Does this mechanic have a clue?

[BAJA_05]

Buddy of mine has an 08 Acura TL like mine and just rolled 105 thousand miles. He ordered the Asian TKH--002 timing kit and a serpentine belt. So we went to this garage where a friend of mine recommended and he asked the mechanic what it would cost and to adjust the valves while he was doing the job. The mechanic said $465.00 which I thought was a fair price but what I nor my friend did not get was when he said, "you cant adjust those valves and why would you wanna do that?? My friend and I just looked at each other.

 

[jayjr1105]

Probably just means he doesn't want to. Odyssey owner here with 150K, never had valves done and it's a nice quiet engine. FYI on top of the Asian TKH002 kit, do plugs and thermostat as well with a couple gallons of coolant.

 

[Hall]

this garage where a friend of mine recommended

Maybe he doesn't work on Hondas much or even if he does, how many people do valve adjustments nowadays ?

 

[supton]

Maybe not familiar with that engine? Maybe having a bad day and plain forgot? not everyone has a photographic memory.

Might not want to. I don't know how they are adjusted but if it's lots of busy work with no way to cut corners and beat book time, it might not be "profitable" enough for him to recommend.

Might see little value in it. A 2008 with 105k is less than 10k/year. By the time a valve "needs" to be adjusted, is it apt that the car is off in someone else's hands? Might be his way of suggesting that it's work that just doesn't need to be done.

 

[BAJA_05]

Personally, I am just curious.

 

[Hall]

Might be his way of suggesting that it's work that just doesn't need to be done.

Decades ago, I think Honda did actually recommend valve adjustments as maintenance (not sure of mileage interval though). On more modern Hondas, they just say "listen for valve noise and adjust if needed" or some wording to that effect.

 

[Trav]

Probably just means he doesn't want to. Odyssey owner here with 150K, never had valves done and it's a nice quiet engine. FYI on top of the Asian TKH002 kit, do plugs and thermostat as well with a couple gallons of coolant.

Generally because it is quiet doesn't mean much, tight valves are always quiet. Intakes usually get looser from wear and exhaust tighter due to seat erosion. At 100K its generally not a bad idea to check them, that being said...
This engine uses aluminum heads so valve clearances actually increase when the engine is at operating temp the exact opposite of cast iron heads which leaves sort of a safety margin against burned valves.

These J engines seem to hold the factory adjustment well for a long time, at 100K I would tend to leave a quiet engine alone, unless compensated for properly depending on the ambient temp the adjustment is made at there is a good chance it may end up being noisier that it was before when at operating temp.
This chart is by Crane and is in no way applicable to all engines, it is just an example of temp compensation for aluminum and iron engines.
To do this job properly takes skill and experience, not just jamming a go/no go feeler gauge in there and calling it good, it many times isn't.


Cold vs. Hot Lash

Block Material	Head Material	Lash Adjustment
Iron	Iron	Add 0.002”
Iron	Aluminum	Subtract 0.006”
Aluminum	Aluminum	Subtract 0.012”

 

[doitmyself]

"you cant adjust those valves and why would you wanna do that?? "

Hearing that from a mechanic would give me reason to question his experience level too. Just following BITOG, I know about Honda's and their valve adjustment requirements.

This article claims they may not make noise when going out of adjustment, but I have no expertise whatsoever. It seems like "an ounce of prevention" would be prudent if one intends to keep the vehicle very long term.

Car Talk: Valve adjustment essential on some Hondas

Dear Tom and Ray: My 2006 Honda Element has 108,000 miles. The dealer recommends a valve-clearance adjustment at this time. Is this a service you would

www.dispatch.com

" My friend and I just looked at each other. " Another farm unit manager at my workplace results in similar deer-in-the headlight look often. He once recommended running equipment into a snow fence covered lath house to get it out of the weather.

 

[demarpaint]

I'd either read up on it and do it myself, or find a mcehanic who is familiar with the engine. The mechanic mentioned by the OP would not leave me feeling confident in his ability to do the job.

 

[The Critic]

To do this job properly takes skill and experience, not just jamming a go/no go feeler gauge in there and calling it good, it many times

I was trying to explain this in another thread and was chastised. Folks were trying to tell me that valve adjustments are stupid easy and impossible to get wrong. I can say firsthand that it is very easy to make the situation worse.

 

[97prizm]

Are hondas really that finicky now? I went 246k miles on my geo prizm without valve adjustments

 

[Trav]

I was trying to explain this in another thread and was chastised. Folks were trying to tell me that valve adjustments are stupid easy and impossible to get wrong. I can say firsthand that it is very easy to make the situation worse.

You are 100% spot on there is nothing stupid easy about it, some engines are easier to access than others but doing it right takes some skill.

 

[mattd]

Find someone who is familiar. He should know the importance of a valve adjustment, especially on a J series Honda.

 

[JC1]

I think your buddy should find another mechanic to work on his car. The mechanic could have said, I don't recommend doing them until XXX miles or I've never done a Valve adjustment on that model before. With the responses from some mechanics, you wonder how they manage to stay in business.

 

[WylieCoyote]

My mom's '85 Accord and my '86 Civic required valve adjustments. I believe the interval was 30,000 miles.

I wasn't aware this was still part of Honda's maintenance schedule in 2008.

 

[JeffKeryk]

I learned by watching a top notch mechanic (my older brother) do it on several engines, mostly Toyota 22RE and Honda 4 bangers. He gave me a "Go - No Go" gauge which I thing is a great way to do valve adjustments.

 

[02SE]

I was trying to explain this in another thread and was chastised. Folks were trying to tell me that valve adjustments are stupid easy and impossible to get wrong. I can say firsthand that it is very easy to make the situation worse.

They are people that don't know what they are talking about. It's as simple as that.

 

[53' Stude]

Buddy of mine has an 08 Acura TL like mine and just rolled 105 thousand miles. He ordered the Asian TKH--002 timing kit and a serpentine belt. So we went to this garage where a friend of mine recommended and he asked the mechanic what it would cost and to adjust the valves while he was doing the job. The mechanic said $465.00 which I thought was a fair price but what I nor my friend did not get was when he said, "you cant adjust those valves and why would you wanna do that?? My friend and I just looked at each other.

I’d run, and fast. Common sense isn’t too common I see. That “mechanic” wouldn’t touch my car

 

[ctechbob]

FWIW. My 2003 Accord didn't get a valve adjustment until 200k. Most of the exhausts were tight. Not 'burn a valve' tight, but certainly on the very very low end of the spec.

My 08 TL got done at..ohh lets say 150k (I don't have access to my records at this moment) and it probably would have been fine for a while but even then a few of the exhausts were tighter than I cared for them to be.

I'm sure a large percentage of Honda's live their lives without an adjustment, but I have a good idea that some of the higher mileage ones are also running rough due to baked valves.

 

[grimlok]

Maybe he doesn't work on Hondas much or even if he does, how many people do valve adjustments nowadays ?

Us people with classic Honda's do (1998 Prelude). Us people with newer Honda's do too(2006 TSX). I guess us suckers that follow the recommended maintenance? Makes me sleep better, so it gets done.