Hey folks, Been busy lately not much time for any fun. Did however get out to the Texas Hill Country 2 weeks ago, love it out there. Anyway down to business, though I have owned my 63 Dart for 17 years I have only adjusted the valves twice. Don't get to drive it every day anymore. But I do drive my 74 Duster about 75 miles/week. Have been doing so for 5 yrs. now and its time to do the valves again,rattles like hell. My question is, How long do most of you go between adjustments, mile wise. The car runs good, just is noisy and has rough idle with some smoke visible in the headlights of cars behind me when I get on it hard. I still don't drive it like it's a 30 year old car with 193,000mi. I would hate to burn valves, then the wife would be wanting me to get rid of it. Not something I want to do.

I adjust the valves when they get noisy or the engine starts running rough at idle.

Seems like that is every 20-30,000 miles....sometimes as much as 50K.
DD

Thanx, I was just curious about that. Now it's Saturday, I'm not working today,wifes still asleep, time to do it.

Try doing the adjustment with the engine running and the idle turned down low.
Let us know how it goes.
DD

Engine running idle low and fan removed. Much nicer now.

How does one adjust the valves and are there any special tools needed? If there are special tools needed if one does not need to adjust the valves often is it cheaper to get it done by someone that has the tools?

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My car may be slow to sixty, but at least it's been reliably slow to sixty for more than thirty years.

No special tools. A 3/8's inch box wrench and a feeler guage set (.010" for intake, .020" for exhaust) is all you need. When you feel the engine miss when you put the feeler guage between the rocker arm tip and valve stem, you have it right. It will take a little time to get the "feel", but when you get it, you get it!

I have asken this once before, but have you guys ever tried to adjust valves with vacuum meter. I have noticed that when I adjust valves with feeler and then open little intake clearence, there is better vacuum.
(This was probaply written strange, but I hope you understand)

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Sorry, my english is not very good

Joug,

That does make sense. As you make the valve clearances larger, you are giving a little less duration and less overlap, so better vacuum.

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988

Lou

I was thinking that if there is best possible vacuum there is best possible valve clearence, But mayby my thinking is not right.

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Sorry, my english is not very good

It will depend on your valve timing too, where the best vacuum comes. So I don't think it's quite as simple as "adjust valve clearances for best vacuum".

Lou

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Home of Slant6-powered fun machines since 1988