On a 2000 Forester 2nd gen 2.5L, do the valves get adjusted with the motor cold or should it be warmed up first?

Cold. Clearance specs should be on underhood sticker. Just did this job on my '00obw 2.5L.

holw often is the valve adjustment needed>?? Iam aty av=bout 124k now.

 

scott

I think it's listed for check every 105k miles. I hear these lifters often get looser with age so you might just get noiser valvetrain, less power, less fuel efficiency. Of course the risk in not checking the clearances is if the clearance got too tight and the valves didn't close all the way.