how do i set my vavles at top dead center???

[CRXsk8er]

i have to adjust my vavles how do i set them at top dead center????
thanks

[Melt]

if you got an auto tranny it is a bitch and I am not sure how to do it,

but if you have a manual, once you have the valve cover off, put the car in like second gear and rock it back and fourth until the one you plan to adjust is at top dead center.

[CRXsk8er]

what do i rock back and forth???

[Melt]

your entire car.

[CRXsk8er]

alos how do i kno when it is at top dead center??

[Civic Rush]

take out the spark plug and shine a flashlight into the hole where the sparkplug came out of and the piston should be right at the top of the cylinder

[CRXsk8er]

k thanks i will try all that tomorrow hopefully its the problem...but i have sum time to fix it thanks

[Civic Rush]

no problem man just let us know how it goes.

[1PhatCX]

or... you can take a rachet and a socket and put that on the very bottom pully that connects to your crank and turn the engine manually. then look at the cam sprocket, you should see 2 dashes and the word UP. line the dashes up with the head and the UP mark should be up. that will get you at TDC (top dead center) for the No.1 Cylinder. its not too dificult. i think the cam sprocket needs to be turned 180 degrees to change from one cylinder to another. not 100% sure on that tho. if you get a haynes manual it should tell you everything about how to do this and i think it shows pictures to help the process. have fun

[civickiller]

well for every 1 turn of the cam that crank turns 2 times. you should be at tdc on compression stroke. the crank needs to do 4 complete turns while the cam only needs to do 2 turns.

intake compression power exhaust

but thats what i do, i get my rachet and just wrench it, its easier i think because youll know exactly where it is as oppose to rocking the car back and forth. wrenching is more precise

[Moppie]

Use a socket and ratchet or power bar on the crank as stated above.

Then watch each valve set as your turn the engine over.
There is a set order in which to do them, which will be in a Haynes or similar manual (which you should have if your doing this sort of work yourself) or you can simply watch each cylinder till all 4 (or 2, or 3) valves are closed, and the rocker has moved to its maximum distance away from the top of the valve stem. This is TDC on the compresion stroke for that cylinder, and the point at which you adjust the valves.
Sticking a screw driver or other long implement into a spark plug hole so it rest on top of the piston will also let you track the piston and see when it reachs TDC.


You can also do it while the engine is running on some engine types.
Iv done it my old triumph with it running, its make its very easy to get an exact gap set, as they open and close fast enough to slide the feeler guage in and out.
However I have no idea how much oil is sprayed about inside the head on Honda engines, so it might be a bit to messy.
The triumph had quite a low pressure oil pump, and all oil pumped into the valve train simply drained down into the head.

[darolh]

Originally posted by Moppie



You can also do it while the engine is running on some engine types.
Iv done it my old triumph with it running, its make its very easy to get an exact gap set, as they open and close fast enough to slide the feeler guage in and out.
However I have no idea how much oil is sprayed about inside the head on Honda engines, so it might be a bit to messy.
The triumph had quite a low pressure oil pump, and all oil pumped into the valve train simply drained down into the head.

It will be very messy. I started my car once with the oil filler cap off and it made a hellova mess. I can only imagine the mess from running with the valve cover off. Do it like the manual says. I don't know if anyone mentioned it but there's a plug in the left fender liner that pops out so you can get to the crank bolt to turn the engine over.

[1PhatCX]

Originally posted by darolh


It will be very messy. I started my car once with the oil filler cap off and it made a hellova mess. I can only imagine the mess from running with the valve cover off. Do it like the manual says. I don't know if anyone mentioned it but there's a plug in the left fender liner that pops out so you can get to the crank bolt to turn the engine over.

i didnt do it like that. i just put a deep socket on and used a small rachet and did it from the front so i could see whats going on easier. sux that the motor mounts where it is tho but i still managed to do it easily

[CRXsk8er]

yeah im going to try all that.....but in the picture when i set it at TDC is it set for the intake and the exhaust or just one?? thanks

[gunnmen01]

Ok, 1phatcx had that just about perfect. However the 2 dash's will line up even with the sides of the head and the word top will be up at the top. Then the #1 cylinder will be at top dead center for intake and exhaust. Turn the crank counter-clockwise until the cam turns a quarter turn so the rear dash mark points straight up. Then the #3 cylinder is at top dead center intake and exhaust. Turn the crank again so the dash marks are flat again across the head adjust the #4 cylinder. Another quarter turn and you can adjust the #2 cylinder...and your done...


hope this makes sense and helps ya out...if not message me here or on Yahoo's messenger or AOL...im gunnmen01 there to...


gunnmen01