How do you adjust valves on a 1973 volkswagen beetle?

Answer 1

I recommend a shop manual - they're not too expensive. A Haynes manual will work.

You will need:

A big screwdriver for the valve covers

A medium flat blade screw driver

A 13 mm wrench (or maybe a 15 - some engines may have oversized adjusters)

A pair of valve cover gaskets

A couple hours (for your first time)

1. Remove distributor cap.

2. With car in neutral, turn crankshaft with a wrench on the pulley bolt until the distributor rotor points to the scribe mark on the rim of the distributor. This is top dead center on cylinder #1.

3. Pry down the bails that hold on the valve covers, and remove the covers.

4. Look at the rocker arms on cyl. #1 - FRONT Right. An 0.008 inch feeler gauge should just fit - like a knife through butter - between the adjuster and the valve stem. Loosen the locknut and turn the adjuster until it is just right (on both valves) and tighten the locknut. Recheck.

5. Turn the crank 180 degrees counterclockwise.

6. Adjust the right rear valves (#2)

7. Turn the crank 180 degrees counterclockwise again.

8. Adjust the left front valves (#3)

9. Turn the crank 180 degrees counterclockwise.

10. Adjust the left rear valves (#4)

11. Reinstall the valve covers and distributor cap. You're done (for 6000 more miles).