I'm almost finished doing a valve adjustment on my 3.0 4Runner and had a couple questions.

First, if I can get a 0.25 mm feeler gauge between the cam and shim with a bit of drag, but can also fit a 0.28 mm feeler gauge that is really tight, is it more accurate to say the clearance is closer to 0.25 than 0.28?

Second, I ask the first question because I'm questioning my initial clearance checks. After replacing all the shims for those I found to be out of spec, I re-checked the clearances and found that some of the others changed. In other words, a few of them that I initially found to be in spec are now out of spec. Can this happen as you replace shims? Can it affect the other clearances?

Thanks in advance. I'm looking forward to being done with this job!

 

Get a set of Go-No go feeler gauges. They take most of the guesswork out of this type measurement.

They have stepped blades, with the root two thousandths thicker than the tongue.

Here is a link to a set of this type feeler on Ebay,, but I'm sure you can find a substantially cheaper set.:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/GO-NO-GO-ME...EAAOxyqKVRidqR

 

I'm usually not one to shy away from buying more tools, but I'm not convinced that $35 for a new set of (admittedly cool) feeler gauges will help Gregory. If he can push a 0.28mm into a space for a 0.25mm, he'll have a similar feel pushing the no-go part of a 0.010" in. (A .002" step is 0.050mm, so the step in the no-go gauge is almost twice the difference Gregory is trying to resolve)

I'm not there, so I only have Gregory's words for the "feel," but I think in his example I'd call the space he is measuring 0.25mm. At 0.28mm he's exerting more pressure than necessary to move the valve spring. A 0.03mm difference (about 0.001") is below the tolerance you need to worry about.

Having said all that, I can see that a set of no-go gauges could save time (I usually have a row of 5 or so gauge strips laid out to get the one that "drags").

 

Ive heard some people recomend going finger tight to get the right drag.


finger tight on the adjusting screw. Not the nut

 

Thanks guys. Is having the feeler gauges slightly oiled bad practice and something that can affect 'feel' as well?

 

Gregory, I admire a person who takes such care, but I feel you're over-thinking this. Usually, when you're checking valve clearances, there's oil all over the place. It would be difficult to keep the feeler gauges dry. So I think you're fine using lightly oiled feeler gauges.