req: valve settings for a 1600cc dual port

On Sun, 24 Aug 2003 21:30:05 GMT, "Michael & Pamela Harralston" left Mt Vesuvius in a state of jealous awe as he began spewing from the mouth thusly:

.006 for intake and exhaust.

-- Travis (Shaggie) '63 VW Camo Baja...

corrodes the vessel that carries it.The statements above reflect my own opinions and experiences and nothing more.I don't pretend to be a professional mechanic, politician, philosopher,attorney, or chiropractor.Take any advice in this post at your own risk, and with a grain of salt."Milk is for babies. Beer is for men." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003 01:01:54 +0300, Jan Andersson left Mt Vesuvius in a state of jealous awe as he began spewing from the mouth thusly:

Careful... We have several nu-cu-lar bombs aimed at you right now... ;-)

-- Travis (Shaggie) '63 VW Camo Baja...

corrodes the vessel that carries it.The statements above reflect my own opinions and experiences and nothing more.I don't pretend to be a professional mechanic, politician, philosopher,attorney, or chiropractor.Take any advice in this post at your own risk, and with a grain of salt."Milk is for babies. Beer is for men." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Bombs my ASS. I pee on your military powers. Ha, what a joke. There's just no way they could hit me from that dist#%#@£@££${[.......................................................

Watch out. I can see your face being printed as ace of hearts in the new CIA card deck. (or is it the joker card, I cannot see clearly)

On Mon, 25 Aug 2003 15:39:05 +0300, "Olli Lammi" left Mt Vesuvius in a state of jealous awe as he began spewing from the mouth thusly:

It's the queen of hearts. ;-)

-- Travis (Shaggie) '63 VW Camo Baja...

corrodes the vessel that carries it.The statements above reflect my own opinions and experiences and nothing more.I don't pretend to be a professional mechanic, politician, philosopher,attorney, or chiropractor.Take any advice in this post at your own risk, and with a grain of salt."Milk is for babies. Beer is for men." - Arnold Schwarzenegger

Go to these pages: Rob and Dave's Aircooled Volkswagen Pages

Note: Attention! The valve adjustment must be done with the engine cold from sitting overnight or the adjustmnet will be off and it might result in burning a valve(s). Valve Adjustment

NOTE: This procedure needs to be done every 6000 miles without fail! Keeping the valves adjusted will make your VW run forever (well, almost).

Tools/Parts you will need:

19mm socket and 18-inch swing handle or box-end wrench (ring spanner)

13mm box/open end wrench (ring spanner)

Medium screwdriver

Feeler gauge

Utility light or flash light

New valve cover gaskets

Wheel bearing grease

Form-a-gasket (optional)

Locate the car in your work area (garage, etc.) the night before, as the valves must be adjusted with the engine dead cold.

Set the parking brake firmly and block the front wheels. Put the transmission in neutral.

John Muir (the "Compleat Idiot" guy) says not to jack up the car, but he must be a lot smaller than me! I find that it gives me much more working room and makes the job much easier if I raise the rear of the car onto jack stands and remove the rear wheels.

There should be white paint marks on the backside of the crankshaft pulley (the side closest to you) at TDC (there is a notch in the pulley at TDC) and 180o opposite TDC. If they are not there, paint them on.

NOTE: Top Dead Center is the point at which the piston is at it's highest point in the cylinder--compression is the greatest, and firing of the spark plug takes place. The cylinder must be at TDC when you adjust the intake and exhaust valves.

NOTE: You should also paint a white mark at your timing point. See the Tune-up Procedure to determine your timing point.

Remove the distributor cap and stow it out of the way. With your fingernail find the thin filed line on the distributor rim; this line marks the firing point to Cylinder #1.

NOTE: It helps if you have previously placed identification markings on the spark plug wires and on the distributor. Copper wire wrapped around the distributor end of the spark plug wires works well -- one wrap for Cylinder #1, two wraps for Cylinder #2, etc.

Put the 19mm socket on the nut that holds the generator pulley and rotate the engine clockwise (forward, the way it runs) until the distributor rotor points to the line on the rim and the timing notch (and paint mark) lines up with the crack in the crankcase. This is Top Dead Center (TDC) for Cylinder #1, where the cylinder fires.

Slide under the right side of the car and locate the valve cover (oval piece of pressed steel held to the engine with a thick, loopy, springy wire).

Before you take the valve cover off, look at its lower edge. It may be cruddy but it should be dry. If it looks like its been leaking, you should install new valve cover gaskets. (Even if only one needs to be replaced, replace both. I always install new gaskets every time I adjust the valves.)

Pry the wire clip off with the large screwdriver--the clip must be pried off downwards, or you won't be able to remove the cover easily.

Pull the valve cover off the cylinder head. Now you're looking at the valves, rocker arms and push rods.

The valve clearance is 0.006" for both the intake and exhaust valves. You have adjusted the engine with the #1 Cylinder in firing position. This is the cylinder closest to the front on the right side of the car.

Do the #1 exhaust valve first (it's the one closest to the front on the right). Slip the 0.006" feeler gauge into the gap between the valve and the upper end of the rocker arm, underneath the adjusting bolt. If the 0.006" blade won't go into the gap, try the 0.004" blade. If it won't go, you have a tight valve. If the 0.006" blade just falls through the gap, you have a loose valve. If the blade slides through the gap with a slight resistance to easy sliding, the valve adjustment is right.

If the valve is either too tight or too loose, you've come to the fun part. Loosen the lock nut with the 13mm box end wrench (ring spanner). Careful--make sure the wrench is firmly on the nut; skinned knuckles abound at this point. I sometimes have to break the lock nut loose with a 13mm socket and ratchet. You only need to loosen the nut a quarter turn or so.

Put the screwdriver in the slot in the end of the adjusting bolt and screw it in or out to make the clearance exactly 0.006". While holding the adjusting bolt in place with the screwdriver, tighten the lock nut. (The screwdriver is running through the box end (ring end) of the wrench (spanner) as you do this.) This process is tricky, so take your time. The bolt will sometimes try to tighten up as you tighten the locking nut, so it's best to hold it with the screwdriver while you tighten the nut.

NOTE: The adjusting bolt (the one with the slot that you turn with the screwdriver) must turn freely and independently of the lock nut. You'll have to play with it if the two are locked together.

Check the clearance again; repeat the process if necessary (time and patience are important here).

Adjust the #1 intake valve (the next one towards the rear (third from the rear of the car) to 0.006" as above, then crawl out from under the car and take a rest.

With the 19 mm wrench on the generator pulley nut, turn the engine backwards (counterclockwise) 180o (1/2 circle on the crankshaft pulley) until the paint mark on the crankshaft pulley (directly opposite the TDC notch) is lined up with the crack in the crankcase. Now Cylinder #2 is in firing position, at top dead center.

Crawl back under the right side of the car and proceed to adjust the exhaust and intake valves for Cylinder #2 (the two furthest to the rear on the right side).

Clean the old gasket out of the valve cover and clean the sealing surfaces thoroughly. Reinstall the new gasket with a thin coat of wheel bearing grease on the face of the gasket that fits to the head. NOTE: Some people use gasket glue in a vain attempt to prevent oil leakage. We do not recommend this, but if you insist, apply the gasket glue on the cover side of the gasket ONLY. Never put glue on the side of the gasket which fits against the head!

Reinstall the valve cover--make sure it fits properly, then hold with one hand and pry the clip up into the slot with the screwdriver. The wire clip should slide up without too much effort. If it feels too tight, check to make sure you haven't got the cover cocked at an angle

- slide it round a bit to make sure it's sitting flat on the head. (I tap the valve cover around a bit with a rubber hammer to make sure it's seated properly.) You're now finished with Cylinders #1 and #2 the right side, and you're ready to do #3 and #4 on the left.

Crank the engine with the wrench counterclockwise another 180o until the timing notch is again lined up with the crack in the crankcase. This puts Cylinder #3 at top dead center, the point at which it fires.

Remove the valve cover on the left side of the car and adjust the exhaust and intake valves on the #3 Cylinder (front, left) as above.

Crank the engine counterclockwise another 180o until the paint mark directly opposite the timing notch on the crankshaft pulley is lined up with the crack in the engine case. This puts Cylinder #4 at top dead center, the point at which it fires.

Adjust the exhaust and intake valves on the #4 Cylinder (rear, left) as above.

Reinstall the valve cover just like you did the other one.

Replace the rear wheels (if you removed them), remove the jack stands and lower the car.

Removed the blocks from under the front wheels, and off you go. Your baby will reward you with a wonderful ride!

• * * * *

You wish, sweetie pie.. you wish ;)

Jan