Suzuki 4WD Club of Victoria

Last night I set the valve clearances on my Sierra (G13BA engine). I set them cold, using a 0.15mm gauge for the intake and 0.18 on the exhaust. Obviously I set valves 1,2,5 & 7 with the #1 piston at TDC, and then rotated the crank 360 and set 3,4,6,& 8. Then I rotated the crank back to TDC and started the engine. I used a timing light set to -7 to adjust the distributor alignment to -7 degrees.
Fired up the engine and it's running OK, but I'm getting abnormally loud tapping noises coming from the valves.
I took the cover off again this morning and checked the valves and they were slightly tighter than I had set them last night. So I set them all again but still getting unusually loud valve noise.
Any advice? Should I try setting them hot?

Ran the engine until warm and checked the clearances. They were exactly correct.
So then I pulled the radiator and pulleys off and re-checked the timing belt position. Everything was perfect. Both marks still in alignment and the tensioner was set properly.
Absolute mystery to me why I'm still getting the tappet noise.

Next move will be a tow to the mechanics unless anyone got ideas ?

G'day Dave,

You should be setting the valves with the engine hot/warm.

In saying that, I recall setting my car by the book and getting an awful racket.
I ended up adjusting them by 0.01mm increments from 0.15mm until just a slight chatter could be heard (bettert han having them open - burnt valves aren't fun....)

Either way the magical number for me was 0.12mm.

I can only assume that wear had taken its toll on the poor little donk.

Give it another go!

Cheers,
Anthony

Thanks for the reply Suzook82,
I have been working from the Suzuki SJ413 manual, and also a Haynes manual.
Just for reference the SJ413 manual has the clearances as:

Cold Intake: 0.13 - 0.17mm
Cold Exhaust: 0.16 - 0.20mm

Hot Intake: 0.23 - 0.27mm
Hot Exhaust: 0.26 - 0.30mm


When I checked the clearances hot they were pretty much spot on . The intake were 0.25mm and the exhaust 0.28mm.
I decided to reduce the clearances while hot to 0.23mm for intake and 0.26mm for exhaust which was the lower limit of the hot range given in the manual.
The noise remained much the same with the tighter clearances.

Was 0.12mm the setting that worked for you hot or cold?
Would be great to know as I'm unsure how far below the factory spec. I can go before I risk burning valves.

Hi Dave,

I always adjust my valves hot.

As I pointed out, drop your valves by 0.01 and try it again. Still noisy, drop them another 0.01 and so on.

Slight chatter is better than nothing. If you can't hear them you risk burning the valves.

Going by the manual is great but take it as a starting point.

Cheers,
Anthony

Cheers Suzook
I will do as you have said and try and reduce it to a slight chatter. I didn't realise there was so much flexibility for the valve settings.
Thanks for tip!

Strange; I've reduced the hot clearances all the way down to .10mm (int) and .13mm (ex) and still getting the same loud clicking valve noise.
Something is not right but I have no idea what. Wondering if I keep reducing the clearances or try something else?

Hi David,

I would definitely stop there. Something is not right.

I can't recall the correct sequence but are adjusting them when at TDC 1 & 6?

Use the dissy cap/ rotor to verify you are at the correct cylinder - sounds stupid but seen it done before.

Apart from that I am at a loss, .010 is too small.

Anthony

Hrmm... I think you may have pointed out my mistake.
My process was to initially get the number 1 piston to TDC by aligning the crank & cam timing marks at 1200.
In this state the distributor rotor was pointing at the number 4 cylinder firing position. The manual instructed that the distributor rotor should be pointing at the number 1 position in this state, and to turn the crank 360degrees to turn the distributor 180degrees and correct the problem. I found that if I rotated the crank pulley (obviously I'm aware this is the lower pulley) by 360degrees with the timing belt on, the cam pulley timing mark would turn to 0600 but the distributor rotor would rotate a full 360degrees. So I could not correct the distributor alignment by rotating the crank. I could not independently turn the distributor rotor either so I decided to proceed setting valves 1,2,5 & 7 with the timing marks at 1200, and then rotated the crank 360 and set 2.4,6, & 8.

I'm kind of puzzled how to get the distributor pointing at the #1 cylinder with the timing marks both at 1200. Obviously I should not have overlooked this.

Hrmm... where to from here.

Turn the crank shaft until the rotor starts to align with cylinder 1.
Then use the timing marks on the crank shaft to get you TDC (rotor should still be on/near cylinder 1).

like this:


Then rotate 360 or until you near cylinder 4 (check the rotor).
Again, use the crank pulley marks to align your TDC and adjust.

You should be sweet from there!

Anthony