Crazy M30 valves :(
Guys:
After a two day marathon rebuilding my cooling system and brakes, I decided to adjust my valves for the first time to see if I could get rid of the ticking noise that appears to come from Cyl 2's intake.
I'd popped the valve cover before to reseat an ejected banjo bolt, so I am somewhat familiar with that process.
I followed the instructions in my Bentley's and also on Don Gale's page. Car hadn't been started in over a day. Since I don't have a 36mm socket, and because I was going to change the spark plugs anyway, I pulled the old plugs and manipulated the cam by rotating the alternator nut.
Everything was going okay: I set the plugs to .032 - .035 and they went in without much fuss. Followed the 1-5-3-6-2-4 rotation on the valves. However, it was REALLY hard to get all of the eccentrics adjusted so that the .012 would slide in and the .013 wouldn't. I would get it set to spec, tighten it, and then the .013 would slide in easy. After much time (~20 min a cylinder?), I finally got it somewhat right. It seems like the car was set to ~ .011 on all valves previously.
Put everything back together, started the car, and the clicking has gotten *worse*. The idle is smoother - I think one of the old plugs was fouling on and off (now everything's firing), but it now seems like a BUNCH of valves are clicking.
The question then is: what do I do next? Do I set the valves as low as I can get them to see if that will eliminate the noises? Or will adjusting the valves even affect the issue? I know that some noise is normal, but the car sounds like it's chugging along at idle, esp with the hood open.
Any advice would be really appreciated!
Best, Whit
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