My 2¢ What should one pay for a valve adjustment? (archive)

I concur with James, I just checked mine a couple weeks ago. I turned over the engine by removing the spark plugs and jacking the RR. Rotate the tire in 5th gear to turn the motor. Mine has 76k and not sure when or if they've been adjusted. Everyone was dean on to spec. I rented the shim kit from Koala motorsports, but in retrospect I probably wouldn't do that again for $50. Just check them and order the shims. My tool cost about $80 from GPR (it's a SIR tool). The only other thing I would say is if you need to swap out shims you definitely need to also order the shim pliers to pull them out. I tried to remove an intake shim just to try and I couldn't do it. There is a lip in the casting of the head right where the shim is supposed to slide out and I think the only way you could pull them out would be with the pliers.

If you have 30 mins, you can check it yourself. Remove the plug wires. Remove the valve cover. Remove the spark plugs (easier to turn engine). Use the alternator or the front crank nut to turn the engine clockwise. Get your feeler gauges, and check the gaps yourself. Gaps should be 0.011" - 0.013", but I've read that 0.014" is acceptable, too. Make sure the lobe is pointing AWAY from the shim/bucket assembly. Make sure the engine is STONE COLD.

The tool is $120, a micrometer is about $30 for a decent one, feeler gauges are under $10, 36mm socket is about $10. Shims are available in 0.05mm graduations, or 0.002". The Volvo dealer usually has a good assortment in stock, and they're $4 vs BMW's $8. BMW dealers do not stock shims unless they are a big dealer.

Cost at Korman for an M3 was about $150 a few years ago. I figure you can pay $150-200 for someone else to do it, or pay $150 for the tools and 2 hours of your own time. Next time you do it, it only costs you shims.

I did my M3 with 171k miles, don't know when it was done last, it needed 1 shim out of 16. Did another friend's M3 a few weeks later, it needed one, and we don't know the last time it was done, either. Seems that they do not need adjustment very often.

Go to http://e30m3performance.com/maintenance/valve_adjustment/valve_adjustment.htm for detailed instructions.

It will cost about $200 for a shop to do a valve adjustment on your M5.

James
james_535@yahoo.com

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