Grey

iTrader: (61)

Introduction:
This DIY outlines the procedure of adjusting the clearances between the intake and exhaust valves and their respective lifters. This procedure should be performed if you notice that the engine sounds different than it used to.

Tools:
- Torque Wrench (required)
- Small Flat Head Screwdriver (required)
- 10mm Socket (required)
- Short Extension (required)
- Feeler Gauge (required)
- Long Extension (required)
- 19mm Socket (required)
- Spark Plug Socket (optional)
- Gasket Sealer (optional)

First off, you need to get your car ready... This procedure should only be done when the car's engine is cooled down. You should leave the car in a garage overnight to let the engine cool down completely. Make sure that you will have enough time to complete this procedure the following day. With food and drink breaks and a little rest here and there it will take a full day (not night) to complete. Especially if you're not too familiar with your engine bay.

Please download the following file and look it over: Valve Adjustment
This file contains information about adjusting valve clearances taken from Honda's service manual.

Page 9 of that document contains the instructions.
Page 10 shows you the pulley and how to read it at TDC.
Page 11 shows you the valve cover tightening sequence.
Page 17 shows you the clearances and how to adjust them.


You should first start by removing the negative battery terminal. I wrapped the connection up with some masking tape to prevent any accidental contact. I then removed the positive battery terminal and did to it what I did to the negative.


Here you see a picture of the ignition coils. The wire cover is right above them.


To take off the wire cover, first use a large screwdriver to turn the two plastic "screws" 90 degrees, then pull up on it. Use a 10mm socket and socket wrench to take off the little bolts that hold the ignition coils down. It is easier to pull the coils out a little before taking off the connectors.


Using the same 10mm socket and socket wrench take off the bolts that hold down the throttle cable clamps. Tie off the whole assembly so that it doesn't get in your way. I tied mine to my strut bar with some masking tape.


I measured the voltage on the exposed bolt in this picture with a multimeter and it indicated that there was still 0.15V of potential difference between it and ground. I waited about 15 minutes before the voltage totally dissipated. I guess that the alternator acts like a capacitor?

Anyway, it's best to wait 15 minutes from the time you disconnect the battery before beginning on this step of the procedure. After that time has elapsed simply move the rubber boots aside and take out the connector and unbolt the other connection. You'll need the 10mm socket and socket wrench again.


Remove the two bolts holding the wire harness to the valve cover by using a 10mm socket and socket wrench. Then thread the end of the wire harness (by the alternator) through and arrange the whole thing to the side as in the picture (highlighted orange).


Remove the bolt that held the bracket that held the wire harness (circled in green) by using a 10mm socket and socket wrench. Remove the bolt that holds the aluminum hardline (circled in red). Removing both of these will make it easier to take off the valve cover.


Slip the wire harness off of the two studs on the valve cover (circled in blue). Grasp the clip on the hose that attaches from the filter box to the valve cover and push it back towards the filter box. Take the rubber hose off of the valve cover. You can use a screwdriver to get under the rubber hose to help pry it off.


Take the support bracket off of that one rubber hose that leads into the aluminum hardline and rotate it out of the way. This will make taking off the valve cover a little easier since the rubber hose and the aluminum hardline will be able to flex a little.


Loosen the valve cover bolts (circled in purple) with a 10mm socket and socket wrench. Pull on the bolts to make sure that they are loose; you should be able to move them in and out. Remove the valve cover by prying up on it. The rubber hose that leads into the aluminum hardline will get in the way, but you should be able to push it aside.


The intake lifter adjustment screws and nuts are circled in green. The exhaust lifter adjustment screws and nuts are circled in red. The feeler gauge should be set to .007 inches for the intake side and .009 inches for the exhaust side (as in the file provided on Page 17). You can also take out the spark plugs using a spark plug socket, long extension, and socket wrench to facilitate turning of the engine by hand.


You may take off the pulley cover to better see what happens when you crank the engine by hand. First disconnect that little connector that goes into the cover. Take out the rubber boot and pull on the connector. Then take out three bolts that hold the pulley cover down. You will need to use a 10mm socket and a socket wrench to take them out.

Notice the spoke on the pulley marked "UP". Also notice the two "ears" on the pulley that are also facing upwards. If you can not read the word "UP" engraved into the spoke of the pulley, then you can use these two "ears" as your guide. With this spoke in the position shown in the picture, one set of pistons is at TDC (Top Dead Center).


Jack up the driver's side and take off the wheel. You will then have access to the crank shaft via a hole in the wheel well. Mate a socket wrench with a long extension and a 19mm socket and put it through the hole in the wheel well; feel around for the crank-shaft bolt. Once you find it, you will be able to turn the crank-shaft by turning the socket wrench counter clock-wise. Watch what happens to the valves and the pulley as you do so.

Now you're ready to adjust the valve clearance. You can start with the exhaust side since there's a lot of room for the feeler gauge; that will make things easier. Turn the engine by hand until a set of lifters that you have your eyes on pops up; then turn the engine a little more to make sure that the lifters will stay in that position. They will stay in the same position throughout most of one revolution of the crank-shaft because of the shape of the cam shaft.

When one set of lifters is in the right position (as described above), loosen the valve adjuster lock nut and loosen the adjusting screw. Put the feeler gauge between the valve stem and rocker arm (as shown in the attached document on Page 17) and tighten the adjusting screw until it "grabs" the feeler gauge. Tighten down the valve adjuster lock nut to 14 foot pounds in an EX and HX and 13 foot pounds in a DX and LX.

Repeat the above process for all exhaust valves. Then move on to the intake valves. Remember to use the appropriate clearances for the exhaust valves and the intake valves (as outlined on Page 17 of the attached document). When you finish adjusting all of the clearances simply put everything back together. It's also a good idea to dab a little gasket sealer onto the head where the valve cover gasket makes sharp bends; this will keep the gasket from leaking until it settles.

JLODVO

do you know where to download a service manual for our vics?

Grey

iTrader: (61)

You can't; unless someone buys the CD version and hosts it.

blouisgod

iTrader: (14)

holy crap thats a nice DIY!!!! How many miles, ideally, would you do this? On my yota, i did this at 55k (a 22re/ 2.4l Sohc) and it made the engine quieter and increased mpg; maybe a bit more response too.

Grey

iTrader: (61)

I think it depends on your driving style. If you don't abuse your engine, then I guess doing it at the reccomended interval is fine. If you rev into the stratosphere on a daily basis, then perhaps a little earlier. I did this and it helped the engine a little. It felt smoother and quieter. I think I'll do this every 30,000 miles from now on, or maybe when I hear that noise that I heard.

cambo

iTrader: (1)

am i the only one seeing red x's?

edit: after going to properties and finding the url to the picture, then opening a new window and entering that url in the adress bar, i got this message. This is for anyone who gets red x's like me.

note: this is only for a day. the bandwidth limit was 33 m/b per day.

Grey

iTrader: (61)

Yeah, I got this webspace from a member of this site. I don't have any reliable webspace of my own. If anyone else has some space to host these pictures and this file, then please e-mail me at: mdobosz@townisp.com

nuffsed

If someone hooks me up with the cd i'd be glad to put it on my server...

Grey

iTrader: (61)

What about the files needed for this DIY? The images and the document. Would you be willing to host them? The total size is just under 2MB's.

YS

iTrader: (4)

i only have .008 and .010 ...... will it do??? 'cause on page 17 it said "in .007-.009 and ex .009-.011"

thanks

YS

iTrader: (4)

i have a free website to if you want to put it on my website ..... and it has a limit too ..........

www34.brinkster.com/ysutarko/

just send my all the pics and docs to julian@siliconave.com

thanks

Grey

iTrader: (61)

Yes, you can adjust the clearance to be a little more than what I adjusted it to. I adjusted it to be as tight as possible. I sent you an e-mail with the files.

Grey

iTrader: (61)

Allright, here's the DIY thanks to YS: DIY: Valve Clearance Adjustment

Thanks again!

YS

iTrader: (4)

and FIY ... it's a FREE website, so it has a bandwith limit = 16.7 MB per day or 500 MB per month.

and right now i'm working on my work's website and i'll see if i can get some space for this DIY i'll post it later (NO ETA though)

nuffsed

if you e-mail mail me the pics... i'll put it up if the limit gets exceeded...

my e-mail is hgandhi@rogers.com

flotsamm

iTrader: (1)

Not sure how safe it is, but we use to take out the spark plugs when adjusting valves. This made turning over the motor easier since it didnt have any compression. We'd then just use a wrench on the camshaft bolt and turn the motor until the next set of valves were ready to be adjusted. Never had any problems but YMMV.

Grey

iTrader: (61)

Yep, I mentioned removal of the spark plugs in the DIY. Not sure about the wrench on the camshaft bolt bit? ??? Not sure where that is? ??? What's YMMV stand for anyway? ???

flotsamm

iTrader: (1)

Ahh my bad.. that'll teach me for skimming over it. About the wrench on the camshaft bolt, instead of having to take the wheel off and crawl under the car to turn the motor over, just put a wrench on the camshaft bolt and turn it from there. YMMV= Your Mileage May Vary, or in other words, it may be different from what you experience.

B18B

iTrader: (1)

you guys need to be on tdc for every cylinder.

and star with cylinder 1 tdc. 90 degrees from tdc one is tdc for cylinder 3 then another 90degrees is cylinder 4 and another is cylinder 2..

do it in the order of 1 3 4 2

Grey

iTrader: (61)

No you don't. It's explained in the DIY. If you can explain to me why you need to be at TDC to adjust valve clearance then by all means go ahead and do so.

flotsamm

iTrader: (1)

I think the instructions already say that you must be at TDC, but in a different way?

I think his reasoning is that when your at TDC, you can be certain that the valves are fully closed and that he rockers are at the lowest point on the cam lobes. I'm guessing this is what he meant?

ceebozz

Im only replacing my valve cover gasket but thanks for the great resource!
I've also heard these valves are good for 100k in initial adjustment..guess thats not for a tuners taste.


YOur awesome..


C

civicstreetrcr

iTrader: (1)

whats TDC???

Grey

iTrader: (61)

Top Dead Center. It's when a piston is as high up as it will go in the cylinder.

civicstreetrcr

iTrader: (1)

so how do you know when the timing is correct? middle pistons are all the way on top?

mclean987

iTrader: (1)

does this mean i cna use either setting which ones would be better for performance or doesnt it matter ? i rev my car to hell all day long

TRIZ

iTrader: (14)

test post.

AriAnaheimGold

I'm in the process of changing my belt, and i can't get the valve cover off.
I've removed everything holding it in place except for the five 10mm bolts that hold the valve cover to the block. The two bolts on the back of the engine were simply to unscrew and slide up and down about 6 inches maybe a bit less. However the three on the front of the cover only unscrew until there are no more threads and they won't slide up. I've got the seal to break on the back of the cover, but the front is still on strong and i'm assuming its because of these damn bolts. Do you have any ideas?

genghis1

Can the engine be damaged if the valves get too far out of adjustment?

gearbox

iTrader: (95)

not likely. as they loosen up, you may hear noise and have power loss, but as far as actual engine damage, you would have to seriously run the car for hundreds of thousands of miles before anything would happen. its mostly done like a tune-up type of service to keep the engine within spec.the manual says every 100k or as needed. so if the engine runs well, you may not even have to do it at that time.