I think my engine needs a valve job adjustment. It's beyond my scope to do it for a number of reasons, time and expertise being the two biggest.

 

Who should I trust to do this adjustment, a subaru dealer or an independent mechanic and what criteria should I use to determine who to take the car to, it's an 81 DL wagon.

 

 

I heard that over time the rocker arms can develop pits in the ends and that can mess up the measurements. Also, when properly adjusted, the car makes more noise than before, is that correct as well?

 

What are the consequence of improperly set valves, and how can one tell if they need a valve job? Is it an inevitability after x amount of miles no matter how well the car is cared for, and how many miles would that be?

Should make less noise when properly adjusted, but more than a hydraulic lash adjuster equipped engine.

 

The adjustment procedure is simple - requireing only a feeler guage, 6, 10, and 12mm wrenches. You remove the rocker covers, rotate the engine to TDC for each cylinder and adjust the valves for that cylinder. Takes about 20 minutes start to finish.

 

As far as who to have do it - I wouldn't trust any shop to adjust valves. Dealerships rarely have any more experience than you do, and most shops that know anything about non-hydraulic valve systems are too concerned with hot-rods and would laugh at your subie. Besides that it's such a simple procedure there's no need to have a shop do it.

 

The adjustment is required every 15,000 miles. If allowed to go too long, you risk bending a push-rod, or wearing out a rocker (maybe breaking one), etc.

 

GD

Should make less noise when properly adjusted, but more than a hydraulic lash adjuster equipped engine.

 

The adjustment procedure is simple - requireing only a feeler guage, 6, 10, and 12mm wrenches. You remove the rocker covers, rotate the engine to TDC for each cylinder and adjust the valves for that cylinder. Takes about 20 minutes start to finish.

 

As far as who to have do it - I wouldn't trust any shop to adjust valves. Dealerships rarely have any more experience than you do, and most shops that know anything about non-hydraulic valve systems are too concerned with hot-rods and would laugh at your subie. Besides that it's such a simple procedure there's no need to have a shop do it.

 

The adjustment is required every 15,000 miles. If allowed to go too long, you risk bending a push-rod, or wearing out a rocker (maybe breaking one), etc.

 

GD

 

Somebody who has done this in the past claimed that there actually will be a clacking noise when the valve is properly adjusted, that when it's not properly adjusted is when the car may be too quiet, and in the process cause the valve to miss because the valve is not clearing properly, which then causes shake in the engine. The clacking sound the rocker arms make may have to do with the pitting that develops as the engine ages, that's how it was explained to me anyways. The measurement is trickier as the engine gets older because of the pitting.

 

Are there online pictures that show how the adjustment is done?

I found this link about 80's subaru's and engine specs. What might be unique about it is it seems to address service bulletins that wouldn't be found in the ordinary manual.

 

http://www.rebuiltautoengines.com/subaru-dl-articles.html