[Shotimes] 60,000 mile check -- tools and supplies

[Kirk Doucette]

"If you DO replace the cam belt, it is a good idea to
consider replacing the crank sensor and water pump."

For well under 200 in parts this is great advice.. If you do 1 do all 3.



Kirk J Doucette
NESHOC President
Stormtrooper-97 White

-----Original Message-----
From: shotimes-admin@autox.team.net [mailto:shotimes-admin@autox.team.net]On
Behalf Of Donald Mallinson
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2003 10:20 AM
To: shotimes@autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [Shotimes] 60,000 mile check -- tools and supplies

Al and others,

The 60k mantra is pretty well known, but we don't want to
get some incorrect information out there.

We know from long experience that valves CAN get out of
adjustment before 100,000 miles.  Also shims can wear.

The basic advice that I have given for years is this:

Cam belt can go 100,000 miles on the MTX or ATX, but try to
get it changed by that time, although we have experience
with many cars going 150,000 and beyond.

If you DO replace the cam belt, it is a good idea to
consider replacing the crank sensor and water pump.
Although Al, the water pump doesn't always go by 100,000
miles, we know that a lot of them do.  Evidence of leakage
around the weep hole (trail of different color from the
hole, even when dry) on the water pump means it is time to
replace.  Cam sensor isn't that expensive and while there,
why not do it.

Yes, you can get along without both, but if you have the
front of the motor apart anyway for a belt, that is the
bigger part of the labor involved with changing the other
two.  IF you plan on keeping the car a long time, then
consider changing those two items with the cam belt.

As for the valve check, getting the intake off LOOKS
intimidating for the first timer, but is really easy once
you do it one time.  And not expensive.  Gaskets CAN be
reused if in good shape.  The best advice, is that if the
valves are quiet, chances are you are in good shape.  IF the
engine is getting some valve noise, then pull the covers and
check at least the first 100,000 miles, than it would be a
good idea to check the shims/clearance (while in there)
every 50-60,000 after that.

At 140,000 I replaced three exhaust shims, and this is
pretty typical.  They were just on the edge of the range,
and while there, I went ahead and changed them.  I optimized
a few others while there since it didn't take that much more
time.

The shims DO wear out, sometimes even with regular obsessive
oil changes on cars driven easy.  Probably because of poor
heat treating or metal on a few shims, it happens.

If a shim goes, it can take a cam lobe out in short order,
so that is the reason for regular checks.

I isn't a good idea to take the attitude "if it isn't broke,
don't fix it" when parts are so expensive, and down time so
unhandy.  Also, once you have done it, removing the intake
and valve covers is an easy job.  For those that haven't
done it, Josh's 60k video is a good investment.

Don

George Fourchy wrote:

> On Tue, 2 Dec 2003 16:06:53 -0800, Al Fitz wrote:
>
>
>>I know I'll
>>hear a bunch of shit about that but it is so unusual to find one that
needs
>>re-shimmed if the car has had regular oil changes.
>
>
> I'll agree with Al on this....as many of you older listmembers know, my
car went
> 201k before the cam covers came off, and there was one valve that was .02
off of the
> desired spec.  We changed that shim so I'd see how it was done, but the
others are
> still the way they came from the factory.  That was 62k miles ago.  That
was also
> the only valve adjustment it'll get on its way to 300K miles.
>
> Its replacement has a +/- 70K  3.2 engine blessed by Mark Nunnally.
Unless I hear
> something REALLY strange coming from it, it won't ever get a valve
adjustment during
> its admittedly more leisurely journey to the ripe old age of 30 years.
Oil changes
> every 3K miles are the secret, and I'm sticking with it.
>
> George
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