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Old 01-Aug-2006, 13:40
ColinF ColinF is offline
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Measuring Valve Clearances

My 03 ST4S is getting its 6K service and its the 1st time I've worked on it.

Am following LT's manual which generally seems great but I'm having trouble holding the closer spring down and measuring the clearances.

The belts and the throttle bodies are off.

I can understand why its recommended to have another set of hands but as that's not really an option at present I was wondering how you guys do it when alone.

I've been using a large screwdriver to apply pressure to the closer finger and then trying to check clearance with other hand.Managed the vertical inlet valves but trying to do the others seems challenging .Any tricks of the experienced......handy tools to make up or adapt??

Half of the difficulty is just trying to see whats going on.....where the feeler needs to fit.....where the cam should be etc....I haven't even looked at the horizontal head yet.
I'm sure it would be easier if I was more familiar with whats going on in there, and after I've pulled the cams to check the rockers it will probably make more sense but for now.........????

Would appreciate some advice. Thanks.
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Old 01-Aug-2006, 22:18
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Derek Derek is offline
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I can't help you much here Colin, I just use a suitable screwdriver to press down on the closer while slipping the feelers in and I haven't really had much difficulty (brute force and ignorance?). It does take a bit of force and pressing in the right place helps - as near to the closing shim as you can get.
I know how you feel doing it for the first time. I'd done 2V engines many times over the last 30 years but last winter was the first time I 'd done a 4V engine and I was a bit apprehensive. I was surprised how easy it was, just take your time, measure everything at least twice and write it all down. There's much more room in the cambox than there is in the 2V engines and once the cams are out (2 screws to remove each bearing block) there's loads of room for changing the shims.
Good to hear of someone else who's not frightened to delve in there.
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Old 02-Aug-2006, 10:25
ColinF ColinF is offline
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Thanks Derek, I appreciate the encouragement as well as the technique.......its easy to feel a bit intimidated by the folk lore around these machines.
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