anybody know where somebody could find an old ea81 valve adjustment tool like the one shown in htkysa?

I ordered one from 1stsubaruparts 3 weeks ago. It was on back order from Japan and they just cancelled my order. Other parts places said they are no longer manufactured, so I guess it's ebay, etc,...Obviously the valve lash can be adjusted manually, but it's kind of a PITA. If anyone has got a line or info. on some of these I would also be interested. The Justy uses the same tool.

 

I have "customized" some tools for this procedure, but no matter how hard I try, I can't get the gaps to be consistent with each other. It seems like they are reasonable similar when I am setting them, but if I check a week later they are all different from each other. Getting them within tolerance is easy, but it seems like the engine would run better if the valve lash was consistent all around. Any other pointers would be appreciated.

what dose this tool look like?

what dose this tool look like?

 

 

Here they are.... I borrowed these from an old Mechanic.

i haven't seen that style of head bolt socket but i think i'd like the hourglass style more... now if only i could find one of those, too.

thats not a head bolt socket.that is the valve tool.to loosen the clamp down nut,and adjust the valve nut.the top handle revolves around inside the bottom handled one.making it oh so easy to adjust.

 

i have one,but am not getting rid of it since i recently jumped back into ea81 land.cheers, brian

 

i haven't seen that style of head bolt socket but i think i'd like the hourglass style more... now if only i could find one of those, too.

i was talking about the other little guy sitting there next to the valve tool, but i may be wrong still. is that one without handles a head bolt socket?

I've never had a problem adjusting them without any special tools. Get some metric feeler gauges or better yet some metric shim stock. At work we have 36" loose metric feeler gauges made from shim stock - having them really long makes them easier to work with. Get some metric "midget" open end wrenches. I do it from under the car on a creeper. Takes 20 minutes at most.

 

GD

i didn't have any problem adjusting them when i replaced the heads, i was just after the novelty and convenience of specialty tools. now that i think about it, i'd really rather find a head bolt socket - it was kind of a pain trying to feel for the torque on that nut with a box end but that's all i have that would fit in there.

i didn't have any problem adjusting them when i replaced the heads, i was just after the novelty and convenience of specialty tools. now that i think about it, i'd really rather find a head bolt socket - it was kind of a pain trying to feel for the torque on that nut with a box end but that's all i have that would fit in there.

 

You aren't supposed to "feel" the torque.

 

You use a socket under each of the two rocker tube bolts durring your torque procedure, then you remove the rocker tube bolts, install the rockers, and re-torque just the two bolts you removed.

 

That tool is for "re-torqueing" after a cooldown, then again after a mileage interval. It is not needed if you use the Fel-Pro permatorque gaskets as they never need retorqueing.

 

Thus the tool is obsolete. You can also make a socket for the job by turning down or grinding a regular shallow socket to fit if for some reason you wanted one for the novelty.

 

Also that valve adjustment tool is basically useless on hydro lifter engines. The procedure is completely different and doesn't use any feeler guages. The tool is not effective for that job.

 

GD

i didn't realize that it's okay to pull the two rocker mounting bolts like that. i don't like to step up the torque head bolts unevenly, especially on little aluminum engines, but if that's the normal procedure i'm sure its okay to do...probably better than the way i did it at least.

 

they are felpro pt's and i made sure i torqued them so they felt the same as the others - off a bit i'm sure but it runs. should be interesting to see how it holds.