As usual, ive done a search on this one, so help me out if you have the knowledge...i figure its about 100000 miles overdue for a valve adjustment on my 94 (121,000) so im gonna tackle that this weekend instead of giving the dealer my monies...got the honda factory service manual and fairly mechanically inclined. My question is it says to use the feeler gauge and tighten until some resistance is encountered between the gauge and the screw...is the diffrence between my "some resistance" and someone else's "some resistance" going to **** things up? ie, is this too fragile a DIY and easily fubard?....lemme know what you think....thanks

Strax

 

So if that's true you should be OK.

I think the spec has a tolerance of +/-.001" anyway, so I pick a feeler in the middle & also one that's the max clearance. You want to be able to push in the nominal one, without too much trouble. But the thick one shouldn't go in without forcing. Re-check after you tighten the lock nut.

Don't forget the specs are written for a COLD engine. At least they are in my shop manuals.

 

Yea, they have some variation, your valves would have to be overly too tight or loose in order to have it wrong. Like Jim said remember to have the car cold, maybe let it sit over night, because when the car warms up, the valves get tighter, so remember that. It is better to have the valves a LITTLE on the loose side than too tight, thats how you burn a valve etc. A little loose they might tick a little, but if it is valve tapping than they are too loose. As for the feel of resistance, once you do your first valve adjustment you will kind of develop a feel for how the feeler gauge should slide..... good luck and let us know how it goes. P.s. I know that it recommends the valves be adjusted a lot earlier, but do you have any symptons like valve tapping etc? Cause I have seen some hondas which were driven easy and had 100K miles w/no valve symptoms.....

 

no real symptoms that i can tell, ive never heard an adjusted 94 with 120k on it though, so we'll find out in a few days.......i just figure for peice of mind i might as well do it while im doing the spring tune up....thanks for the tips btw...