TheSamba.com :: View topic - Official lazy person's stupid question thread

Tue Jun 03, 2025 11:19 pm

maco70 wrote: Thanks to all!

Quote: Yeah, remove both valve covers, start with #1 piston at TDC and follow them in firing order (1-4-3-2). That will only require two rotations of the crankshaft

So, after I did the two screws adjustment on #1, I change to cylinder #4 after an half rotation clockwise ( I will see the rotor on the wire to spark #4), then another half rotation clockwise to adjust screws on cylinder #3, finnishing by another half rotation clockwise to adjust screws on #2. Am I right?

Yep! That's it.

Wed Jun 04, 2025 3:37 pm

RicMcK wrote: Thanks for the prompt replys and suggestions. Ouch they are pricy;( I think I will just reuse them. As they seem to ok.
Those seals pop up in the classifieds here occasionally.

Mine were $50 for the pair but of course that was a few years back.

Good luck!

- Dave

Sat Jun 07, 2025 7:47 pm

Tomorrow I will adjust the eight valves, starting with cylinder #1 on TDC.

I hear that I should take care of the push rod, mainly when I will replace the adjustment screws, because the push rod can fall out of its alignment in the center of the lifter. Is this a real issue to be concerned about?

Thanks in advance,

Martin

Sat Jun 07, 2025 8:21 pm

maco70 wrote: Tomorrow I will adjust the eight valves, starting with cylinder #1 on TDC.

I hear that I should take care of the push rod, mainly when I will replace the adjustment screws, because the push rod can fall out of its alignment in the center of the lifter. Is this a real issue to be concerned about?

Thanks in advance, Martin

You will not need to loosen the adjusting screw enough to allow the push-rod to fall out of the rocker arm socket. If so, it is not rocket science to put it back.

You can assure that the push-rod will not fall out of the socket by pushing on the bottom of the rocker arm while making the adjustment. Of course, you need to break the locking nut loose first..

Adjusting the lifters will be easy. Just follow the procedure as someone previously posted.

Sun Jun 08, 2025 5:26 am

For valve adjustment, I've read that some people start by using a 0.006 gauge as indicated by the Bentley for the clearance, while others go straight to adjusting the 1.5/2 full turns of the adjustment screw, with no clearance.
Is it only two ways to do it?

Sun Jun 08, 2025 6:27 am

maco70 wrote: For valve adjustment, I've read that some people start by using a 0.006 gauge as indicated by the Bentley for the clearance, while others go straight to adjusting the 1.5/2 full turns of the adjustment screw, with no clearance.
Is it only two ways to do it?

1.5 to 2 turns on the adjuster screw after contact is what I'd do. When the adjustment is complete and the locker nut is tight the adjuster screw should be tight against the end of the valve (no free space).

Sun Jun 08, 2025 7:29 am

How much force should it take to remove the rotor pulling straight up?

Sun Jun 08, 2025 7:40 am

MSGGrunt wrote: How much force should it take to remove the rotor pulling straight up?

enough to smack you in the face when it lets go. they sometime get rust bonded onto the distributor shaft. hold the rotor between your fingers like you are pulling a mower starter rope and pull STRAIGHT up. subsequent removals will be easier.

Sun Jun 08, 2025 7:47 am

Yeah, been down that road before when they let loose.

I assume Bosch is a preferred replacement? Only $23.00 from FCP Euro, which is half the price of one on GW and another $9.99 for the rotor.

Sun Jun 08, 2025 10:34 am

The valves adjustment operation was this morning.

The screw offered very little play and it's difficult to turn more than about half a turn.

I'm definitely at the TDC, according to all three criteria:
Pulley - rotor and screwdriver in the spark plug hole

The screw may be badly damaged. I leaned it against the valve, which took up the play, but it would be difficult to turn it one or two turns.

I have a feeling it might still help. I am glad to learn a lot with theses tasks. At this point, for the next step, I might go to a mechanic, because the screw doesn’t turn easily.

Sun Jun 08, 2025 11:04 am

maco70 wrote: For valve adjustment, I've read that some people start by using a 0.006 gauge as indicated by the Bentley for the clearance, while others go straight to adjusting the 1.5/2 full turns of the adjustment screw, with no clearance.
Is it only two ways to do it?

Using a feeler gauge would just be an unnecessary step and one more thing that people would get wrong. As for running something like a half turn of preload, that is not buying you very many miles before you have no preload any more, maybe 40-50K miles, instead of 200k. Both the tip of the valve stem and the adjusting screw do wear and the preload is what takes that into account.

The time that using a feeler gauge helps is if the valves will not pump up, or if you just installed them dry to start with. You still need to know how to find the point of contact though and the feeler gauge is just one more thing to do and the contact is still going to be very subtle if the lifts are not fully pumped up. It's easier to just find that subtle point of contact and then just loosen the screw by 1/8 turn and forgo using a feeler gauge.

Two turns of preload puts the lifter right in the middle of its range of self adjustment, and having less preload means the lifter will have more oil in it and thus weigh more lowering the rpm that the valve train will float at, so between the wear issue and the valves potentially floating more easily I don't see much reason to go with less than 2 full turns of preload.

Sun Jun 08, 2025 11:12 am

Thanks!
I was going the way you propose, but I have hard time to turn the screw more than an half turn. The piston is at TDC, event that, the adjustment screw doesn’t turn easily at all.

Sun Jun 08, 2025 11:18 am

maco70 wrote: Thanks!
I was going the way you propose, but I have hard time to turn the screw more than an half turn. The piston is at TDC, event that, the adjustment screw doesn’t turn easily at all.

Sounds like you need a new screw and possibly, but not likely, a new rocker arm.

Sun Jun 08, 2025 1:54 pm

Yeah, been down that road before when they let loose.

I assume Bosch is a preferred replacement? Only $23.00 from FCP Euro, which is half the price of one on GW and another $9.99 for the rotor.

Sun Jun 08, 2025 6:01 pm

maco70 wrote: Thanks!
I was going the way you propose, but I have hard time to turn the screw more than an half turn. The piston is at TDC, event that, the adjustment screw doesn’t turn easily at all.

Are you holding the Nut with a wrench as you turn-in the Adjusting Screw?

Mon Jun 09, 2025 10:52 am

Sooooo.....yes, I am aware that there is a 46 page dedicated LiPo thread and while this thread appears to be more oriented towards those much more willing to build and balance their own batteries and system, my Westy currently has a plethora of Blue Sea Systems components with an onboard charger and solar set-up already in place for a wet-cell deep cycle battery (See image). I have been running a Group 27 120AH Kirkland battery mounted under the rear seat that usually lasts me a couple of days before needing a recharge and that I replace every 2-3 years, but given that Kirkland (Costco) has now changed this battery to a 100AH option, its time to upgrade to a turn-key LiPo option with at least 100AH with a built in BMS.

To this end, given the components/wiring that I currently have in place, what new components do I need to acquire/install to support a LiPo battery to allow it to be charged via the alternator, the house system (ProMariner) and the Renogy solar panels?

Any/all insights are welcomed as are PM's. Thx in advance.

Wed Jun 11, 2025 9:00 am

I don't understand what you are trying to do with the battery selector, but you are likely going to fry something at some point when you try to start your bus with the selector set to house battery.

Wed Jun 11, 2025 2:02 pm

bobbyblack wrote: I don't understand what you are trying to do with the battery selector, but you are likely going to fry something at some point when you try to start your bus with the selector set to house battery.

Thx Bobby - this is the wiring/system that has been in place for the better part of 8 years to support my deep cycle battery with no issues to-date, but then again, I do not recall ever needing/trying to start with the house battery. For reference, the battery selector is the BSS 9001E. If this wiring diagram needs to be modified/adapted to support a LiPo battery, I would welcome the insights. Thx again.

Mon Jun 16, 2025 10:00 am

Hi to all,

I believe that I read that I can mix mineral oil with synthetic oil, I am right?

… when I opened the valves covers, I lost half of a litre, so I wanted to add synthetic oil 0w50 to help the lifters, to the 20w50 mineral oil already in the engine.

Thanks in advance,

Mon Jun 16, 2025 11:53 am

maco70 wrote: Hi to all,

I believe that I read that I can mix mineral oil with synthetic oil, I am right?

… when I opened the valves covers, I lost half of a litre, so I wanted to add synthetic oil 0w50 to help the lifters, to the 20w50 mineral oil already in the engine.

Thanks in advance,

Yep. You can mix those oils without harm to your engine.