Valve check

[2fast]

I'm thinking of checking my valves,have had the car a year now and have not checked them,I've only changed fluids and filters.

I've never "opened" her up before,have read the Haynes,E34 site,searched and the bible (Bentley)

Few things to buy:

Torque wrench
Lock tight glue
Feeler gauge
Gasket
6 pack

Can I use a 32mm wrench on the fan to move the crankshaft,Is this ok?

When I get the first cylinder at TDC do I adjust both sides at the same time?
Is it easy to tell when its at TDC?

Sorry for the lame question's, I have never done this before trying to get as much info as I can so I don't mess things up.

I want to make her purr

[joshua43214]

Use the 32mm wrench to remove the fan and turn the engine with a wrench on the crank bolt, this takes what? 3 minutes? Turning the engine with the fan nut is just asking for trouble.

There is a pointer on the front of the engine and a notch on the crank, it will be clearly visable with the fan removed. Yours may even have degrees marked on the crank, either way just like up the 0 on the crank with the line on the front of the engine.

Use whatever method of adjusting the valves that makes the most sense to you, every ones system works. just make sure they are consistent.

[2fast]

So I remove the fan and there should be a crank bolt thats 36mm is that right?

So will need to add a 36mm socket to my list?

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

http://www.bmwe34.net/e34main/mainte...lve_adjust.htm

[2fast]

Already have that's why I asked about using the fan bolt,was checking if that's the way most people do it.

[2fast]

A trick from Brent Berger:
There is no need to use a 36mm socket on the counter balancer to rotate the camshaft, which first requires removing the radiator fan and housing to gain access. All that is needed is a 32mm open end wrench on the radiator fan nut. With all the spark plugs removed, and the fan belt tight, it was very easy to turn the counter balancer and camshaft via the fan nut (clockwise) to set all the valves. This would have helped me greatly if I would have known ahead of time ( I spent a couple days rounding up the very large socket I thought was needed). I hope others will benifit from my experience.

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

old film can and some wire, and your can bump the starter to do it electrically through the big black plug.

[2fast]

Thank's But I will stick to doing it by hand the first time around.

So I should use a 36mm socket on the counter balancer (Whatever that is)

[Blitzkrieg Bob]

I used a big adjustable wrench from under the car on the crank bolt.

Too lazy to take the fan stuff all off.

turn 1/3 and check the cam lobes to make sure they are pointing down in relation to the block, and adjust.

2x for good luck.

[joshua43214]

Sorry, I wasn't thinking clearly when I made my first post. I kinda tired. You will have some trouble finding a 36mm socket, and when yu do it may be very expensive. though Harbor Freight does pop these odd goodies from time to time.

The problem with using the fan nut, is that even with the plugs removed, you need more torque than is required to torque the nut to turn over the engine. But on the other hand, its probably already overtightened, people get neurotic about the fan nut and worry it will spin off and eat the radiator. So, no damage done right? You can crank the engine with the alternater nut with out harming anything.

really, once you use a remote starter, you won't use anything else. Get the kind that has a button(not a paddle) and remove the sheild so you can bang it on the engine to bump it over.