Universal valve adjustment

May 6, 2010
472
1984 Oday 39 79 Milwaukee
I adjusted the valves on our M50 yesterday and I guess I should have had this higher on the priority list of maintenance items! We've had the boat for 1 1/2 seasons and still have a number of projects to catch up on. I used a go/no go feeler gauge for the first time and it made this job really easy.
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Tedd

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Jul 25, 2013
745
TES 246 Versus near Vancouver, BC
This is such a maintenance-free item on modern cars that it's easy to forget how common a job it once was, when car engines had old-style adjusters. Yes, it's pretty easy to do and well worth the effort.
 

Tom J

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Sep 30, 2008
2,301
Catalina 310 Quincy, MA
Thanks for the reminder. How many hours on your engine?
 
Jun 11, 2004
1,621
Oday 31 Redondo Beach
That's so consistent it looks like the previous adjuster might have set them wide on purpose.

Better too wide than too narrow right? Not that i'm suggesting that big of a difference from spec.
 
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Apr 5, 2009
2,774
Catalina '88 C30 tr/bs Oak Harbor, WA
Did you get a new valve cover gasket or reuse the old one? If new, where did you get it?
 
Jan 5, 2017
2,263
Beneteau First 38 Lyall Harbour Saturna Island
Did you get a new valve cover gasket or reuse the old one? If new, where did you get it?
I’ve gotten parts from my local Kubota dealer after I convinced them that my Universal 5411 was really a Kubota Z-500 in disguise.
 
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Sep 17, 2012
99
Morgan 383 Fairhaven, NY
Valve adjustment on my Perkins 4-108 made the engine start much easier. Less cranking of the starter due to an immediate light of. Even in colder weather. Smoother running too, so all and all worth the effort
 
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