When is 308 valve adjustment necessary???

Do we need valve adjustment every 20,000 mile interval? or whenever we hear the noise of the valves through valve cover? two mechnics heard the noise through valve cover of my 308,77. One said I need valve adjustment, the other said the noise wasn't too bad. Last time my car have valve adjustment, more than 20,000 mile ago... Please advise..

 

You can either do it at a specified mileage/km interval, or when you hear one valve ticking louder than all the others, or if the valve train sounds like a can of gravel. Each time the valve covers are off, the clearence should be checked.

 

It's 20,000 km not miles. So about 12,000 miles interval.

And the clearances almost always get smaller on 308, not larger, so the noise gets quieter as they wear down.

Once re-set, you should hear some very slight valve chatter with a keen ear, but it's hard to tell.

If you re-set the clearances to their larger tolerance, you'll usually find they go 40,000km or 24,000 miles beofre a re-set is required. But it can't be relied upon as it depends on so many things.

When your covers are off, get them blasted with VERY fine glass beads (not sand), to restore that new look. New domed nuts and nice clean red leads and it'll be like a new one.

 

I do mine every 15-16K miles when I do the 30K service. I usually put on 3-4K miles a year so its 4 years in between belt changes. I have only needed to regap 2 valves since i've checked. As expected they were exhaust valves. They usually tighten up faster then the intake valves. Its a simple job of which most of it is time to remove the cam covers which in my case I remove the engine cover.

 

What Phil said is correct but for the US Ferrari changed the spec to 15k miles. Do not follow the bad advice I hear occasionally that because they are direct acting that adjustments are a waste of time.

 

beware the exhaust valve problem on these early cars! I have a 78 just come in with a dropped valve. it is not if but when this failure can occur.

We check clearance at every belt service.

Brian