I'm preparing to do my first 60k valve lash adjustment to a 93 atx. The instructions I am following are from the SHOPP website, which are for the mtx. The procedure calls for jacking up the left front wheel and putting the car in fifth gear. The purpose of this is to enable me to turn the engine using the wheel, positioning the camshaft lobes correctly for each valve gap measurement. Problem is, I don't have the ability to put the car in fifth gear with my automatic. Will I be able to turn the engine just by putting the car in drive? I'm sure this is a really simple thing, just want to be sure. Thanks.
I have a simple 60k question
- Thread starter 1993atx
- Start date
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Slo-Sho
It wasn't me!
In short, no. Use the old timing belt as a strap wrench get the cam gears lined up TDC using the dimple in the gear pointed at 12 o'clock. Use a 1/2 drive and turn the crank so it's TDC as well. Put the new belt on and use the 1/2 drive to turn the motor/cams. That's the easiest most painless way I can think of. Good luck.
nc89sho
S13 Sellout
Ditto on the above, i didn't even use the 5th gear method on my MTX. half" drive works fine.
40BelowSummer
SHO Member
Top Dead Center
IIRC, you can just use a ratchet on the crank bolt
IIRC, you can just use a ratchet on the crank bolt
Slo-Sho
It wasn't me!
I would change the 1.Timing belt 2.Front main seal 3.Plugs/Wires at the very minimum before I'd ever do the valve lash adj. It's not that critical! Don't believe the hype. The crank bolt is in the center of the dampener, you can turn the motor in either direction (preferably clockwise).
Camarok
Awesome SHO Member!!
its the big pully at the bottom of the motor, closest to the ground.
Dr. Tweak
Mad Scientist
1993atx said:
Turn it clockwise.
DHMag
Free At Last
easier to turn if all spark plugs are removed.
Dr. Tweak said:Turn it clockwise.
The car has 62k, so I'm giving the timing belt 'til 100K(being an atx-I'm told that's ok). I just replaced the plugs, and the wires look fine so I'll keep 'em for now. I'll look into the front main seal-bad one would mean oil seepage wouldn't it? The tool kit rental for shim adjustment is very reasonable cost-wise, so I figured might as well do it while that resource is still available. Is the valve lash adj. every 60k mostly hype? What interval for this procedure do you follow?
Lorenr
Member
Valve Lash Adjustment
If this car only has 62 k on it and:
there was no oil in the plug wells,
the old plugs looked ok,
the car runs good,
there is no valve clicking indicating valve lash problems,
leave the valves alone and put your money somewhere else.
If this car only has 62 k on it and:
there was no oil in the plug wells,
the old plugs looked ok,
the car runs good,
there is no valve clicking indicating valve lash problems,
leave the valves alone and put your money somewhere else.
I've already rented the tools and shims, so I'm gonna do it anyway. After reading some older threads, I can see that valve lash adj. before 100k in a healthy sounding car is a subject of debate-oh well. This is a new car for me, and digging into it a bit will be a good distraction from this winter weather. 
I did find a little oil in the plug wells(1/2 tsp.) Is this little bit of oil worth changing the plug well seals now, or will sealant do the trick?
I did find a little oil in the plug wells(1/2 tsp.) Is this little bit of oil worth changing the plug well seals now, or will sealant do the trick?
qiksho
SHO Addict
I am willing to bet with only 62k on your engine every one of your valve lash clearances will still be in the middle of spec.
I have now done 3 valve lash adjustments on SHO's with over 100k. Most of them were still within spec. In fact two of the SHO's I did at 120k and most of them were still within spec.
If I were you I would not do valve lash until 100k. I have not found to date a shim that was wore funny, or had problems that would cause the cam lobes to wear prematurely.
Save your money for other maintenance...
I have now done 3 valve lash adjustments on SHO's with over 100k. Most of them were still within spec. In fact two of the SHO's I did at 120k and most of them were still within spec.
If I were you I would not do valve lash until 100k. I have not found to date a shim that was wore funny, or had problems that would cause the cam lobes to wear prematurely.
Save your money for other maintenance...
roswell998
Member
1993atx said:I've already rented the tools and shims, so I'm gonna do it anyway. After reading some older threads, I can see that valve lash adj. before 100k in a healthy sounding car is a subject of debate-oh well. This is a new car for me, and digging into it a bit will be a good distraction from this winter weather.
Well................I agree that under normal circumstances I would not do a valve lash adjustment at 62K, HOWEVER, since you have some oil in the wells and have already rented the kit perhaps taking the valve covers off and BEFORE removing any shims, measure (and record) all of the gaps. That doesn't take but a few minutes. The tedious part is removing and replacing the shims. As stated by others you will probably find that all are well within spec without any wear spots and you should just leave the shims as they are.
Go to Autozone and purchase the Felpro valve cover gasket set which includes the plug well gaskets. After reading several threads, I lean toward putting the new plug well gaskets in dry rather than smearing on any RTV. See thread quote by SDPATT (Scott Patterson is definitely the expert
) http://www.shoforum.com/showpost.php?p=90736&postcount=5 Another post somewhere by Scott discourages trying to "band-aide" by using RTV on old seals.You might want to also look for any oil leaks from the 3 cam seals (including the one behind the CID sensor) and the front crank seal since they are more prone to leakage due to age and brittleness rather than mileage. If they need replacing might as well put on a new timing belt since they aren't too expensive. Not a lots of dollars involved here, just time.
Anyway, thats my $.02
Good luck
Thanks for the good input. I'm replacing the plug seals/valve gaskets, and checking valve clearances while I'm in there. Do the valve gaps tighten or widen with time? Knowing this will help me understand what gaps can be left alone and which should be adjusted?
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