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You adjust the tappet. That's the thingy that pushes the valve down.
You can adjust the valves on your 17 horsepower Briggs and Stratton engine by turning the adjustment screws. The adjustments screws will determine how much fuel goes into the piston chamber.
The valve clearance is set by grinding the faces if there is too much clearance or grinding the tip of the stem if there is too little. If it is a OHV engine you can easily adjust the valves. Try going to the link below for a video that shows how to adjust the valves.
Try watching the video in the link below.
This video will show you how: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjzX-PUjKmo
Valves 21 hp Briggs and Stratton Intek V Twin can be adjusted by increasing the torque on screw band with a right rotation. This can eliminate some leaking problems.
Want to watch the rather "neat" YouTube video? Take the link at the bottom!
Try watching the video in the link below:
If the valves are new you grind the end of the valve stem to the proper height . Otherwise you just clean the valves up real good and put them back in , there is no other adjustment .
You can adjust tapping valves by adjusting the lifters.
Even though an Intek is not shown, it would be the YouTube video below.
You do not state if it is a single or a twin (which it could be of either at that HP) so links to each below: