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daveswoodcraft Samba Member
Joined: March 04, 2019 Posts: 240 Location: KY
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 2:36 pm Post subject: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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Hi have read in a couple of places not to jack up the car when adjusting the valves, is this correct and what is the reasoning behind it if it is?
At 59 years old and not a small guy it would be some much easier to follow all normal safety precautions, jack the car up a little and have some room to maneuver a little.
Thanks
Dave _________________ There are not such thing as a stupid question, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots! |
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Cusser Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006 Posts: 31362 Location: Hot Arizona
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 2:42 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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I jack up the right side a little (keeping the wheels on the ground) to adjust #1 and #2 valves. Then I do similar on the left side to do #3 and #4.
Why?
2. To provide more access room
1. To minimize/eliminate any oil leakage/mess _________________ 1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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Glenn Mr. 010
Joined: December 25, 2001 Posts: 76911 Location: Sneaking up behind you
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 2:43 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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I jack the car up. After 45 years i've never had a problem. _________________ Glenn
74 Beetle Specs | 74 Beetle Restoration | 2180cc Engine
"You may not get what you pay for, but you always pay for what you get"
Member #1009
#BlueSquare |
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gt1953 Samba Member
Joined: May 08, 2002 Posts: 13848 Location: White Mountains Arizona
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 3:37 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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I role mine up on some ramps the night before. This does create more space to work comfortably. So in the event you do jack you car up, us the proper jack points. _________________ Volkswagen: We tune what we drive.
Numbers Matching VW's are getting harder to find. Source out the most Stock vehicle and keep that way. You will be glad you did.
72 type 1
72 Squareback
({59 Euro bug, 62, 63, 67, 68, 69, 73 type ones 68 & 69 type two, 68 Ghia all sold}) |
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Q-Dog Samba Member
Joined: April 05, 2010 Posts: 8699 Location: Sunset, Louisiana
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 3:43 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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I have never heard of this and can't imagine what it could hurt. I drive the car onto ramps the night before. Guess I've been doing it wrong for over 40 years. _________________ Brian
'69 Dune Buggy
'69 Beetle Convertible
'70 Beetle |
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Zundfolge1432 Samba Member
Joined: June 13, 2004 Posts: 12467
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 5:05 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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Probably comes from someone who placed the floor jack under the oil drain plate. Doing this pushes engine up into the body making the valve covers very hard to take off.. just a guess |
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manoteal Samba Member
Joined: November 15, 2010 Posts: 126 Location: San Diego, CA
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 5:20 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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I put the car in solid blocks of wood under the wheels with brake set and in gear to drain the oil when warm and then do the valves next morning when cold- keeps it level and on all four wheels for oil change. (I take it out of gear to adjust the valves to turn the motor, however, and drop and block front wheels for that.
I can adjust the valves and drain the oil on the ground but much more difficult for me and my large size.
Been doing it this way for 47 years on level ground. I use jack stands for brake adjustments, though- and engine pulls... _________________ 1969 bug with original Riviera wheels- daily driver.
'73 1600 DP- AD case
Solex 34 PICT-3 Carb by Keifernet
Bosch 034 SVDA dizzy by ACN
(2002 Honda Accord for parts runs) |
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Cusser Samba Member
Joined: October 02, 2006 Posts: 31362 Location: Hot Arizona
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 5:45 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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Zundfolge1432 wrote: |
Probably comes from someone who placed the floor jack under the oil drain plate. Doing this pushes engine up into the body making the valve covers very hard to take off.. just a guess |
That's a great guess ! _________________ 1970 VW (owned since 1972) and 1971 VW Convertible (owned since 1976), second owner of each. The '71 now has the 1835 engine, swapped from the '70. Second owner of each. 1988 Mazda B2200 truck, 1998 Frontier, 2014 Yukon, 2004 Frontier King Cab. All manual transmission except for the Yukon. http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335294 http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/album_page.php?pic_id=335297 |
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Tim Donahoe Samba Member
Joined: December 08, 2012 Posts: 11740 Location: Redding, CA
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 5:49 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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Also, you can’t go back into the pool until a half hour after you eat. And eating ice cream in the summer causes polio.
Tim _________________ Let's do the Time Warp again!
Richard O'Brien |
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73SlowBug Samba Member
Joined: November 28, 2017 Posts: 439 Location: PENNSYLVANIA
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 6:35 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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Sometimes I jack the car up, sometimes I don't. It doesnt seem to matter. It's quicker not to get out the jack, but it's easier to work with the car lifted. It depends on which kind of lazy you want to be, but it doesn't matter. _________________ Daily driven....Slowly. |
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Meiang Samba Member
Joined: September 27, 2016 Posts: 656 Location: Perth, Western Australia
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 9:13 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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Buy a 2 post hoist. Easy for when you are getting older.
You can even have a seat to sit on and a tinny by your side. |
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heimlich VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016 Posts: 6595 Location: Houston, Texas
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 9:59 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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I do whatever is easiest. If I have to jack the car I put supports under it along with the jack. _________________ www.vwnos.com [email protected]
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here) |
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carsdlt Samba Member
Joined: May 02, 2012 Posts: 317 Location: So. OC, Calif.
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 10:27 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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I jack up the car - lower both sides down on jack stands - remove rear wheels and go to work...change the oil, clean the screen, adjust the valves and rear brake shoes, check the clutch cable and visually look things over. Much easier to do with the back end up and wheels off. _________________ Thanx, DLT
'73 181 stock 1600 - "Dr. Bombay"
"If it works, don't fix it....let it break on its own." |
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Ovally Samba Member
Joined: June 14, 2014 Posts: 476 Location: Belgium
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Posted: Wed Sep 11, 2019 11:15 pm Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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40 years ago I made a grease pit in the garage, very handy for working under the car.
Can also jack up the car from the grease pit.
Regards. _________________ VW Bug Oval 1953
VW Bug 1200 D motor
Porsche 911S MFI 1970
Mazda 929 Hardtop 1977
Mercedes SLC 180 Roadster 2018 |
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Murmsk Samba Member
Joined: February 24, 2019 Posts: 368 Location: Illinois
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Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:00 am Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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Another idea on why.
Im not stickin more than my arm under a car on a jack! Just not a good idea.
ramps or jack stands before this old guys adjusts anything.
s _________________ 1970 Convertible
1972 super
1946 Willys Jeep |
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scottyrocks Samba Member
Joined: August 19, 2016 Posts: 2661 Location: Long Island, NY
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Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 7:44 am Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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I'll jack it up, but put a jackstand under the torsion tube, as well. _________________ “If you care for a thing long enough, it takes on a life of its own, doesn't it? Mending old things, preserving them, looking after them – on some level there's no rational grounds for it.”
– D. Tartt, 'The Goldfinch' |
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daveswoodcraft Samba Member
Joined: March 04, 2019 Posts: 240 Location: KY
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Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:03 am Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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Thanks everyone
It was just what I figured, I could not see a reason to not jack up the car to adjust the valves, but being totally new to bugs I thought maybe I was missing something. And I always chock the wheels and use jack stands if I jack up a car. Watched a friend of mine come very close to being crushed in the 70's just as I was driving into his driveway, I have never taken that chance.
Thanks again _________________ There are not such thing as a stupid question, but there are a lot of inquisitive idiots! |
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bluebus86 Banned
Joined: September 02, 2010 Posts: 11075
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Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:07 am Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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daveswoodcraft wrote: |
Hi have read in a couple of places not to jack up the car when adjusting the valves, is this correct and what is the reasoning behind it if it is?
At 59 years old and not a small guy it would be some much easier to follow all normal safety precautions, jack the car up a little and have some room to maneuver a little.
Thanks
Dave |
I suppose jacking the Bug say with nose down at to steep an angle could shift the oil level such that it could then flow thru the front most pushrod tubes, thus filling the head under the covers with oil such that oil may pour out when cover is removed.
I adjust them usually on level ground not jacked up, but have done it with the rear raised too, but not at to steep an angle. I am a bit of a midget so working room is a not a problem for me.
Bug On! _________________ Help Prevent VW Engine Fires, see this link.....Engine safety wire information
Stop introducing dirt into your oil when adjusting valves ... https://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=683022 |
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ashman40 Samba Member
Joined: February 16, 2007 Posts: 15982 Location: North Florida, USA
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Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 8:07 am Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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One comments related to jacking and the valve covers... but it is opposite of what you have read...
In the normal operation of the engine the crank shaft rotates CW (as seen from the rear of the car). This means the lower side of the crank slings oil to the left side of the engine. While running this can literally fill the left side rocker area with oil. After you shutdown the engine a few minutes are needed for the oil to flow back into the case. We are not talking a ton of oil, just a few ounces. But opening the right side valve cover almost never drips more than a few drops.
To avoid this you could lift the left rear side of the car and leave it higher than the right for a few minutes BEFORE you open the cover. This will allow the oil to drain back into the case reducing the dripping once you open the cover. When placing the car on jack stands (which I encourage)... jack the left side FIRST so the head can drain into the crankcase.
The only rule I strictly follow when it comes to adjusting the valves is only making valve gap measurements on a COLD engine (allowed to cool overnight COLD). I feel even starting the engine for 10sec to roll it forward 5ft would compromise the valve gap measurements.
If you have to move the car into a position where you can do the valve adjustments, do it the night before... or roll it in place by pushing. DO NOT start the engine to move it. _________________ AshMan40
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'67 Beetle #1 {project car that never made it to the road }
'75 Beetle 1200LS (RHD Japan model) {junked due to frame rot}
'67 Beetle #2 {2019 project car - Wish me luck!} |
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heimlich VWNOS.com
Joined: November 20, 2016 Posts: 6595 Location: Houston, Texas
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Posted: Thu Sep 12, 2019 9:49 am Post subject: Re: Do not jack up the car to adjust valves? |
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Make use of all of those mail order boxes that you recycle. Lay them down to catch any oil that drips. _________________ www.vwnos.com [email protected]
Classic Brands. Classic Quality.
Not all parts are made the same. NOS OE/OEM parts made mainly in West Germany, Early Germany, and Early Brazil are where VW produced the best quality parts and best fitting products.
5% Off your order with coupon code: 5%OFF
Restored Distributors Available (<--Click here) |
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