ScoobyWho Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Hello everyone out there in Suby Land. I have a 1997 Outback Leg with EJ25 and 160k miles. Been very well maintained. I am getting a valve tapping from the passenger side front of engine, but only after the vehicle has warmed up. Is this due to valve adjustment or timing belt? I plan on replacing the timing belt (with entire kit) soon, but if valve adjustment is needed i'll send the head to machine shop at the same time if necessary and adjust the valves. Let me know. Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnceggleston Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 Hello everyone out there in Suby Land. I have a 1997 Outback Leg with EJ25 and 160k miles. Been very well maintained. I am getting a valve tapping from the passenger side front of engine, but only after the vehicle has warmed up. Is this due to valve adjustment or timing belt? I plan on replacing the timing belt (with entire kit) soon, but if valve adjustment is needed i'll send the head to machine shop at the same time if necessary and adjust the valves. Let me know. Thanks valve adjustment is due every 105k same as the timing belt. i'd get a cheap, 5$ @ harbor freight ( http://www.harborfreight.com/mechanics-stethoscope-41966.html ), mechanics stethoscope and try and isolate the noise. the t-belt tensioner can make noise when it's failing, but it's on the driver side. valve adjustment is a pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobyWho Posted February 28, 2011 Author Share Posted February 28, 2011 (edited) I have already isolated the noise with a stethoscope, and the noise is comming from the passenger side, front of the head. But the weird thing is, it is only after the vehicle warms up. There is a slight tapping when cold, but nothing abnormal or unusual. Edited February 28, 2011 by ScoobyWho additional info Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted February 28, 2011 Share Posted February 28, 2011 If the valve covers are leaking I would replace them, and check the cam caps to make sure they haven't backed off. If anybody has been in the engine to do head gaskets, etc they may have messed up the threads in the front caps and they may have walked out a little bit. If they aren't leaking this is a little more frustrating to check as the grommets, spark plug gaskets and valve cover gasket are a little spendy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fairtax4me Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Excessive valve lash will tend to get louder once the engine is warm. That many miles on a phase one 2.5, it's valve clearances are in need of adjustment. Do that before you end up with a burned valve and have to do more work. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
afterbang Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 i have a ticking coming from the driver's side only after warm up. it's not loud but i do notice it when im in drive thrus where the sound is bouncing back. i had a valve adjustment done when GD did the timing belt/reseal/clutch job on my 98 outback and it didn't make the sound go away. after using a stethoscope he thinks that it is just the fuel injector. i listened to it too and i'm pretty sure he is right. i guess you could always just unplug the injector to see if that relieves it but i personally really didn't care to bother. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScoobyWho Posted March 1, 2011 Author Share Posted March 1, 2011 I do appreciate the feedback guys. My engine has no leaks at all. Sooooooo, it looks like I'll be adjusting the valves along with the timing belt kit. Guess I am lucky, I have a shop with a lift and compressed air at my disposal and several local dealers that have the shims in stock. I might just purchase an assortment of shims and take it from there. I realy can't wait to get into it. Just waiting on a bit warmer weather. I have been turning wrenched for many years, however, I have never worked on this style of engine. Kind of excited Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchwarzeEwigkt Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Make sure you get a set of those ratcheting box wrenches. They'll save you at least a couple hours taking the valve covers off and on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShawnW Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Remove the engine since its your first time doing shim on bucket adjustments. And without the dealer tool, you are going to have to remove the cams to adjust the valves. Use an impact driver to break the bolts loose on the cam caps. The heads strip very easily. Be sure to have a very precise and small torque wrench for the reinstallation and pre-lube the cams as well they can seize real easily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davebugs Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 REMEMEBR the "front" cam caps bolts have a lesser torque! First time I didn't realize this and broke a few then had to remove them. Also don't get crazy with the ultra grey because along with using oil instead of assembly lube like Shawn says can cause the cams to not be lubricated properly and then something fails. Another heads up. At my local dealer the parts guys look at you like you're speaking a foreign language if you ask for those valve shims, but the mechanics have them if you ask nicely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneralDisorder Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 Unlikely that your tapping is a valve adjustment problem.... the EJ25D valves get tighter not looser. But you should still do the adjustment to avoid a burned exhaust valve. You are very near the mileage where I've seen that happen. Last one I did was a '97 OBW with 169k on it - just 9k from where you are. You can't just buy a shim *assortment* - there are way too many part numbers and it's likely that you will need duplicates, etc. Also it often is the case that a few of your existing shims are suitible for other buckets so some swapping around can happen and you may have to only order 3 to 5 shims, etc. It's usually only the exhaust shims that need to be changed - the intake's generally don't need any adjustment. I agree with pulling the engine - it's the easiest way to do the valve adjustment without the $300 special tool that the dealers use. It is best if you have access to a metric micrometer and know how to use it. The adjusment of the valves is tight - .008" on the intake, and .010" on the exhaust. GD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SchwarzeEwigkt Posted March 2, 2011 Share Posted March 2, 2011 (edited) Wasn't there a guy who adjusted his valves with a stubby flathead screwdriver or something recently? I'll see if I can find it... EDIT: Found it. People do their own valve adjustment all the time - it's not talked about a lot on this forum but there are TONS of threads on it over on NASIOC (where a large percentage of owners have EJ20 and EJ25 DOHC turbo's). Many people do it with a large screwdriver used as leverage to compress the valve spring/bucket and pop the shim out. You take a feeler gauge and check the existing clearance - write that down. Then you pop out the shim, measure it with a mic. and order a new shim that's smaller to enlarge the clearance to spec. It's pretty simple and the shims are ~$6 each from the dealer. You are looking about about 4 hours and about $100 to $150 for some exhaust valve shims and the valve cover gaskets/grommets. This aint rocket science and I've seen what neglecting them will do - I wouldn't sugest waiting till you need a $1200 valve job or a head gasket replacement (especially if they have already been done!). This would be a mistake IMO. I would NOT assume a head gasket replacement means a valve adjust. Dealers very often don't even resurface the heads - let alone do a proper valve adjustment. Especially if the mileage doesn't indicate a need. Many folks open them up to find the clearances are fine at 105k - but don't bet on it because if they aren't you won't make it to 210k. You are only 20k miles short of where I've seen neglect of valve clearance go horribly wrong. Don't take the chance. BTW - you need to find a new shop - if your shop can't do a simple valve adjustment for you..... well that's pretty lame is all I can say. That's a pretty routine affair in the world of machines that I come from. Their price and labor estimate is pretty rediculous also. At that kind of labor rate you might as well just go to the dealer - you aren't saving much paying these jokers $90 an hour. Most dealers are right in the same price range. GD Also... (from later in the thread) I respectfully dissagree - the screwdriver is simply what *some* people have used in place of the Subaru valve adjustment tool - which DOES NOT require removing the cams or belts, etc. It is, however, $300 from SPX. It simply compresses the valve in place so that you can pop the shim out of the bucket. Obviously this doesn't work on shimless buckets but it DOES work just fine on the engines being discussed here. You use a large flat-blade screwdriver to compress the valve spring and bucket - the valve and bucket being the fulcrum and you use a convient spot on an un-machined portion of the cam. Many people have done this without any trouble. In place of buying a $300 tool that you may use twice in your lifetime or complete dissasembly of the cams, belts, etc it is an acceptable solution. Be careful of course - that goes without saying. But to call it "asinine" is not warranted - especially if you haven't tried it. GD Funny, you even said it, GD. Edited March 2, 2011 by SchwarzeEwigkt Found the info I was talking about. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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