My shot at explaining valve adjustment on a 4 pot, Damn near beat death but, maybe this will help somebody Options

[DNHunt]

I couldn't find Mile's drawing of a cam (it magically made everything make sense to me) so, I decided to try my hand at it.

First, jack the car up so it assumes the usual and comfortable position of a 914. Resting securely on jackstands. I won't get under it without jackstands cause the thing jumps off of jacks. I have a dented long on the driver's side and a dented rocker panel on the other side to prove it

Dave

[DNHunt]

Get under the car and remove the valve covers. I've used the big butt(like me) method with a shop rag looped over the bale or the screw driver prying the bale down or off. Whatever works for you.

[DNHunt]

Here's what you will see. The rocker assembly

[DNHunt]

The whole process works because the flat aircooled /4s are really beautifully simple. Like lifter on opposite sides of the engine and therefore rockers share the same cam lobe. Dr. Porsche was really clever. #1 exhaust shares the same cam lobe with #3 exhaust, #1 intake with #3 intake, #2 intake with #4 intake and #2 exhaust with # 4 exhaust. When #1 exhaust is on the cam nose and the valve is open # 3 exhaust should be on the valve seat and can be adjusted. The same applies for all of the pairs of valves. Way cool.

At the risk of failing to live up to Mile's tradition here is my drawing of this neat little situation. If you get this valve adjustment is really simple.

[DNHunt]

As a practical matter lock a road wheel so it will not turn and put the car in 5th with the brake off. Start by rotating the free wheel (I go in the same direction the car rolls so the engine is turning forward) until the a valve is fully open. You can start anywhere but, I try to keep it simple and start by locking the passenger wheel and rotating the driver's wheel. Since I don't have dust shields I use a small C clamp on the rotor. Most people use a brealer bar or large ratchet on a lug.

[DNHunt]

I start by watching #2 exhaust and turing until it is fully open but you could start anyway. The beauty of thios is it works for big cams too. Here is #2 exhaust valve open. See how you can see the cup that the pushrod fits in beyond the edge of the head.

[DNHunt]

On the opposite side of the engine #4 exhaust valve is ready for adjustment because the lifter is on the base circle of the cam opposite the nose of the same lobe #2 exhaust shares with it. Look at my diagram. The nut can be loosened and the adjusting screw turned in and out to get the proper adjustment.

I can't explain what it should feel like when you slide a feeler gauge through the space between the valve stem and adjuster. It has pretty good resistance and the next smallest size shouldn't go through. The best thing is get someone to show you the first time. Similar to finding an older woman the first time.

My engine has chrome moly pushrods so the lash is zero. To set that the rockers should just move on the rocker shaft fore and aft.

[DNHunt]

Next rotate the engine until #2 intake is open. See how the adjuster is toward the midline of the engine.

[DNHunt]

Adjust #4 intake cause it is on the valve seat and the lifter is on the base circle

[DNHunt]

Rotate until #1 intake is open.

[DNHunt]

Adjust #3 intake

[DNHunt]

Rotate a gain until #1 exhaust is open.

[DNHunt]

Adjust #3 exhaust

[DNHunt]

Now block the other wheel so you can check the opposite valves for openning. You just finished adjusting all of these and are half way done.

[DNHunt]

Check #4 exhaust for full openning

[DNHunt]

Adjust #2 exhaust

[DNHunt]

Check #4 intake for full open.

[DNHunt]

Adjust #2 intake

[DNHunt]

Ditto for cylinder #3 intake and exhaust. Rotate until they are open and adjust the opposite valves.

Check # 3 intake

[DNHunt]

Adjust #1 intake