Valve adjustment tools

KMBeers

KMBeers

Senior Member
I am gearing up to remove my valve cover and check and reset as needed the clearance on the valves. I want to make sure I have everything I need before I start the project so the only question I have is what wrenches are needed to make the adjustments and do they need to be narrow or can standard ones be used? Any help or advice is appreciated.
 
I use a couple of narrow 7/16" & 1/2" wrenches. A couple of Craftsman I narrowed and I also have a narrow Snap-On wrench. The Snap-On is 7/16" - ½".

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The Model A adjustable lifters I've worked on are 1/2" on the lower part and 7/16" on the upper (adjustable) part. I found a set of cheap open end wrenches in my tool armada that I thinned to fit. You may be able to get by with an unthinned wrench on the lower (1/2"), but almost for sure you'll need a thin one on the upper (7/16").

I remember that my dad had a set of what he called "tappet" wrenches that he used to adjust the valves on his 50's British sports cars. They were quite long, if I recall, but were made with thin heads. Don't know where those went, but they may very well have been Whitworth sized rather than SAE.
 
I believe what I have is the two wrench adjustable valve lifters. I had the cover off when I was changing the timing gear last year but did not take the time to check the clearance. The plan is to do the work during the holidays so I will let you know the results when I am finished. Thanks for the information, I am going to round up the two thin wrenches before I start.
 
Remember the "rule of 9's." If valve 1 is up, 8 is down and can be measured. If 2 is up then 7 can be measured, etc. The guides for the lifters in my car are not cut and I cannot get to the bottom lock nut while the valve is down, so I measure one valve while adjusting the 9th. So I will be adjusting #1 while measuring #8 and adjusting #2 while measuring #7, etc. That saves me some time. I don't adjust the valves in sequence, 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. but rather go by which valve pops up next. That also saves time.
 
I still have my set of tappet wrenches from way back when working on old L head Jeep engines. They should still be available. They are made very thin for this very purpose.
 
nkaminar said:
Remember the "rule of 9's." .
Click to expand...

I was taught that by an old filling station 2-bay garage mechanic. Glad to see it is more widely known than just a couple guys! The old school mechanics always have my deepest respect.
 
The old school mechanics are always full of great advice. I was targeting the procedure in Les Andrew’s book but there is always more to learn and other great ideas! Rule of the 9’s sounds like it will really get the process done pretty efficiently and quickly.
 
JayJay said:
Very nice. I've always adjusted valves based upon turning a "skosh" or a "smush", and I don't see those units represented on your chart. BTW, a "smush" is approximately two "skosh".
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It’s been awhile but I think a skosh is 10 zams, so you should be able to calculate the rest from there.
 
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