it is a job any competent mechanic (ie. You
) can do - but it takes a bit of time and patience.
Before you start, you sure the 'clackety clack clack' is not from the timing chain? maybe that just needs adjusting?
valve gap adjustment-
apart from the usual tools, you'll need a good Micrometer, and that costs a little, a good torque wrench, a new cam cover gasket (plus washers and half moon rubbers to be really correct), a good feeler gauge, you'll probably need to buy some shims, and a piece of paper.
Cold engine
Remove spark plugs (makes turning engine easier)
Remove cam cover and gasket
Check torque of cam caps are to spec (important, if the caps are somehow loose, your readings will be all over the place!)
measure valve gaps on each cyl. with feeler gauge, noting these down on a piece of paper....you need to turn engine manually to get the individual cam lobes facing directly up over each tappet (see link below for diagram)..........
If you now find they are out of spec:
Set valve timing (TDC on compression, two front cam lobes facing out and notches on front cam-caps line up with marks on cams.....the removable chain link should be now up top between both cam cogs.
Release cam chain tensioner bolt, lever tensioner back and lock it in place
split the chain (don't drop the link into the engine, stuff big rags under it!), hang the chain up out of the way, keep it taut and don't let that fall in either!... and remove the cams....keep all cam caps in order and they have to go back in the same direction [there is an alternative method of doing this w/o breaking the chain, outlined in Pat Braden's alfa bible]
Remove the tappet cups with a suction cup or magnet (keep these in their exact order, they need to go back where they came from as well!)
Under each tappet is a shim, measure each shim with the micrometer and note this on the piece of paper where you noted the original corresponding valve gaps.
Now comes basic maths: you need to work out which shim (ie. thinner or fatter) is needed to put the valve gaps back to factory specs.
Like this:
Thread Page - Alfa Romeo Owners Club USA
then put everything back, cam lobes facing out, marks aligned, use correct torque on valve caps, reset tensioner, then turn engine again manually and measure your results on each valve.
It has been years since I did this, so anything I missed, others will correct, mehopes
) can do - but it takes a bit of time and patience.Before you start, you sure the 'clackety clack clack' is not from the timing chain? maybe that just needs adjusting?
valve gap adjustment-
apart from the usual tools, you'll need a good Micrometer, and that costs a little, a good torque wrench, a new cam cover gasket (plus washers and half moon rubbers to be really correct), a good feeler gauge, you'll probably need to buy some shims, and a piece of paper.
Cold engine
Remove spark plugs (makes turning engine easier)
Remove cam cover and gasket
Check torque of cam caps are to spec (important, if the caps are somehow loose, your readings will be all over the place!)
measure valve gaps on each cyl. with feeler gauge, noting these down on a piece of paper....you need to turn engine manually to get the individual cam lobes facing directly up over each tappet (see link below for diagram)..........
If you now find they are out of spec:
Set valve timing (TDC on compression, two front cam lobes facing out and notches on front cam-caps line up with marks on cams.....the removable chain link should be now up top between both cam cogs.
Release cam chain tensioner bolt, lever tensioner back and lock it in place
split the chain (don't drop the link into the engine, stuff big rags under it!), hang the chain up out of the way, keep it taut and don't let that fall in either!... and remove the cams....keep all cam caps in order and they have to go back in the same direction [there is an alternative method of doing this w/o breaking the chain, outlined in Pat Braden's alfa bible]
Remove the tappet cups with a suction cup or magnet (keep these in their exact order, they need to go back where they came from as well!)
Under each tappet is a shim, measure each shim with the micrometer and note this on the piece of paper where you noted the original corresponding valve gaps.
Now comes basic maths: you need to work out which shim (ie. thinner or fatter) is needed to put the valve gaps back to factory specs.
Like this:
Thread Page - Alfa Romeo Owners Club USA
then put everything back, cam lobes facing out, marks aligned, use correct torque on valve caps, reset tensioner, then turn engine again manually and measure your results on each valve.
It has been years since I did this, so anything I missed, others will correct, mehopes
