Valve adjustment?

[TJohnson]

I'm getting good gas mileage, it cranks as soon as I touch the key, uses about a quart of oil between 5k oil changes and so I ask you this. Do I really need to adjust the valves? Has anyone found their valves way out of tolerance?



One more thing, my whole truck shakes when I shut her down. It feels like the torque of the engine is just massive. I'm new to this big rig thing so go easy on me. I'm used to driving Toyokees and Itsi bittsies.

 

[DavidGardner]

I have adjusted my valves 3 times in the past 116,000 miles . I have only found 1 or 2 valves out of adjustment each time and then only very marginal. I have moved my valve adjustment schedual to every 50,000 miles unless I hear a noisy one in the meantime. Just my 5 cents worth (inflation)

 

[Lil' Dog]

Adjustment is worth it...

When I first got my 93 a couple of months ago, it ran like a top but since I've been privy to info on the TDR I wanted to adjust the valves.



Did a before measurement and found 2 cylinders where the exhaust clearance was 0. 025" and 0. 026". A whole 0. 005 or 6 above the recommended clearances. Did make a difference to a good running engine to adjust them.



J-eh

 

[Matt S]

I waited for 48,000 miles for the most recent adjustment and found that they all needed a little tweaking. 24,000 miles didn't require much of any adjustment.

 

[TJohnson]

Thanks guys. I guess I'll tackle that this weekend and let you know.



No replies on the shutdown shake?



Oh well, I guess I'm the only one who has a truck that almosts flips over when you shut it down.

 

[Wayne M.]

TJ, nobody responded because it's the nature of the beast. Welcome to real truck land! Have you heard the belt chirp during shutdown? The engine stops so violently, it jerks the belt making it chirp. I believe in running the valves if only to be closer to what's going on in there.

 

[Matt S]

Mine shakes also. Especially when I'm reving the engine.

 

[rdodd]

Are valves supposed to be adjusted with engine hot or cold?

 

[DavidGardner]

When I adjust mine I park it where I plan on doing the adjustment over night so it is stone cold when I do the adjustment the next morning. Acording to Cummins they are to be adjusted cold (not over 140 degrees f. ) I got this info from a TDR article on valve adjusting.