valve adjustment update?

[Jones]

I ran across some info on valve adj the other day and wondered if anybody else had heard the same. Going through "MOTOR" magazine which caters to shops and garages and the item said that for the purposes of adj valves of Dodge/Cummins engines, 140 degrees and cooler was considered "cold". This would beat my practice of doing them in the morning before it's been lit off for the day. Also said that "mechanics in the field have noted small performance gains in setting intakes at . 010 and exhaust at . 017". Thats . 003 tighter than the manual recommends. I'd hate to hurt anything but mine does sometimes sound like a threshing machine. Lastly, A friend whose info I trust said that as per Cummins shop mech they recommend a valve adj every 25k miles. Definately more frequently than Dodge says.
Whaddya think?
Jones

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Jones
'84 Ramcharger w/CTD, non-gated 12, torqflite, NP205, Dana 60 and 70 w/ 3. 07s. Looks more or less stock.

 

[BushWakr - RIP]

Yup, me too, what jones asked I would like to know also.

 

[Matt S]

I'm by no means a professional mechanic. But I've been told/noticed that intake valves tend to loosen and exhaust valves tighten. I had mine done at the 24k interval but was told that they didn't need to be done and weren't really out of adustment. I'm coming up on the 48K interval so I'll find out then how far off they are.

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90 W250, 5-speed, isspro gauges, 16 cm2, K&N, Borgeson shaft, JRE 3" exhaust, Banks Intercooler, Lucas injectors

 

[fastmark]

I first adj my vales on my 92 at 110k. The intakes were all dead on and the exhaust were at . 019. Maybe because of synethic oil since day one(Amsoil for last 100K)? I don't know/ I need to check them again now at 151k I think.

 

[R.E. Miller]

I need to do the valves on both of my trucks, any special tools you guys are using? I read the article on this operation in the TDR files, but let me get this straight. First you locate TDC with the timing pin, cool, now what? Do you continue to rotate the crank and do each cylinder in the firing order as they reach TDC? Sorry for the no-brainer question.
Thanks

 

[Jones]

Valve adj is pretty easy once you know a couple little tricks. First you locate tdc with the timing pin. Kinda tricky 'cause the pins are always sticky in the pin guide and difficult to get to under the pump. Once you can get to slide you push it forward toward the gear with one hand while trying to turn the engine over with the other. After buying the special barring tool and all that kinda stuff I ended up using a socket on the alternator pulley nut. Much better control and accessability. Turn the engine through until the pin drops into a hole in the back side of the gear. STOP! Any further and you can damage pin and/or gear. At this point put yourself a nice easy to see mark on the crank dampener, one that'll stay. Make sure you pull the timing pin all the way back so that it's out of the gear. At this point you're on tdc and the manual will tell you which of the valves to adjust. Once you get the first bunch adjusted, turn the crank one full turn until the mark is on top again and do the remaining valves that weren't covered on the first go-around. Kinda different compared to most gassers but it works and is pretty straight forward once you've done it. The painted-on mark on the dampener will save you getting to wrestle with the timing pin all over again when you do it next.
Hope this helps, Jones

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Jones
'84 Ramcharger w/CTD, non-gated 12, torqflite, NP205, Dana 60 and 70 w/ 3. 07s. Looks more or less stock.

 

[Jones]

Update update.
Called the factory on their 800 # and the conversation boiled down to this. Anything below 140 degrees is considered cold for valve adjust. Secondly, . 010 for intakes seems to be hard and fast rule according to everybody. Exhaust at . 020 is right in the middle of +/- range set by engineers for in the field operation, but they couldn't tell me what the range was. If . 020 is in the middle of . 015 to . 025 then . 017 would be OK. If the range turned out to be something like . 019 to . 021 then . 017 would be too tight. They did agree that it would make for longer valve duration/better scavenging but the performance gains are SMALL. For myself, I think I'm gonna stick to recommended specs. Just as soon not burn a valve or suggest anybody else do the same. Lastly, again for myself, I might put the adjustment frequency closer together 'cause I've always had kind of a noisy valve train. I know that with all the heavy bombing going on I might sound like a grandma but there's enough bad advice out there without me putting out more. Hope I didn't get anybody's hopes up.
Jones

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Jones
'84 Ramcharger w/CTD, non-gated 12, torqflite, NP205, Dana 60 and 70 w/ 3. 07s. Looks more or less stock.

 

[NuttyMopar]

Jones,
That has been my problem, finding TDC. I try to move the crank till the pin drops in but it feels like it never does. If I use the Wrench on the ALT bolt, that only allows me to turn the motor backwards. If the pin drops in, does that mean that I may be off 180 degrees? I agree that it is a pain in my A** (Arm) to get to that stupid little pin.

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Scott
92 Ram, Bright White, Club Cab, LE package, 4x4, 130K, 3. 54 gears, Auto, Extra transmission Cooler, 285x75x16 Cooper Discovery A/T, 16X10 American Racing rims, RS9000, Tekonsha, Running boards, Lund Sunvisor & bug shield, Marker lights, Tonneau cover, Full cap, DynoMax, 5" Chrome tip, 16 cm Turbo, Isspro Boost, 23 lbs Boost empty, Oil Pressure Gauge, Pump Adj, Sprayed in Bed-liner, Rubber mat

'SHAKES, RATTLES & GOES'