valve adjustment question

c4racer · Apr 3, 2010

How hard is it to adjust the valves on the FS motor?

Looking at the service manual it seems a bit complicated, but often times things are much easier when you are looking at them in real life vs. in those silly drawings.

I have had solid lifted motors before, so I am quite familiar with the concept.

Also - where do you buy shims?

I am not totally sure I need it, when I get some time I will probably pull the valve cover and do a clearance check - that looks simple enough - to see where I'm at. I can hear one valve clicking louder than it should be. Mostly at idle, but does not totally go away as the RPM's go up. It seems to completely go away while driving under normal load tho. I only hear it at idle from inside the car. Standing in front of the engine with the hood up and reving the motor, I can hear it doesn't totally go away just gets much less noticeable above idle.

Does that sound outside of "normal"? I know these are noisy engines as all solid lifter engines are for the most part.

I am using 5W30 oil - synthetic. Would it help to go to a 10W40?

sephiroth · Apr 3, 2010

A higher weight oil sometimes helps with valve noise.. but at the cost of less power/fuel economy (and it *will* make a difference). the FS uses hydraulic lifters, not solid ones.

msp5 · Apr 3, 2010

if the valves are out of spec there are shims on top of the lifters.Figure how much out of spec they are and go to mazda and get the correct size shim

c4racer · Apr 4, 2010

sephiroth said:
A higher weight oil sometimes helps with valve noise.. but at the cost of less power/fuel economy (and it *will* make a difference). the FS uses hydraulic lifters, not solid ones.

it does? Why would hydraulic lifters use shims to adjust for clearance? That makes no sense.

From my research the FS motors switched from hyd to solid lifters in 1998.

flash75 · Apr 4, 2010

"the FS uses hydraulic lifters, not solid ones."

They are NOT hydraulic.

If you have any out of tolerance clearances you need to know the thickness of the
old shim, then compute the thickness of the required shim. You will need the special tool or you will have to remove the cams to remove and replace the shims.

The dealer is probably the only source for shims.

Clifton

sephiroth · Apr 4, 2010

flash75 said:
"the FS uses hydraulic lifters, not solid ones."

They are NOT hydraulic.

If you have any out of tolerance clearances you need to know the thickness of the
old shim, then compute the thickness of the required shim. You will need the special tool or you will have to remove the cams to remove and replace the shims.

The dealer is probably the only source for shims.

Clifton

to my knowledge THEY ARE, but I could be wrong so w/e.

flash75 · Apr 4, 2010

sephiroth said:
to my knowledge THEY ARE, but I could be wrong so w/e.

Have you looked in the FS engine shop manual and the 02 or 03 Protege Shop manuals? Both specify valves clearances and how to correct them.

Hydraulic valve lifters run zero clearance and do not require periodic adjustment.

I found this definition of hydraulic lifters in an on line dictionary.
"Hydraulic valve lifter
A Lifter that uses Hydraulic oil pressure to maintain no Clearance between metal parts so that valve noise is reduced. Also it reduces wear on the valves and eliminates periodic valve adjustments."

Several years ago Protege did use hydraulic lifers but they changed, I don't know exactly when. My FS engine workshop manual is dated 9/97 and it gives valve clearances and tells how to change shims to correct the clearances. That doesn't sound like hydraulic lifters to me.

I have worked on lots of engines with both types of lifters and have never seen a hydraulic lifter engine with a specified clearance. In fact some lifters them will come apart if there is clearance. I learned that 25 years ago working with a race engine that required the use of hydraulic lifters.

You haven't answered c4racer's questions yet.
"it does? Why would hydraulic lifters use shims to adjust for clearance? That makes no sense."

I agree with his comment.

Clifton

sephiroth · Apr 4, 2010

flash75 said:
Have you looked in the FS engine shop manual and the 02 or 03 Protege Shop manuals? Both specify valves clearances and how to correct them.

Hydraulic valve lifters run zero clearance and do not require periodic adjustment.

I found this definition of hydraulic lifters in an on line dictionary.
"Hydraulic valve lifter
A Lifter that uses Hydraulic oil pressure to maintain no Clearance between metal parts so that valve noise is reduced. Also it reduces wear on the valves and eliminates periodic valve adjustments."

Several years ago Protege did use hydraulic lifers but they changed, I don't know exactly when. My FS engine workshop manual is dated 9/97 and it gives valve clearances and tells how to change shims to correct the clearances. That doesn't sound like hydraulic lifters to me.

I have worked on lots of engines with both types of lifters and have never seen a hydraulic lifter engine with a specified clearance. In fact some lifters them will come apart if there is clearance. I learned that 25 years ago working with a race engine that required the use of hydraulic lifters.

You haven't answered c4racer's questions yet.
"it does? Why would hydraulic lifters use shims to adjust for clearance? That makes no sense."

I agree with his comment.

Clifton

(blah)

since you totally took my sarcastic statement for what it wasn't here ya go.
YOU'RE CORRECT, 100% ABSOLUTELY.

btw.. any machine shop can make you a set of shims if the dealer wants to rape you for a set.

valve adjustment question

c4racer

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sephiroth

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msp5

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flash75

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