2007 Honda Accord 2.4 has 165K on it. Valve train seems to be making more noise. I am not a mechanic but do my own brakes, plugs and other general maintenance. I've watched some youtube videos and did some other reading on adjusting valves and I think I can handle it. Anyone have any tips or suggestions before I attempt to tackle it?
First time valve adjustment on Honda
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I wussed out back in 2010 on my CR-V with the same engine and had my mechanic do it. It doesn't look hard but MAN if you overtighten them it's a bad scene.
I'm due again in 3k which will take me about 5 months more driving these days. Mine are REALLY noisy these days.
I'm due again in 3k which will take me about 5 months more driving these days. Mine are REALLY noisy these days.
I would not do my first job on a DOHC VTEC.
MOST IMPORTANT. Engine must be STONE COLD, next day, never started, to adjust; OTW, you'll be too loose.
I did top end adj of race engines for many years in 70's and early 80's. I was the go-to guy.
MOST IMPORTANT. Engine must be STONE COLD, next day, never started, to adjust; OTW, you'll be too loose.
I did top end adj of race engines for many years in 70's and early 80's. I was the go-to guy.
If you are not comfortable with doing valve lash adjustments, then don't do it.
Any mistakes that you make may cause serious damage,i.e. you overtighten those valve lash locking nuts and then adjusting screw will snap into 2; and try getting a replacement while you are down (car grounded) from stealerships would be fun...serious fun.
Q.
Any mistakes that you make may cause serious damage,i.e. you overtighten those valve lash locking nuts and then adjusting screw will snap into 2; and try getting a replacement while you are down (car grounded) from stealerships would be fun...serious fun.
Q.
Originally Posted By: ARCOgraphite
I would not do my first job on a DOHC VTEC.
MOST IMPORTANT. Engine must be STONE COLD, next day, never started, to adjust; OTW, you'll be too loose.
I did top end adj of race engines for many years in 70's and early 80's. I was the go-to guy.
Yep, cylinder head must be at 90 degrees or less temperature wise.
I would not do my first job on a DOHC VTEC.
MOST IMPORTANT. Engine must be STONE COLD, next day, never started, to adjust; OTW, you'll be too loose.
I did top end adj of race engines for many years in 70's and early 80's. I was the go-to guy.
Yep, cylinder head must be at 90 degrees or less temperature wise.
If it's anything like a 2008 CR-V (also a K24), it's not too bad. If you can find feeler gauges with angled tips, it works better. Otherwise, you'll have to bend a straight blade to reach into the gap. I had one slightly loose intake valve on the CR-V after 100,000 miles.
Watch out for the seals around the spark plug tubes, one might stay behind when the cover comes off, and make sure they are positioned right when the cover goes back on. The service manual had you put two small dabs of RTV on the block where there are angled edges where the valve cover fits.
DON'T turn the engine backward when positioning the cams. May be less of an issue on the Honda, but going the wrong way may cause too much slack in the chain and it could jump a tooth.
Ditto on making sure the engine is stone cold before adjusting.
Watch out for the seals around the spark plug tubes, one might stay behind when the cover comes off, and make sure they are positioned right when the cover goes back on. The service manual had you put two small dabs of RTV on the block where there are angled edges where the valve cover fits.
DON'T turn the engine backward when positioning the cams. May be less of an issue on the Honda, but going the wrong way may cause too much slack in the chain and it could jump a tooth.
Ditto on making sure the engine is stone cold before adjusting.
Too loose is better than too tight. It's been my experience that they get tighter as the valve recesses into the head.
I used a go/no go feeler gauge and a inch pound torque wrench on Hondas for many years with no problems. Just be sure you have the crank positioned correctly so that the valves you are adjusting are free.
If you don't try, you'll never know how it would go.
The advice above is good, too loose is safer than too tight.
Hardest part is ensuring that the feeler gauge is not twisted as you pull it through the gap. By the time you are done, you'll be semi-expert.
The advice above is good, too loose is safer than too tight.
Hardest part is ensuring that the feeler gauge is not twisted as you pull it through the gap. By the time you are done, you'll be semi-expert.
You guys are making me feel a little incompetent. I may have to chicken out. I hate paying the dealers top dollar! Dang it.
DO IT!
I'd chicken out on my own vehicle first time.
I did it on a Honda engine we had at school, but it was on a stand so we didn't get to start it up to see if it worked, so no confidence built off that exercise...
I have full confidence to do it on an old beater car, but I'd take it to the dealer if my valves get too noisy.
And I'd actually watch them do it.
I wouldn't want them to use a stethoscope on it and "listen" to see if it sounds like it doesn't need it and charge you as if they did it.
If you listen to your valve train regularly, you'll know when to do it.
I listen before and after every oil change, and sometimes I leave the car running and pop the hood and poke around, listen to the engine and see how much things are shaking under the hood etc.
Too tight is really bad news. You can burn your exhaust valves. A semi pricey fix after that.
So don't feel bad about wussing out, I would too.
I did it on a Honda engine we had at school, but it was on a stand so we didn't get to start it up to see if it worked, so no confidence built off that exercise...
I have full confidence to do it on an old beater car, but I'd take it to the dealer if my valves get too noisy.
And I'd actually watch them do it.
I wouldn't want them to use a stethoscope on it and "listen" to see if it sounds like it doesn't need it and charge you as if they did it.
If you listen to your valve train regularly, you'll know when to do it.
I listen before and after every oil change, and sometimes I leave the car running and pop the hood and poke around, listen to the engine and see how much things are shaking under the hood etc.
Too tight is really bad news. You can burn your exhaust valves. A semi pricey fix after that.
So don't feel bad about wussing out, I would too.
I know yours is a Honda, but I did my "91 Camry 4 cylinder valve adjustment after literally no one I could find knew how to do it. A dealership 30 miles away possibly knew of an older guy that "might" be able to do it, but after much hassle I decided to try it myself. Not long before I burnt a valve because I never adjusted it in 250,000 miles, the engine ran incredibly quiet. And then it started missing on one cylinder about a month later. Burnt exhaust valve.
I read up on it and it just took time but wasn't really that hard. If you can read decimal points on feeler gauges and add or subtract to get into the right tolerances, you should be good. I adjusted them a bit on the looser side of the scale so that I would probably not ever have to do them again. 60,000 miles later, the car is still running strong and I saved about $600 that the dealership "older guy" would have charged.
My engine is non-interference so no real damage if I really messed up. I bought 3 new shims at the dealer for about $60 or so. Took me about 3 hrs and triple checked them a couple days later. I'm not sure about Honda engines, but it made me feel better saying that I did it myself. Read up on it and watch some videos to get familiar with what might be ahead. The dealer/independent shop will always be there if you don't want to attempt it. Good luck either way.
I read up on it and it just took time but wasn't really that hard. If you can read decimal points on feeler gauges and add or subtract to get into the right tolerances, you should be good. I adjusted them a bit on the looser side of the scale so that I would probably not ever have to do them again. 60,000 miles later, the car is still running strong and I saved about $600 that the dealership "older guy" would have charged.
My engine is non-interference so no real damage if I really messed up. I bought 3 new shims at the dealer for about $60 or so. Took me about 3 hrs and triple checked them a couple days later. I'm not sure about Honda engines, but it made me feel better saying that I did it myself. Read up on it and watch some videos to get familiar with what might be ahead. The dealer/independent shop will always be there if you don't want to attempt it. Good luck either way.
I wouldn't go to the dealer (for anything, except warranty). There are plenty of garages that specialize in Hondas that are very familiar with the process.
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I had my Accord's valves adjusted when the valve cover gasket was replaced around 170K miles. The gasket I could've done myself but I wussed out with the valves. Since the shop wasn't too far from my house the engine sufficiently cooled down enough in a few hours for the mechanic to perform the adjustment.
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How are you going to learn if you don't start doing it? The twin cam isn't as simple as a regular I-4 with only 8 valves.Mostly because it has as many as a V-8. I enjoyed the valve job on a '99 CRV. It had a burnt exhaust valve in #4, the hottest cylinder. At 125K it was throwing a misfire code. There was a slice of pie missing from a valve. The rest were OK, although several were a skinch tight. Loose is better than tight,just like Chris 142 said. A loose valve is happy valve. Too loose will be noisy and down on power.But they wont burn and are less likely to drop. So a quiet valve train isn't necessarily a good thing.
To the OP. Do some research about the engine. Figure on replacing the valve cover gasket. You are going to need a 3/8 and a 1/4 inch metric socket set, a set of wrenches as well and some feeler gauges. Other stuff too. Do it on a weekend and don't plan to do anything else that week end. If you are reasonably prepared, it shouldn't be too bad. I generally take the plugs out and turn the engine by hand starting with engine on cylinder 1 TDC, then turn the engine over to the next cylinder in the firing order. It isn't rocket science. Make sure to tighten the lock nuts.
To the OP. Do some research about the engine. Figure on replacing the valve cover gasket. You are going to need a 3/8 and a 1/4 inch metric socket set, a set of wrenches as well and some feeler gauges. Other stuff too. Do it on a weekend and don't plan to do anything else that week end. If you are reasonably prepared, it shouldn't be too bad. I generally take the plugs out and turn the engine by hand starting with engine on cylinder 1 TDC, then turn the engine over to the next cylinder in the firing order. It isn't rocket science. Make sure to tighten the lock nuts.
Remember adjusting valves on an overhead valve Ford V8. Adjustment was made hot with engine running. That thing threw oil everywhere and trying to keep the feeler gauge positioned while turning the adjusting screw was a big pita. I still have the feeler gauge. Looks like something has been gnawing on the blades. And someone should have gone to the big house for those cork gaskets.
My first time was with my 88 325is e30. I was a little scared, but considering the amount of info on the web as well as rebuilding engines back in HS.
Went well. Took it to the BMW dealership to get one of their master technicians to look at it and he agreed that I did it right (at the time I hadn't worked on a car for 4-5 years and was a 23 year old student in university studying business).
OP, Im sure you'll be fine
Went well. Took it to the BMW dealership to get one of their master technicians to look at it and he agreed that I did it right (at the time I hadn't worked on a car for 4-5 years and was a 23 year old student in university studying business).
OP, Im sure you'll be fine
I think if you are comfortable doing that other stuff on your car you can pull off this valve adjustment. I'm a motorcycle mechanic and most of those engines require pulling the cams and changing shims. A car engine with a screw & locknut is a walk in the park comparatively.
You can purchase a special all in 1 tool for the procedure but I find a 10mm wrench and good flat tip screw driver work just fine. The hardest part is knowing the correct drag of the feeler gauge and I describe it as the same resistance as pulling it over a strong magnet.
This is what the special tool looks like.
Can be purchased on Amazon for $13.00. http://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-648827-2-Inch-Valve-Adjustment/dp/B0002Q8TU0
There are plenty of youtube videos showing how to perform this service as well.
You can purchase a special all in 1 tool for the procedure but I find a 10mm wrench and good flat tip screw driver work just fine. The hardest part is knowing the correct drag of the feeler gauge and I describe it as the same resistance as pulling it over a strong magnet.
This is what the special tool looks like.
Can be purchased on Amazon for $13.00. http://www.amazon.com/Alltrade-648827-2-Inch-Valve-Adjustment/dp/B0002Q8TU0
There are plenty of youtube videos showing how to perform this service as well.
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