My car seems to be running ok, and I got rid of the DTC code 43 with new knock sensors, but I'm just a little paranoid and wonder if I got my valve adjustment spot-on or not.
Without removing valve covers and all that neede to get to them, is there any way to determine that the initial valve adjustment is optimal?

I have forgotten what I initialy adjusted them to. I think it I did 1/4 or 1/2 turn past zero lash. Lloyd recently recommended for my set-up to go 1/8 turn, but that doesn't seem to me what I did initially.

I have experimented with everything from 1/8 to 2 full turns and it did not seem to matter.
I normally go 3/4 turn after zero lash.
Unless they are noisy, there is no way to verify them after the valve covers are on.

(Note - my experience is based on only 2 or 3 valve lash adjustments and lots of reading. I also suffer from the occasional so treat my comments with caution )

I suppose it depends on your setup and what type of lifters you have. At one end of the lash adjustment the valvetrain is all noisy, at the other end the car will idle like crap. *normally* I would say if the valvetrain is quiet and the car is idling nice, then go with it. However since I believe this is a new build - I suggest go and re-check...

The entire point is to get zero lash. 1/8 turn, full turn, doesn't matter, as long as it sits at zero lash.

It is my opinion that the least amount of turn past zero lash that can be achieved is the best way to go.

You have polylocks on that. In the old days with nylock nuts and stamped rockers, more turn is better, as they tend to back out some. With polylocks if you lock them down right, they shouldn't move. That' why I think the least amount of turning is the best.

Thanks for the replys! What John says is what Lloyd told me as well, and I wish I could remember where I set them. I guess it doesn't matter too much at this point. I'm going to road test it some more in the next few days and see how it does. I just hate to pull them damn covers to do an adjustment that might not have to be done.

You want to have at least a slight amount of preload. 1/8 turn to 3/4 turn is fine. Drive it, if you hear them clacking youll know.

I went 3/4 past 0 lash on mine. Have yet to have a reason to pull the valve covers back off so I haven't re-checked them. My roller rockers are a little noisier than expected but I don't have that nasty clacking or anything. I think anywhere from 1/4 turn to 1 turn will give you the same identical results but if you only go 1/8 turn then you better be exact on finding 0 lash.

Agreed, if its a bit loose youre not gaining anything: beating up the valvetrain if anything. A cam with aggressive seat timing IE Extreme Energy will make some noise, period.

I turn mine 1/2 down to set the lifter piston part way in.

I have 1.6 stamped roller tip rockers and roller cam. I adjusted mine to just shy of 1/2 turn on my last adjust. I would rather have them a little loose than have early valve float. I think they are very quiet for a roller cam and the idle is reasonable.

I just took it out for another drive. I just put a quick ten miles on it at both highway speed and driving around town. It seems to run great! Its still idling a little low in gear at traffic lights. A couple times at a few stops it idled around 500rpm and sounded like it was going to stall, but it didn't. I don't know it that is the cam, or I need to re-adjust the TPS. The scan I ran last night on Datamaster came back clean and TPS voltage seemed to be good as well. Although I think the TPS voltage while running is induced by the PCM based on where it thinks the baseline is.

Lots of new smells too, at operating temps. Headers, exhaust system, hoses etc. Everything is getting hot for the first time. Pretty stinky and scary. I guess this is normal.

Quote:

Very Normal.