:
Is that it very rarely would have a delay on the gas pedal; but note that this is only when (usually) the car hasn't been warmed up. This doesn't happen to often at all though and maybe it's because of the valves or somethin .

Again the video http://youtu.be/tkkKGcDXnz8

Thanks to all

[strad]

Clearance is correct. It is not really hard. The hardest thing about it is getting a feel for what "slight drag" is. And if you think about it, how often are you going to find a mechanic who is better at this than you will be? It's not like they are all working on this type of system every day. This is an old school engine. Most of them don't ever work on an engine that requires valve adjustments.

[Heatmakerz]

^So much truth in this statement. The "slight drag" is the hardest part because you don't want to tighten to much or leave it to loose. If you are OCD like me, this can turn into a real PITA (but this is mostly due to me, not the job itself).

[ELVA164]

If you want a rule of thumb, just adjust it so that the next smaller feeler gauge doesn't slide in.

[strad]

If you want a rule of thumb, just adjust it so that the next smaller feeler gauge doesn't slide in.

smaller meaning thicker. . . The thinner one of course should slide in easily.

[ELVA164]

smaller meaning thicker. . . The thinner one of course should slide in easily.

Yeah, that was pretty backwards.

[strad]

Lol. I know what you meant ;-). But the op hasn't tried it before and we don't want to mess him up lol. In other words op, .010 goes in with drag. .011 won't go in. And .009 goes in very easily. And recheck after you tighten the nut. The nasty little buggers like to move around.

[logantv]

smaller meaning thicker. . . The thinner one of course should slide in easily.

Hey, let's keep it family friendly in here buddy

[323i E30]

[VARick]

How much should I expect to pay for a valve adjustment job from my indie? Thanks.

[dohcdoh]

How much should I expect to pay for a valve adjustment job from my indie? Thanks.

Call and ask? Shop rates vary.

[strad]

Hey, let's keep it family friendly in here buddy

lol I did think of that ;-). Get your mind back where it belongs :-).

[Ken@BavAuto]

We have a special spring-loaded tool for adjusting valves. I did it with a coat hanger once before buying the tool and recall it being a bit of a pain. Basically the spring doesn't allow you to overdo it on the tension.

[ELVA164]

We have a special spring-loaded tool for adjusting valves. I did it with a coat hanger once before buying the tool and recall it being a bit of a pain. Basically the spring doesn't allow you to overdo it on the tension.

What, like a torque wrench?

[moberg12]

Call and ask? Shop rates vary.

Get out of here with your logic and common sense!

[dohcdoh]

Get out of here with your logic and common sense!

that was just my first thought.

[Ken@BavAuto]

What, like a torque wrench?

No it's a Sir tools piece. Kind of like a nicely machined coat hanger with a spring in the middle. Stick one end in the eccentric, hold the other end, and when the spring is bent you have the proper amount of tension on the feeler gauge.

[ELVA164]

No it's a Sir tools piece. Kind of like a nicely machined coat hanger with a spring in the middle. Stick one end in the eccentric, hold the other end, and when the spring is bent you have the proper amount of tension on the feeler gauge.

Unless I'm missing something, that sounds like how a torque wrench works...oh, unless you mean there's no "pop" like a torque wrench has.

[Ken@BavAuto]

Unless I'm missing something, that sounds like how a torque wrench works...oh, unless you mean there's no "pop" like a torque wrench has.

Well I suppose that's correct. It's got nothing to do with tightening the nut/bolt it just sticks in the eccentric like you would a piece of coat hanger. But yeah it gives it the proper torque and takes a lot of the guesswork out of it.

[bronzitbeige]

*updated but should be simple question

So this car does not have 'automatic lifters' for my e30's cyclinders? [90 325i]

I was told recently that this car should have that but how can I find an indicator of that?
+why would I even have need to do a DIY self valve adjustment when it has that? If it even does that is

Any intellectual feedback would be appreciated as it my first bmw as well.
Much love to you all

[dohcdoh]

You do not have "automatic lifters". You need to adjust the valves every so many miles.

[ELVA164]

The 4 cylinder, DOHC motor from the '91 318i and 318is has the self-adjusting hydraulic lifters you're talking about.

[HenryMethBreath]

first cylinder valves here, front lobe, the rocker closest to the front of the car (exhaust), is ready to be adjusted in this first pick.

the rocker arm furthest to the right in the picture.



how I did it. not shown is the feeler gauge. c




comment regarding the rocker moving a bit while tightening being annoying is spot on.

[franan]

Henry do you have any step-by-step picture for valve adjustment thanks.

[HenryMethBreath]

Henry do you have any step-by-step picture for valve adjustment thanks.

One of these and I used this thread

not step by step. I don't have pictures of the rear tire jacked up, the spark plugs removed, me pushing the right rear tire to rotate the cam shaft, me shifting the car into 5th, or the feeler gauge in the valve.


I used the jack one rear tire up and turn it about 420 degrees per lobe in 5th gear method to get the cams lobes to move in the correct orientation. I believe this only works if you have a car without a limited slip differential. don't quote me on that, the internet says it.

Some use the blip method, blipping the starter to rotate the cam shaft, but when I did it, it wasn't accurate, and moreover, no thanks having battery still connected with the engine opened up.

the common practice method is a 22mm socket on the crank crankshaft nut to rotate.

Remove your spark plugs, makes the whole job easier, as you don't have to crank the air through the engine, it jost goes out thru the spark plug hole while rotating.

Another tip, after doing it twice, now, and thinking about it, you don't have to go in firing order 1-5-3-6-2-4.

Doing each valve in firing order keeps your head straight, but you can adjust each lobe when it's in the right orientation without worrying about firing order.

Logically, all of the valves need to be adjusted to the same tolerance, so firing order doesn't matter.

If you do it this way, make sure you keep tabs and do all 12.

there's tons of information out there.