If your engine is rattly( especially on cold days) and sounds like a bag of spanners throughout the rev range and you haven't checked your valve clearances in ages then, check them and adjust them. My engine wasn't that bad but I decided to have a go at the valve clearances as when I bought it, it had 87000 miles, and now it is at 135000 miles and valve clearances have never been checked or done. I used 0.25mm feeler gauge for the inlet valves and 0.30mm for the exhaust valves. Honda specifies 0.26 +/- 0.03 mm for inlet and 0.30 +/- 0.03mm for the exhaust valves. All the exhaust valves on number 1 cylinder were loose and one inlet valve for this cylinder was loose so I adjusted them. All the other exhaust valves on the other cylinders had the correct clearances. All inlet valves on number 3 cylnder were ok. I had to adjust the clearances on all the inlet valves of cylinder number 2 and number 4. After putting the cam cover back, I started the engine and it sounded very smooth like a new engine. Now when driving you can hardly hear the engine as its sound is less than the road noise from the tires and the sound of air flowing over the car. When you rev it, it is so eager to rev and there is more torque at the lower rev range thus improved driveability when creeping at very low speeds in traffic jams.

Don't be scared of the valve train mechanism :) just be careful not to over tighten the clearances or you could have burnt valves. Also prepare for a backache lasting about two days after doing the valve clearances(16 valves) :). Minor ache not serious.

Only applicable to the honda engines!

The Rover engines are automatic! :p

Only applicable to the honda engines!

The Rover engines are automatic! :p
Yes hydraulic valve lifters :) no need to worry about valve clearance on them.

I've found that it starts sounding like a tractor again after a couple of months, a combined clearance job with an MGJohn style oil flush helps a bit more.

It should take very many miles for the valve clearance gap to change to the amount that I found. Luckily my oil is very clean as I change it every 6000miles, it is still clean but it is due a change as it is about 6k miles since the last change.

It depends on the engine, I've found with mine the clearances around numbers 1 and 4 are always pretty much out of spec with my F20Z1 when I check, on the other hand the when I check the F20Z2 there are always pretty much bang on.

Which reminds me I have to replace the rocker cover plug gaskets on the F20Z1 as I have a small leak around number 2.

Thats true Ray, mine is F20Z1 and I had to adjust all the valves on number 1 and the inlet valves on number 4 were the most loose compared to the others. F20Z1 is the high compression engine may be it has an aggressive cam profile. Strange how a very slight variation in valve clearance affects engine noise and performance to an extent - loose inlet valves opening later and closing earlier thus less fuel to combust and piston struggles against some exhaust gases left behind when loose exhaust valves have closed early.

hi
how easy is it to adjust the valve clearances as i have been thinking of doing mine for some time
mine is the 618
its a bit tappetty until fully warm and then its still abit noisey
also need to replace the cover gasket as mine like Rays is weeping slightly on the left portion.
are there any instuctions already on here?

thanks IVAN

hi
are there any instuctions already on here?
thanks IVAN

Ivan,

Eric the guy .. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P7wI4EtZSaA on very similar. I must do mine, I keep putting it off ! Mainly steady methodically progress, don't rush. (stiff back, difficult to avoid, I assume)

I've uploaded the normal start procedure the other day .. http://youtu.be/ynR5Z2560Uc
(I guess some nerd can tell every make of car from its starter motor noise, eh ?)

thanks devon for reply.
do you know the clearances for the 618 engine.
are denis747 ones in inches or mm.
wheres the best place to get the cover gasket

thanks ivan

thanks devon for reply.
do you know the clearances for the 618 engine.
are denis747 ones in inches or mm.
wheres the best place to get the cover gasket

thanks ivan
618 similar to 620, the clearances are in mm. Just be careful not to get them too tight as you could end up with burnt valves and damaged valve seats.

thanks mate
will have a go this week when the winds have died down and have got the gasket

ivan