Valve Adjustment???

So my car is going in for its belts, tensioners, fluids, etc.

Im also going to have the remaining fuel hoses replaced.

I have been asked about valve adjustment.

My car has a total of 20K miles on it and the valves were adjusted last time it went in for its "major" which was about 8K miles ago.

What does the FChat brain trust think about doing another valve adjustment based on this?

Is it needed? Is it something that should be done?

My car runs perfectly now.....

Thanks

 

No need if it was properly done last time and there are no leaks that require removal of the valve covers. Chances are it will need belts again before valve adjusting is due. Do it then.

 

Every 25,000 if memory serves

 

12,500 or 15,000 depending on market.

 

It cannot harm to "check" it. I would do that at least on 8k miles. I did mine on 10k and it needed re-adjustment..

 

Every 12,500-15,000kilometres? Bloody hell that's crap! My old Lotus is every 25,000k

 

It were only 4 valves and two of them where still in the range, but on the edge. IMHO it does not harm to do a check after 10k (or 8 in this case), since it is a costly matter if it goes wrong If it were a Fiat Panda I would care a bit! :-D

 

What's the WS Manual say?

 

My .02
Do you have the before and after readings from the previous job? How do you know it was done to specifications last time? I always keep before and after on my 308.

 

Ron, for the amount of time you drive your car and it running perfectly, I wouldn't bother with doing the valves.
IMO, you should just drive it this season and do the major in the winter because you hardly drive that car! She just needs to be driven!

 

You did ask for opinions and it appears I have one.

I'm with Rifledriver. You are under miles. Belts and go, if it's time. If the valve covers have to come off for a leak then there is no point in not checking them. But if they were set properly last time you should be good.

 

Thanks for all of the replys. I think I will wait to see what the mechanic says. I'm not interested in cutting corners but my discretionary fund is causing me to use discretion.....

We took the car out to dinner Saterday night and we put about two hundred wonderful miles on her. The Mondial is a superb highway cruiser.

 

For checking/adjusting according to the T manual....
Cheers,
Greg
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If I am not mistaken that is in kilometers. That would be 12.5miles

 

Seems a bit excessive.
And no harm done if they're just a bit out of adjustment

 

Seems like the right thing to do is go ahead and have them adjusted.
Don't know how much it will add but I don't want to cheep out and compromise the servicing of my car.
It's been about 8k miles since they were last adjusted and based on history, it will be 8k miles more during the next five years of driving.

 

I have to say I've never know valves that need checking/adjusting at only 8,000miles, Ferrari valve train must be very poor and wears away fast or someone is out to make money.

 

I have pondered this valve clearance thing for a long time and have some experience with bad valve lifters. First, a loose fit does not hurt anything. Solid lifters in Detroit Iron often clatter and were something of a status symbol back in the day.

In addition, I have experienced with valves to tight. This happened when an hydraulic lifter on my Corvair went soft. I adjusted it as prescribed but it was to tight and I did not notice it. The symptom was a bad idle which took me a very long time to diagnose. It never hurt a damned thing. Just idled bad.

Further, I have read instances where Ferrari tappets were adjusted to the wrong specs and never led to anything bad anyway. So I do not worry about tappet clearances. My 3.2 is not due for another 15,000 miles but it is not something that worries me. If the idle goes to hell THEN I would take notice.

Has anyone had or heard of destruction due to improper cam clearences?

------
Ten thousand miles in two years and counting!

 

Too tight and the valves will burn but if they need adjusting every 8,000 then I would say that after 40,000 miles the valve train would be shot.......However we know this not to be the case, the valve train is usually good for 80,000 miles OR if you believe what some have said 100,000 miles+.
So why is there a need for constant nursing and checking at 8,000 intervals?
I will be checking mine at 20,000 intervals, same as my 1987 Lotus

 

When I had a major service on my Mondial,which is now Rap's, my mechanic checked what he calls valve lash it happened to be good but I would think it would be a good idea to have your mechanic check it.

 

I thought that's what they do as part of a valve clearance job is it not? I believe valve lash = valve clearance, adjusting the lash, in turn, adjusts the clearance between the valve and the head when it's not closed.

Did not know this until I saw the video:
Tighter lash = more torque
Greater lash = more horsepower at higher RPM

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3gMYWLMAzao[/ame]

 

You are correct Mike valve lash = valve clearance.

 

Just to clarify Chaps, valve clearance is the gap between the cam (non lobe side) and the valve follower that sits on the top of the valve stem.
In a perfect world there would be no clearance at all BUT the clearance is there to allow for metal expansions in the head, the valve and the cam.
The valve clearance is not designed for any other purpose other than to ensure a quiet smooth operation of the valve and cam together whilst ensuring that when the cam lobe is off the valve follower, then the valve is completely shut.

(Yes valve clearance does have a small effect of valve timing and valve opening but this is a side effect and not a primary function and it's effect is very small in BHP terms)

The problem with old cars like ours is that the valve shims are solid and so need adjusting as with time the exhaust valves burn away and hammer themselves into their seats, the inlets less so.
Result is the valve clearance gets smaller, then if the correct working clearance is not maintained the valves my get 'hung up' on the cam and not fully seat on the head during combustion.
If this (no valve clearance) situation occurs the valve will burn away and you will loose compression and then you are into a head rebuild.

My argument is that no way should or do our cars need adjustment every 8,000 miles, since need for adjustment is as a result of valve wear and if our valves were wearing at 8,000 miles then we'd be rebuilding heads every 30-40,000 miles or so.
Hope this makes some sense to you good folks now, or at least my point.
All the best Bell

PS the term 'lash' or 'valve lash' has probably mutated from the term back'lash' this is also an engineering tolerance or 'gap' between say gear teeth in gearboxes etc.

Please also note that Emilys Fiat X19 has valves checked every 20.000miles, but then maybe Fiat make better engines than Ferrari after all ;-)

 

Thanks for this information.

- Ron

 

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Thanks Bell. The info is much appreciated.