Question on Eric’s Honda’s valve adjustments.

[Bad_dude]

Here’s the video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7wI4EtZSaA
In the video, Eric said the lobe should be 180 degree away from the rocker arm.

Topic

[yarddog1950]

That’s a fancy way of saying the valve needs to be closed. With an overhead camshaft engine, you can see the cam lobes when you’re adjusting valves. When the peak of the lobe points directly opposite the rocker or follower, the valve is closed.
The low side of the cam lobe is called the heel or base circle. When the heel rests on the follower, the valve is closed and ready to adjust.

[EricTheCarGuy]

Yea and I believe I even put an illustration in that video to show where the cam should be located for the adjustment. As I said in the video if you don’t get the adjustment correct you run the risk of damaging the engine so be sure you get it right, in truth the only thing a valve adjustment will do if done correctly is smooth out the engine.

[johnzcarz]

It’s been my experience that you don’t necessarily have to be with the lobe 180 opposite the follower (Eric may have even mentioned that in the video) when adjusting that valve – for the most part the heel/base circle of any cam I have ever seen is ground the same all the way around. I’m not saying you can just rotate the engine to close the valve and adjust it right at that point, but getting the cam lobe EXACTLY opposite the follower is not necessary…+ or – a few degrees wont matter any.

[Bad_dude]

Quoted From EricTheCarGuy:

Yea and I believe I even put an illustration in that video to show where the cam should be located for the adjustment. As I said in the video if you don’t get the adjustment correct you run the risk of damaging the engine so be sure you get it right, in truth the only thing a valve adjustment will do if done correctly is smooth out the engine.

Well, I have done it to your method for about a little less than 2 year now. The engine still running strong. I guess I got paranoid when some one mentioned gas mileage could drop if the valves are too tight. My 90 Accord is about 19-20 city driving. I haven’t gone on the freeway much at all since I became unemployed last June 2011. This is one anniversary I don’t really care for. Lol.

[yarddog1950]

[url=http://cliffcheat.blogspot.com/2010/11/check-valve-adjustment.html:1ew44l09]http://cliffcheat.blogspot.com/2010/11/check-valve-adjustment.html
H[/url]ere’s an illustration of a cam lobe “on the base circle” or “heel” of the contact surface The low part of the lobe sits on the “pad” and the valve lash is ready to adjust. If you’re off a few degrees either way, the valve is still completely closed.
I would call the “rocker” in this drawing a “finger”, but I’m picky.

[yarddog1950]

Bad dude,
Check out the second illustration . This shows a typical DOHC (dual overhead cam) arrangement on an older engine. There’s no “finger” (or rocker) and the camshaft has to be removed to adjust the valve by means of shim.
This shows a cam lobe “on the base circle” or heel, and ready to adjust.
In Eric’s video, the cam is visible, but it’s hard to see under the rocker.
I did not answer your other questions about gas mileage and so on, because Eric answered them in his video

.http://www.dinospider.com/valves.html

[Bad_dude]

Wow, nice illustrations. Now come the next question, if the valves adjusted too tight, would the engine not run smooth? My car runs real smooth and nice acceleration plus power after the valves were adjust Eric’s way. This was done like almost 2 years ago. Before that I adjusted as the Honda’s manual with TDC and looking at the cam pulley and adjust valves to cylinders 1, 3, 4, and 2. The valves flap like mad with no high rpm power at all. Did it Eric’s way and all happy so far. But wouldn’t the engine run poorly with too light of valve adjustments? Once the engine warms up to operating temperatures, you can barely hear it running. My wife who’s use to driving a 99 Corolla VE borrowed my car one time and said the car is too responsive. A light tap of the gas pedal and the car takes off. I like it responsive like that. I don’t think valve adjustments would do too much for gas mileage unless grossly and poorly adjusted right?

I maintain the car really well and the ignition timing is within 15 degrees as the tag under the hood say. I jump the ECU and line up the pointer with the white mark. I have an auto tranny and my buddy has a manual and he’s getting 30+mpg and he drives like a maniac while I take it easy and get only most 22mpg so I thought it was the bad valve adjustments. But after almost 2 years, if the valves are too tight, it would show some bad signs with the engine by now right?

Thanks for all of the help guys. Back to preping my hubcaps.
Here’s the link to my car, not too bad for a 21 year old car right? I think it’s a classic now that it’s over 20 year old. Lol
http://www.cb7tuner.com/vbb/showthread.php?t=188160

[EricTheCarGuy]

If the valves are adjusted too tight not only will there be an issue with rough running but there’s a good chance you could burn up the exhaust valves because they would never fully close and as a result they would overheat. As I said in the video “better to hear them than to smell them”.

[Bad_dude]

Quoted From EricTheCarGuy:

If the valves are adjusted too tight not only will there be an issue with rough running but there’s a good chance you could burn up the exhaust valves because they would never fully close and as a result they would overheat. As I said in the video “better to hear them than to smell them”.

Thanks buddy. I like chatting with you now before you become too famous to spare any words later.

[EricTheCarGuy]

Quoted From Bad_dude:

Thanks buddy. I like chatting with you now before you become too famous to spare any words later.

I hope it doesn’t come to that, it would suck to loose touch with the very people that put me where I am today but I must admit that it’s getting harder and harder to keep up the more people ‘discover’ me.

[Author]

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