cautionary tale

http://www.flickr.com/photos/38636024@N00/4162355180/

when is the last time you checked /your/ valve lash? don't you want to
avoid this little problem?

just pulled this from a civic with "an emissions problem". the
incredible doofus that was ripping the owner off trying to "fix" the
problem, simply welded in a second HUGE catalyst into the exhaust
system. and was disappointed when it didn't work! then they removed
the bulb from the "check engine" light...

 

Wow! Nobody noticed the lumpy idle?

I do my valves once a year, which equates to about 25,000 miles. I find
perhaps one or two that have moved maybe a thou. Some years there's no
noticeable change to any of them. I suspect this valve came fom an engine
that may have NEVER had its valved checked.

 

Wow! Nobody noticed the lumpy idle?

I do my valves once a year, which equates to about 25,000 miles. I find
perhaps one or two that have moved maybe a thou. Some years there's no
noticeable change to any of them. I suspect this valve came fom an engine
that may have NEVER had its valved checked.

 

d15b1 motor - unlike almost all other honda motors, the flywheel is
/really/ heavy - it idled reasonably well. they should have noticed the
lack of difference that plug made when pulling the lead though. a
compression test might have helped too.

initially, i suspected a thrown rod, [classic for "smooth idle"
misfires] but a long screwdriver down the spark plug hole showed the
piston still moving.

i suspect it was done, but done badly. should leave the feeler gauge in
when snugging up the lock nut so the adjuster doesn't move.

 

d15b1 motor - unlike almost all other honda motors, the flywheel is
/really/ heavy - it idled reasonably well. they should have noticed the
lack of difference that plug made when pulling the lead though. a
compression test might have helped too.

initially, i suspected a thrown rod, [classic for "smooth idle"
misfires] but a long screwdriver down the spark plug hole showed the
piston still moving.

i suspect it was done, but done badly. should leave the feeler gauge in
when snugging up the lock nut so the adjuster doesn't move.

 

OK. Now you guys have ruined my quiet Sunday morning. Are you saying
that valves should be or MUST be checked on a scheduled basis? Even when
there are no other indications of a valve related problem?

I have 145K on my 2000 Accord that runs smooth as silk. Should I take it
in "just because"?

 

OK. Now you guys have ruined my quiet Sunday morning. Are you saying
that valves should be or MUST be checked on a scheduled basis? Even when
there are no other indications of a valve related problem?

I have 145K on my 2000 Accord that runs smooth as silk. Should I take it
in "just because"?

 

The 2000 Accord owner's manual specifies valve adjustment every so many
miles. At one time it was 15K miles, but I think yours is 30K miles.
That is, if it's a 4 cylinder.

My 02 Odyssey specifies to do it "as needed if you hear noise". That's
marketing speak for "my God, it costs $300 to adjust valves on this
silly thing! We can't tell them to do THAT every 30K miles!"

 

The 2000 Accord owner's manual specifies valve adjustment every so many
miles. At one time it was 15K miles, but I think yours is 30K miles.
That is, if it's a 4 cylinder.

My 02 Odyssey specifies to do it "as needed if you hear noise". That's
marketing speak for "my God, it costs $300 to adjust valves on this
silly thing! We can't tell them to do THAT every 30K miles!"

 

Yea. I check my Accord once a year, more out of guilt than anything
else. I don't expect to find that anything has moved more than a thou.

Even with zero maintenance, you're got to wonder if they abused the
engine somehow. Assuming the valves were set correctly at some time, it
takes a lot of seat wear to eat up the clearance. (Right?)

 

Yea. I check my Accord once a year, more out of guilt than anything
else. I don't expect to find that anything has moved more than a thou.

Even with zero maintenance, you're got to wonder if they abused the
engine somehow. Assuming the valves were set correctly at some time, it
takes a lot of seat wear to eat up the clearance. (Right?)

 

I haven't seen a valve that bad since my brother in law pulled in the
driveway with his Fiat just barely able to make it up hills in the early
80's. All four exhaust valves were burned, not because of bad lash, but
because a helpful "mechanic" had removed the air pump belt to give him
more power without bothering to re-jet the carburettor appropriately.
The extremely lean mixture, unleaded fuel, and the non-sodium-filled
valves did the rest. One of the valves was about 40% gone. We were
able to recut the seats without replacing them, but valve height with
new valves was just barely within spec.

The job was an incredible pain in the neck, and led to a "No Fiats" rule
in my driveway that has lasted until this day...I'd sooner replace the
clutch on an Accord on jackstands.

 

I haven't seen a valve that bad since my brother in law pulled in the
driveway with his Fiat just barely able to make it up hills in the early
80's. All four exhaust valves were burned, not because of bad lash, but
because a helpful "mechanic" had removed the air pump belt to give him
more power without bothering to re-jet the carburettor appropriately.
The extremely lean mixture, unleaded fuel, and the non-sodium-filled
valves did the rest. One of the valves was about 40% gone. We were
able to recut the seats without replacing them, but valve height with
new valves was just barely within spec.

The job was an incredible pain in the neck, and led to a "No Fiats" rule
in my driveway that has lasted until this day...I'd sooner replace the
clutch on an Accord on jackstands.

 

how much does it cost for a head gasket replacement? because that's
essentially what you're looking at.

 

how much does it cost for a head gasket replacement? because that's
essentially what you're looking at.

 

it's not just seat wear - the valve heads soften ever so slightly as
they warm up, so extended use at high speed, with the normal hammering
effect of operation, means the seats bash impressions into the head.
that closes clearances quite effectively. you can almost see that in
the pic.

if you're just pottering about town, it's not so much of a problem.
when i used to do more high speed [high temp] runs, my biannual checks
were much more likely to show a need for adjustment.

 

it's not just seat wear - the valve heads soften ever so slightly as
they warm up, so extended use at high speed, with the normal hammering
effect of operation, means the seats bash impressions into the head.
that closes clearances quite effectively. you can almost see that in
the pic.

if you're just pottering about town, it's not so much of a problem.
when i used to do more high speed [high temp] runs, my biannual checks
were much more likely to show a need for adjustment.

 

how much does it cost for a head gasket replacement? because that's
essentially what you're looking at.[/QUOTE]

Hadn't thought of it that way. Good question.

 

how much does it cost for a head gasket replacement? because that's
essentially what you're looking at.[/QUOTE]

Hadn't thought of it that way. Good question.

 

I suppose you could do it that way, but I've been doing valves for almost
30 years and have never left the gauge in.

All I do is to make careful note of the position of the screwdriver slot at
the correct clearance setting, and make a tiny adjustment down to allow for
the slight gain in clearance you get when you snug the nut again.