berry@hawking.wpd.sgi.com (Berry Kercheval) writes:
> I once saw someone adjust the valves on a Sprite, I think it was,
> WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING.
>
> Anyone ever see this before? He claimed he could tell when the
> clearance was right by sliding the feeler gauge around; I tried it and
> it seemed to work.
>
> Of course, myself, I do what the manual says. That trick was a bit messy...
My first car in America (back in 1980) was a 1972 Ford Capri, 2000 cc,
4-cylinder. I didn't know much about cars then (probably only a little
less than I do now! :-) but enough to know that engines aren't supposed
to tick like the proverbial sewing machine!
A neighbour at the time was training to be a car mechanic and he would help
me on some of the maintenance. All the valves needed adjusting. Me, I'd
bought a book (a Chilton's I think) to help me get through the basics.
According to the book, the adjustment had to be done WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING!
My mechanic friend, Mike, was dumb-founded! He was used to mostly American
cars and had never heard of such a procedure. Me, I didn't know any different.
Well, I started 'er up and Mike said something that sounded like "Duck!!!"
I couldn't tell if that was what he really said as the oil came out, or
if it was something that rhymes :-)
We stuck it out though, whisking that feeler guage around, oil everywhere
(it was on my In-Laws side lawn too), but we accomplished our mission.
It was a lot of fun too. Damn thing sounded like a brand new car after that!
(I shouldn't say "Damn thing", I really loved that car)
Garry Archer Esq. {yale, uunet}!hsi!archer -OR- archer@hsi.com
3M Health Information Systems, Wallingford, Connecticut, U.S.A.
"An Englishman never enjoys himself, except for a noble purpose." - A.P.Herbert
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