"Haven't you done the valves like 500 times?" quoth my wife

[Robin-535im]

As an owner of an M30, valves are often on my mind. I've set them way tight, way loose, and many places in between. My wife thinks it's the kind of thing that should be done once and forgotten... "but the banjo bolts!" I protest with a bit of panic, "I have to see if they're loose!"

So this time it's .010 intake, .012 exhaust. Bill got me scared a while back so I backed off from .008 intake, .010 exhaust. I figure the intake has all that cold air coming in to cool it off so it can take a shorter seat time in stride, and 12 is within specs, so the cam should be okay with working banjo bolts and Mobile 1.

If anyone cares to read, here's my procedure:
1) remove fan shroud (2 plastic pop rivets, pull up and around the rad hoses) and the lower plastic skid plate (4 plastic 10mm, 1 metal 10mm) This is so you can access the crankshaft nut from inside the engine compartment.
2) pull spark plug wires (plugs stay in) and remove all the valve cover nuts (cover stays on for now).
3) pull the idle control valve and oil breather from the intake inlet hose, loosen the worm-screw-clamp at the throttle butterfly, undo the nut from the airbox to the firewall, and pull the air intake ram from the headlight plastic surround.
4) now the whole intake from the airbox to the throttle butterfly can come out in one piece, and after that, the valve cover + gasket. Pulling the whole air box gives lots of room to get your arms in to turn the crankshaft nut.
5) using a 10mm wrench, tiny allen wrench for the lobes, and feelers, set them valves however you want. Set 'em early and often. Your wife will grow to appreciate it. Turn the engine with the crankshaft nut (I forget the size, it's the only dirty big one in my kit so I never have to look) and watch for the lobes to be 180 out of the rocker arm foot. You can feel the compression build up too as an indicator of when some lobes are coming into position. Be sure to double check after you think you're done... correct size should slide in, one size larger should not.

Oh - and I think .008 / .010 is too tight. .010 / .012 seems good to me, and if you get the valves all the same the idle seems to be fine. Starts easier now than before, and I think I caught a loose one that was making noise before.

[JonE]

Hi Robin,
I probably should do this soon, too. So, are you leaving the plugs in to feel the compression build and just turning the engine with the nut? Do you need a pretty long breaker to turn it or is it not too bad?

[Jr ///M5]

I'm too lazy to use the breaker bar on the crank. I fixed up one of those momentary contact switches and 6' leads with a couple of bullets that fit the diagnostic connectors. Plug into the proper pins and voila, instant remote starter. Barely bump the starter (with the key off of course) and put the cams where you want 'em.

Bill R made a nice one using a film canister for a switch holder and nice curly leads. Mine's not that fancy, like I said, I was lazy...=)

Jr

[Bill R.]

use no film canisters .... It was a pill bottle, we all take pills nowadays...
Plus it makes a handy tool to reset the oil and service lights.

I'm too lazy to use the breaker bar on the crank. I fixed up one of those momentary contact switches and 6' leads with a couple of bullets that fit the diagnostic connectors. Plug into the proper pins and voila, instant remote starter. Barely bump the starter (with the key off of course) and put the cams where you want 'em.

Bill R made a nice one using a film canister for a switch holder and nice curly leads. Mine's not that fancy, like I said, I was lazy...=)

Jr

[Robin-535im]

How far does it turn the engine with one bump? A few degrees?

Re: leaving the plugs in... I had them out not too long ago (5k miles maybe) so I didn't want to go through the trouble to remove them.

Turning the crank isn't hard. I can't quite do it one handed because the crappy socket wrench I have (Harbor Freight Special) has to be held onto the nut with my right hand while I pull the bar with my left. I'm no body builder and there's minimal effort involved, mostly it's a problem of access.

I'll have to build one of those bump starters though. That'll shave 50% off my time I'm sure. Right now I can go start to finish in about two hours, with beer/potty breaks in the middle.

[Brian C.]

I go through about 2 dozen in a week, so if-in you ever want a few of those little gray cans, just holler.

Brian C.
.....but I'm dijatized too!

[Jr ///M5]

How far does it turn the engine with one bump? A few degrees?

Re: leaving the plugs in... I had them out not too long ago (5k miles maybe) so I didn't want to go through the trouble to remove them.

Turning the crank isn't hard. I can't quite do it one handed because the crappy socket wrench I have (Harbor Freight Special) has to be held onto the nut with my right hand while I pull the bar with my left. I'm no body builder and there's minimal effort involved, mostly it's a problem of access.

I'll have to build one of those bump starters though. That'll shave 50% off my time I'm sure. Right now I can go start to finish in about two hours, with beer/potty breaks in the middle.

[Jr ///M5]

Like Bill says, it doubles for your service light and inspection light reset tool. It's two tools in one!!!

How much would YOU pay for a tool like that????
$25?
$50??

Actually you can make it for about $3.....=)

2 hours to adjust the valves??? Just how many beers does it take anyway??? =)

Jr

[Hector]

method but I need to get with the times here. I got an assorment of electronic components here at work where I could easily rig something up like you guys did but I'm either too lazy or too busy to fiddle with it. Looks like it sure makes valve adjustment go by pretty fast.

On a slightly different topic a guy in my neighborhood is selling his black 635csi for $2K. 'Thinking about purchasing it,' I mentioned to the GF. She almost hit the roof. "It's somewhat bad enough you spending a little too much time on the bimmer you have right now..." Well, you can guess the rest. Anyway, the car needs quite a bit of work bodywise and and some work to the engine but the thought crossed my mind more than once a too many... considering this the car still looks nice.

[rommel]

I'm going to try the 10 & 12 this weekend Robin. Mine are at 12 right now. I've tried 13, noisy but smooth ---11, rough idle and louder clunking. 12 seems to be the magic number right now. Mine are a little noisy with a little bit of clunking. I don't think it's my chain as I have a new guide and tensioner and cleaned the pressure piston. I can't wait to try the "staggered setup"!