Valve Adjustment Proceedure/Write Up - With Pics

[Docrings]

EDIT: nevermind... the links started working for the pics... another glitch in the internet.

[CITRUS 95060]

My 2000 Insight has about 113K now and having only put about 3k on it ii don't know much about it's maintenance history. i have e been reading this great posting on valve adjustment and set out to do this myself. i have removed all the bolts securing the valve cover, but it will not lift off. i have tapped it with a rubber mallet and have sprayed carb cleaner around the perimeter of the cover/head interface. No luck so far. Has anyone else had this problem? Any advice would be MUCH appreciated. Best, john

[binder]

Originally Posted by CITRUS 95060

My 2000 Insight has about 113K now and having only put about 3k on it ii don't know much about it's maintenance history. i have e been reading this great posting on valve adjustment and set out to do this myself. i have removed all the bolts securing the valve cover, but it will not lift off. i have tapped it with a rubber mallet and have sprayed carb cleaner around the perimeter of the cover/head interface. No luck so far. Has anyone else had this problem? Any advice would be MUCH appreciated. Best, john

If you are 100% sure all the valve cover bolts are removed then you just need a little more force. The force should be lifting and not a side to side force (like with a mallet). The rubber gaskets on valve covers can become stuck on after years of heating up and cooling down. If it is that stuck make sure you have an extra gasket or are prepared to buy one because it might tear when removing it.

[CITRUS 95060]

THANKS for the good advice. As it turned out 3 applications of the Berryman's and a bit of tapping near the base at each of the the valve cover with 2x3 piece of fir(force applied to it with a hammer)finally loosened it. i may not have done it properly -as you mentioned it is best to try to apply an upward force. Glad that it worked with out any damage. Some of the valve adjustment clearance was slightly excessive so it did make a slight difference in the clatter. MANY THANKS FOR THE INFO. -john

[MindThoughts]

Excellent post. Thank you.

I will be adjusting the intake and exhaust valves on the 2000 Honda insight with 340,000 miles right away. I just notice the ticking sound when the engine is cold, has become a little louder than the usual light ticking sound. Although the engine is quiet once warm.

PS. Your write up of this procedure is extremely detailed and very well written(easy to understand), including excellent and very detailed and clear pictures. I'm very much looking forward to adjusting the valves

Great Thread

[Bruce.Mackenzie]

Yikes. I've been hearing my loud valves for a while and didn't realise that they could be adjusted on the Insight.
These pictures and words are very very clear and detailed. Wonderful job and thanks !
I'll be doing this as soon as I find my old set of feeler gauges.

[Crawlerado]

Did this on my 01 yesterday, from start to finish was about 15 minutes. I HIGHLY recommend one of these, it makes it go so much faster:

Amazon.com: 10mm Honda Jam Nut Valve Adjustment Tool: Automotive

Amazon.com: 10mm Honda Jam Nut Valve Adjustment Tool: Automotive

Also a personal note on "feel", I've adjusted valves on hundreds of Honda's and you get a feel for it after a while but the easiest way I can explain it is to get them so they vibrate just slightly when you pull the gauge out. Just like a finger on a wine glass. And make sure there's a little oil on your feelers. Just my $0.02

[talonmike]

But the chances that adjusting valves cure this engine ticking is very low. Evene after adjusting all my valves, it still ticking when cold.