Confused on valve adjusting.

[Martin Benade]

Mitch, I think that if you take off the rockers and inspect everything very closely including the present positions of the adjusting screws and then remove them and look some more it will become pretty clear what you need to accomplish. I like holding a part in my hand and analyzing it until I get it. Also it seems like the shimming is much better than custom pushrods because you can keep experimenting until it is perfect at almost no cost.
Stephen, on that 912 engine you might look for one odd problem I came across once. The crank had been welded and reground, and the stroke on just one cylinder was a couple of mm more than it was supposed to be. It didn't hit the head, but it hit a valve. (an old Mercedes) I learned that just because there is only one crank grinder in Cleveland that doesn't mean you should use him!

[Bob Campbell]

Wow! What a long thread. Lotsa different views and opinions.

The only thing I feel compelled to add is the local (SoCal) legend of how the backward engine rotation for adjusting valves in the 1-2-3-4 order became popular.

I raced Formula Vees in SCCA for a decade and it was common practice when racing at windy and sandy Willow Springs to adjust your valves in this order because then you only had one valve cover off at a time!! Less sand in the engine! It has been my habit ever since.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Bob

[Craig Richter]

+1

[Wes Bender]

Golly, I adjust mine turning the engine forward and only remove one valve cover at a time. Start with #4, then do #3. Go to the other side and do #2 and then #1.

Bob, did you ever race against Harriett Giddings? (spelling??) She was big in Northern California Sports Car doings in the 60s and, I believe, raced Formula Vee.

[Bob Campbell]

Wes,

Golly, 4,3,2,1? Count backwards? That was way too hard for a Vee racer to remember. I was gonna start racing 911's after Vee's, but I had trouble keeping track of 6 cylinders.

I really can't recall ANY women in Vee's during that period. And I regularly raced all the northern tracks; Laguna, Sears, Cotati, Portland.

Best,

Bob