VW Valve Adjustment

[1951split]

When adjusting valves i just look for tipping valves (one opening, other one closing) for a specific cyl # and adjust the opposite side... I found this to be the easiest way to remember how to do it... Works fine for me...

[Fungpichakun]

You have a great knowledge of mechanic, but this video is completely confusing. I'm not sure u have an intension to have somebody bust their engine. If not u should remove or make a basic easy to understand. Most of us are clueless about mechanic that's why they are watching your video. Thank you.

[ewmansfield]

It;s a lousy video, If he did what he said he was going to do everything would have been better. But he confuses you with what he says then does.

[adrylena51]

@ewmansfield You are right ewmansfield . He never mentioned anything about placing the cylinder No.3 at TDC when starting the adjustments on 3 valves at the driver's side and one valve at the passenger side then rotating the engine 360 degrees and place the cylinder No. 1 at TDC and adjust the 3 valves at the passenger side and one last valve at the driver side. ( last valve at cylinder N0.4 )

Someone got their head busted for sure . When making a video please explain all

[86Ivar]

is it cause of the length expansion of the valve due to heat the clearance is needed?

[BustedKnuckleFab]

At top dead center #1 cyl he was checking the valves on 3 and 4? Completely wrong. I adjust the valves in reverse firing order of 1234 in this manner.

At #1 top dead center you adjust the #1 cyl valves only. Then rotate the crank counter clockwise to BTC and do then adjust #2 cyl, rotate again counter clockwise to TDC again and adjust #3 cyl, and rotate once again to BTC and adjust #4 cyl. The gap should .006 for both valves, some people run .006 and .005 ive done both.

[prolan01]

It still works. Funny.....in his method, you don't need to know where one is. If its 180 degrees out then you are on cyl3 like he was.

LOL

[1300l]

Have you try to adjust the admission valve to 0,15mm and the exaust valve to 0,05?

[EatSpit624]

Incorrect. Nothing like anything i've read or seen in the past 5 yrs i've been adjusting valves on a VW. I do mine completely different, technique and measurement, everything different. If i did it this way i would be sure to be in for an engine overhaul.. look at rick higgins or chris vallone or even airheadparts videos ppl they know what they are doing

[nomocash]

the technique is correct. anyone that thinks otherwise is a rookie and a parrot

[fatqwert200]

can you put a magnet on the inside of the engine on top of the oil cover to collect metal fragments or will this cause problems

[Camoochi415]

Ever heard of the idiot's guide to VW's. This video obviously disregards all its sound advice. REally not advisable to follow. in fact, downright irresponsible of you to put it on you tube.

[MPAcopy]

Use "go no go" method

Draw the target feeler gauge size through the gap then drag the larger one through. If you can get the target size one in but not the next one larger then dont bother adjusting the valve. It is within .001 +

If target one is firm pull a next smaller one through, if it pulls freely dont bother adjusting the valve like above it is within .001- of target.

Best way to do DOHC shims (springs installed) without trial and error too.

[udidwht]

@MPAcopy Close...if the target one goes with drag (.006) then .007 will still go in but should have heavy drag.

[MPAcopy]

@udidwht

The target blade will have varying degrees of tension from light to heavy.

If the one below target is loose and the one above target wont go, the target one will fit but with varying tension.

The tollerance +/- is within that range, so it is within tollerance and adjustment not required.

Closer does not make notable diff to cam timing either, and a tight blade in a small engine valve can lift it so this method resolves that as well.

[lucasmorter]

simple, tdc adjust valve 1 and 4 rotate 360 degrees adjust 2 and 3. this method works well just need to macke sure the gap is corrrect as it is motor specific and also depends on other factors as well

[moosepoo23]

the way he's doing it is unconventional but correct if the engine is at tdc on the crank you can either set no1 or no4 depending on the cycle say its at no1 tdc no1 valves will be closed as haynes says and so will no2 inlet valve and no3 exhaust so you can adjust them as they would be at the lowest part of the lobe on the cam spining it 360 puts it back to tdc but on no4 the valves would be closed on no4 no3 inlet and no2 exhaust as they would then be on the lowest points on the cam lobes :)

[bugnut82]

I dont understand your technique here. This is very different from the way that I do a valve adjustment or have read how to do one.

[Sauron767]

949? you orange county john?

[brapboys503]

Do you know anythihng about the old Datsuns, John?

[battisa]

TOTALY WRONG! DON'T USE THIS ADVICE!

[romeomoon2]

Agreed that he doesnt know what he is doing. Never moved the engine from #1 top dead center.

[lucasmorter]

@romeomoon2 he rotated the engine 360 degrees after doing the adjustment of the first and fourth cylinder, then moved on to 2 and 3

[Cubichi27]

man i just fucked up engine following the advise of John, dammit and i just seen everyone's else comments ASSHOLE.......................­..

[mojakmoto]

Wrong!!!!!!!!!!Dont follow this advice if you want save your engine....

[bigA2tall]

Rotate the crank 180 deg between each adjusted valve for Correct callibration you will know which valve needs adjusted next because it will be on the compression stroke.

[speedster356]

This is how old time VW mechanics adjust valves, I personally use .006 for intake and exhaust. Using this method #2 exhaust, #3 exhaust, #3 intake, #4 intake can be adjusted. Rotate 360 degrees until TDC mark lines up again and adjust #4 exhaust, #1 Exhaust, #1 Intake and #2 Intake. Go ahead and do the # 1 TDC, 180 counterclockwise, 180 counter clockwise, 180 counterclockwise if you prefer, but don't bash this guy he is spot on. Think out side the box. It's a 4 cycle engine.

[Pnoerre]

I have got a very good hint for you to keeping the nice old Engine in good shape with todays ultra dry eco fuels: Use 1:100 API TC two stroke oil / fuel mix as regular driving fuel, that keeps the old fuel-system gaskets, rubber parts, alloy parts etc... and cast iron metal surfaces of those vintage engines in excellent shape...and it also lubricates the valves and upper piston regions. Most Porsche vintage owners in Germany do so :) Also keeps carbs and tank clean and rustfree

[johnbrakingground]

For all you smart guys out there. The only thing you have to do to adjust your valves is make sure that they aren't on the cam lobe. It may not be textbook what this guy is doing but as long as there are off the lobe this would work just fine. Youtube is full of a-holes and retards and those are the ones usually with the negative comments.

[nappytedd]

You are FIRED! CYL 1 and 2 are not both at TDC at the same time. don't cal costa mesa R&D 

[veedubincosta]

HELLLO??!!! since when do we adjust vw valves like this???? what ever happened to looking for firing position #1 before anything else??? and WHY would you adjust valves in #2 position on the same setting???

BAD VIDEO.....burn your valves this way!!

[AZPONG]

He was not pointing to exhaust valve 1 it was exhaust valve 2. If he had it at TDC for exhaust number 1 would this method work?

[RIP28397]

is the adjustment of valve is 6 in intake and exhaust..is the firing order is like in the car 1342.....?tnx

[aircooledwizard]

WTF is this guy doing???? This is NOT how you set the valves on a Bug. Follow this video and you WILL wreck your engine.

[EshenbaughRacing]

LOL why use an adjustable end wrench on the pulley nut?? LOOKS LIKE A HACK JOB TO ME

[twiggyzappa]

Woah, that is not the way to adjust your valves! I can't believe he did it that way, poor engine.

[n6ugy]

I perfer the 1234 counter colokwise method, but I love your valve adjusting ratchet, thats very cool. Dennis

[bekindtoyurbuds]

what the hell is going on here, I thought, the way to adjust your valves was to find TDC and adjust the #1 cylinder valves fist (which is on the passenger side towards the front of the vehicle) and adujust to .004 (stock) (or .006 depending on who you ask) then turn the crank 180 degrees to the left (backwards) and do #2, then 180 degrees backwards to do #3, then another 180 degrees backwards to do #4, what is this guy talking about??

[robertpatnaude]

Nice explanation and good visuals.

[The77pgl]

AARRGGHHH The number one cylinder is on the passenger side (front of motor, as the front of the motor is the flywheel side) closest to firewall!!

[SpeedyCheeze]

cylinders are

3-1

4-2

Pulley To adjust vales RIGHT, take off the dist cap and rotate the engine until the rotor lines up with the line in the body, and the TDC mark on the pulley lines up with the case split. This is TDC cyl1. Adjust lash to SIX THOUSANDTHS. Rotate the motor BACKWARDS 180 until the BDC pulley mark lines up, this is cyl2! Another 180 back, and its on 3! One more 180, and its 4. The firing order is 1-4-3-2, backwards this is 1-2-3-4!

[TTURedRaidr]

Folks, the setting for every damn VW Air Cooled Engine is .006". You'll read this and that and that and this, but the setting is .006". And set your valves after the engine has sat overnight and is stone cold. After you tighten the nuts, check the clearance again to make sure it hasn't changed. The Haynes manual actually has a pretty good procedure. DON'T buy and use a Chilton's manual because they are incomplete in most cases.

[MotelCambodia]

it could work if the valves he is adjusting is on the low side of the cam and not starting to open or close. To me to easy to confuse what valve to adjust. I did it the VW book way and took me all of 15 min to do it.

One way to find out is do it his way then check it the book way!!

[Puigaebeltrano]

ordem errada vai foder com o bx

[busboyish]

This video is just crazy: wrong cylinder numbers, arbitrarily adjusting valves to the wrong value - what do you know, John, that VW didn't? A recipe for burnt valves. If your a newbie to VWs, DON'T follow this vid - you'll trash your engine. The VDub world's full of bad, ill-understood advice, and this takes first prize.

[sharkeeeee]

@busboyish Dam man, this vid really is all wrong. Man, PLEASE dont follow this vid!!!!

[adrylena51]

@busboys

Hi friends .

This method works like this . Cylinder no.3 at TDC .  Facing the cylinder head at the driver's side adjust the 1st 3 valves from LT to RT . Now facing the cylinder head at the passenger side adjust the 1st valve in the LT (DONE ) . Now turn the engine 360 degrees CLOCWISE , TDC at cylinder No. 1 now. Facing the head at the passenger side adjust the 1st 3 valves from RT to LT and 1 valve at the driver's side, the last valve at the RT of cylinder head . DONE

[happy1465]

This is wrong. He is not adjusting number 3 on compression. He went from 4 to three. They are NOT both on compression. Please. Nobody should do it this way. If he rocked the crankshaft you would see number three valves moving and 4 (on compression) stationary. Its really common sense if you think about it. Everything else was correct though. Almost a perfect demonstration.

[seaniepee]

whats this guy up to..

[fdzwes]

He's is doing this correctly.

[happy1465]

Very well intentioned but so very wrong. Take off your valve covers and dizzy cap. Look at valves when each cylinder is TDC and ready to fire. Both valves are closed at this time. Use you feeler gauge. Adjust and move on to another. Please remove this video. Someone is going to ruin their pride and joy.

[fdzwes]

One at a time is not at all necessary.

[idennis75]

ive been doing mine this way for years i got this from a man that worked for vw back in the 70s 0.004 makes the engine run smother

[TTURedRaidr]

Wow, that is the #3 cylinder he is starting out on, which is wrong. Needs to be on the exact opposite cylinder, which would be #1, that's IF he is at TDC for #1. The service manuals say to ensure distributor rotor is pointing at the #1 at TDC. If not, you have to crank it another 360 to get rotor pointing at #1. Then you crank the pulley 180 degrees (1/2 turn) clockwise, and do the next in order which is #4 (front left), 180 again, then #3 (back left), 180 again, then #2 (front right).

[bob0liv3r]

How does this video have such a high rating with so much bad information in it? Don't follow these instructions. As many others have pointed out, they are wrong!

[fdzwes]

These instructions are correct. Not textbook but who cares. All that is necessary for a correct valve adjustment is that the valve have no tention on it at the time. One at a time is not at all necessary.

[TTURedRaidr]

@fdzwes Actually, this procedure is wrong.

[veedubincosta]

@fdzwes you clearly are not a veedub person...textbook and perfection are what keeps a vw engine alive....yousimply cannot set #1 valves AND #2 valves without rotating the engine!!!

thinkabout it!

[dannnnnyjulio]

i agree move this f en video we all need to learn somthing once the right

[jfomby25]

First of all you are fucking retarded, and only rotate it it 180 degrees dipshit. If you do like he said u will be back where u started!! What a dumbass!!

[DemoFly]

@jfomby25

Lol, no. Cylinder #1 will not be on it's compression stroke in one 360degree turn. You made yourself look very dumb with that comment.

[Free2Maim]

1:50 Yeah it feels tight cause its the wrong fucking valve. God damn it man, remove this video. you're gonna kill some poor kids engine cause he doesn't know any better. 3:40 yeah that is not the way to properly adjust an aircooled VW engine.

I wouldn't trust you to adjust or machine a damn thing on my car.

[twotonekate]

i'm no expert but i know you do one at a time!

[Free2Maim]

@twotonekate Yeah, the one he said is #1 isn't. its #2, and at TDC on the #1 valve you only do that one, starting with the intake valve. you should always start at 1 and rotate 180o forward or backward depending on which direction you want.

[drumsyeah]

Hmm......I wouldn't let this guy work on my bicycle......

[MichaelIanHenry]

No, No, NO!...at 57/58 seconds he says and shows what he called #1 exhaust valve. Yes this is an exhaust valve, but it is cylinder #2!!! NOT #1 "Always" please rotate your engine 180 deg counter clockwise! do all cyl in this order 1-2-3-4! and you will be OK! Make sure your engine is "cold" and all valves are done @6 thousands! Final note do not take your beloved volksie to these people if your VW means anything to you

[23v0lv32]

tighten up the head bolts??

waaaat the fuck>?

[62vwmangfg]

ohhhhhh noooooooo!!!!!!!!!!! you got it wrong... someone is gonna blow something quick... remove this video....

[musclecarpower]

I always thought each cylinder had it's own TDC I didn't know you could do them all with the crank in the same position hahahahahaha wait a minute got to catch my breath hahahahahaha.

[conservationcat]

Y did he check # 4 at TDC? I have never seen it done that way.This guy should read a Bentley.  This video should be removed. BAD INFO...

[super71beetle]

see the all the v8 engines in the background? thats why. oh, and the "#1 exhaust valve" was actually number two....

x2 - REMOVE THIS VIDEO - before anybody ruins their engines!

[michiganbball]

John, no doubt you know how to adjust valves, but your procedure is unclear. One, when going to TDC the rotor must be pointing at the #1 on the distrib. If not, have to crank another 360. Then set the clearance to .006 for cylinder #1. Then crank clockwise 180 of a turn & do the two for cylinder #4, go another 180 & do #3, another 180 & finish up with cylinder #2. To clear up something, adjusting to .004" WILL NOT burn valves. Spec is .006, but some 1971 engines are .008" (longer studs only).

[whiteknightfalcon]

The engine is a 4stroke champ, rotating the crank 720 degrees will "rotate right back to where we started", 360 degress will not.

[stuco]

shouldn't he be only adjusting piston 1 (on the right) at TDC?

[insaniac]

That is correct. This is a really horrible video, as people who are doing this for the first might use this as a guide. Hopefully they get the hint from the comments.

[strontiumdog9]

You're absolutely correct. .004" setting will burn valves. .006" is the right setting

for all air cooled VW's after 1965. Before that, some models even used .008". VW's are unique and should only be worked on by those who really know how.

[michiganbball]

stontiumdog, I have a 71 Super Beetle and it is pretty much a Radio Flyer wagon with an engine and bigger wheels. Nothing unique about them at all.

[strontiumdog9]

If that's what you think, fine. But if you adjust your valves this way, you'll overheat the engine. I've worked on these things for over twenty years, trust me, you can't treat them like their water-cooled cousins.

[vw7187]

you should do 6 thousands not 4, ask a real vw air cooled mech about an overheated engine & 4 thousands.

[vw7187]

This is wrong info DO NOT FOLLOW THIS. you will burn up your engine. NO JOKE. you can NOT do it this way. If you do it this way the single one on the other side should be set at 10 to 12 thousands gap but it is major brain damage to do it that way. save your vw engine & do not do it this way.

[DeltaBlues1967]

Where did you find that Valve adjusting tool?

I would love to find me one like that.

[tomc4x4]

yes it is thank you for the help and interest vw for life my friend

[tomc4x4]

john i have a major delema i did my timing new plugs and wires changed my carb and im still getting popping threw the carb i also attempted to ajust my valves according to hanes mauel what do i do

[bugsier5]

sounds like you have a leaking intake valve!

[tomc4x4]

it was acutely the wiring shorting out new harness on the way

[bugsier5]

whel it's fixed now?

[herbienbrian]

thank you for this!

you had the best video I've seen explaining how to adjust valves. Now I can do it my self and not have to pay a shop $60 to do it.

[lom1998]

hi, at :58 , you wiggle the rocker and say that the #1 exhaust valve was loose. Correct me if I am wrong, but isn't that the #2 cylinder exhaust valve? Keep up the good work.

[mayrji]

I saw that too. Probably got flustered being on you tube. The #1cyl. is on the passenger side forward cylinder. Also early VWs use .006" (.15 mm) valve lash.

[tecato666]

vw bugs are better than hot chicks dirty panties

[jerrlong]

John I saw the oil filter/oil pump on the engine you adjusted the valves. Does that oil pump/ filter come with 6 mm studs. I have a old 36 hp motor I would like to install one like that.

J

[Guardtheheart]

I see that engine has a spin-on oil filter...I had a 72 bug and I don't remember it having a spin-on filter... must have come along later? Thanks...love your site and work!

[fiatnutz]

The filter is aftermarket.

Thanx for the kind words. JE...

[Sauron767]

@fiatnutz

my dad tells me the valves are on a bottom of the engine and their a bitch to do because there eventually high maintance or something like that, this true?

[citydriver]

i agree that tool is freakin ingeanious did you make that yourself john?

[fiatnutz]

No, it's something that I bought from Sanp-On a long time ago (p/n V-22). Sure makes the job much easier though!

[urbex2007]

@fiatnutz SNAP-ON = great make. They got in to trouble in the UK years ago for sticking an advert up that said, "SNAP-ON, I bet you wish you had a rigid tool" featuring pictures of spanners. People without a sense of humour got it banned.

[krusher74]

@citydriver You can get that tool by hazet, came in some of the vw spare wheel tool kits.

[sthalwille]

Very nice special tool :)