valve adjustment - Dodge Diesel

fishin fever · 02-04-2004, 08:46 PM

H all, the truck has 30,ooo kms [18000 miles] on it I'm the second owner 1st owner had it till 24000km[14500 miles]and towed fifth wheel ,for the next 3 months I'll be doing the same .Question: when should the valves have thier 1st adjustment? I'm changing out the oil and filters before I leave but was concerned . I don't trust the 'car' meck-antics at the dodge dealer and take it to the western star dealership and have the cummins mech do the work so do a lot of the other snowbirds WAY cheaper than DC. Anyway what's the word Thanks

DeereDiesel · 02-04-2004, 09:00 PM

I think the owners manual says every 100,000miles but personally would do every 50,000miles. These Cummins engines dont seem to change very much at all over a long duration. When I bought my truck it had 140,000miles on it and I know they were never adjusted, so I did and they werent out of spec at all.
carty

billg · 02-04-2004, 09:07 PM

The word is 150,000 miles. I have heard people doing it sooner and getting a good kick from it. I have also heard the factory sets them a little loose.
Hope this helps.

thumper 549 · 02-05-2004, 04:10 PM

Personally I feel a valve adj. is like kissing your wife(you should do it nobody else) Soooo adj your valves-bet they are real loose- not that will hurt anything but sure runs better snorqed up like they should be.
Most of us gear heads run them a thou tighter then the book says with no adverse results.
Here is some therum for ya - for every thou of slop there is that equals 2 thou crank revalution so that equals a hole lot of crank turnin with nothing happnin upstairs ( you loose lift and crank timing but get cooler valves)

Mike Holmen · 02-07-2004, 10:47 PM

What do you lash the valves to? I'm planning on doing mine soon.

billg · 02-07-2004, 11:24 PM

From the Service Manual for a 2000.
Done with engine coolant temps less than 140 degf.
Intake 0.006 in min
0.015 in max

Exhaust 0.015 in. min.
0.030 in. max
I have heard it worked best with them on the tighter side.
This is also called running the rack.

Mike Holmen · 02-07-2004, 11:51 PM

Why is the intake tighter than the exhaust? I kinda figured that the number should be the same for the exhaust and intake. Thanks for the info.

AlpineRAM · 02-08-2004, 04:44 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Mike Holmen
Why is the intake tighter than the exhaust? I kinda figured that the number should be the same for the exhaust and intake. Thanks for the info.

Because under operating conditions the exhaust valve will get much hotter than the intake valve. Therefore it will get longer and reduce effective valve clearance. If you set the exhaust valve to the intake specs it will even stay open a bit when it should be closed and look like Kojacks lollypop within seconds.

(Kind of blowtorch effect)
AlpineRAM

Marine · 02-08-2004, 11:24 AM

I did mine at about 45,000. They were all within spec, but I tightened them down to the tightest tolerance. I'll do it again when it hits 100,000.

Mike

02-04-2004, 09:00 PM	#2
DeereDiesel Registered User Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: NW OH Posts: 92 My Photo Gallery My Classified Ads	I think the owners manual says every 100,000miles but personally would do every 50,000miles. These Cummins engines dont seem to change very much at all over a long duration. When I bought my truck it had 140,000miles on it and I know they were never adjusted, so I did and they werent out of spec at all. carty __________________ 97, 2500, slt reg cab, 5spd Daily Driver and Puller Parts from PDR, EEP, SBC, Daves Diesel.

02-04-2004, 09:07 PM	#3
billg Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Va. Posts: 440 My Photo Gallery My Classified Ads	The word is 150,000 miles. I have heard people doing it sooner and getting a good kick from it. I have also heard the factory sets them a little loose. Hope this helps. __________________ 2000 Dodge Ram 3500, Suncoast trany , 3.55 rear, Edge Ez, 4" exhaust turbo back, EDMs Mach 1.5s, high flow banjo bolts, and BHAF. Turbo-Master. Gauges: pre turbo pyro, trany temp, boost and fuel pressure gauge. Line-X 27RL Forest River Wildcat 5Th wheel Mercedes 300D Turbo on Veggie blend 2005 TDI Jetta (wife's diesel)

02-07-2004, 10:47 PM	#5
Mike Holmen The Guru Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Airdrie Canada Posts: 6,468 My Photo Gallery My Classified Ads	What do you lash the valves to? I'm planning on doing mine soon. __________________ -white 02 sport QC, SB, 3/4 4X4 SDX 7X10's 300 bar, Stock HX-35 water/meth -black 2010 3500 Laramie CCSB, H&S Blackmaxx/overdrive, passenger airhorn, home made 4in exhaust

02-08-2004, 11:24 AM	#9
Marine Registered User Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: Bozeman, MT Posts: 1,969 My Photo Gallery My Classified Ads	I did mine at about 45,000. They were all within spec, but I tightened them down to the tightest tolerance. I'll do it again when it hits 100,000. Mike __________________ Mike 2001.5 2500 4x4 QC, Comp, NADP 91% Single Disk TC and Series 450 Trans., Pulse/Adrenaline, Amsoil Nanofiber 4510 Air filter, Vulcan Performance and GDP Fuel System, Tow & Camp Pkg, JRE 4", Isspro EGT, Boost and Trans Temp, Nordskog Digi. FP Gauge, HTB2 62/13SS, HTT Pulse Manifold, Silicone boots, DDP 95 HP Sticks. BMK-11 Bypass Amsoil throughout. NRA Member and Instructor. "Make no mistake, our freedom will be defended." GWB

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02-05-2004, 04:10 PM	#4
thumper 549 Banned Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: coupeville wa. Posts: 849 My Photo Gallery My Classified Ads	Personally I feel a valve adj. is like kissing your wife(you should do it nobody else) Soooo adj your valves-bet they are real loose- not that will hurt anything but sure runs better snorqed up like they should be. Most of us gear heads run them a thou tighter then the book says with no adverse results. Here is some therum for ya - for every thou of slop there is that equals 2 thou crank revalution so that equals a hole lot of crank turnin with nothing happnin upstairs ( you loose lift and crank timing but get cooler valves)

02-07-2004, 11:24 PM	#6
billg Registered User Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Va. Posts: 440 My Photo Gallery My Classified Ads	From the Service Manual for a 2000. Done with engine coolant temps less than 140 degf. Intake 0.006 in min 0.015 in max Exhaust 0.015 in. min. 0.030 in. max I have heard it worked best with them on the tighter side. This is also called running the rack.

02-07-2004, 11:51 PM	#7
Mike Holmen The Guru Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Airdrie Canada Posts: 6,468 My Photo Gallery My Classified Ads	Why is the intake tighter than the exhaust? I kinda figured that the number should be the same for the exhaust and intake. Thanks for the info.