TheSamba.com :: View topic - valve adjustment on rebuilt 36hp motor .004 or .006?

Tue Aug 23, 2011 9:58 am

Hey Guys,

Complete rebuild on a 36hp motor, new piston and cylinder kit, valves, guides, complete rebuild on heads etc.

Wolfsburgwest says to keep the valves set at .006 for new valves as they expand more than the originals. Book says .004 of course, as does cip1.

What should I set them at?

Chris

Tue Aug 23, 2011 11:40 am

I have been setting mine at .006 for the last 200K

Tue Aug 23, 2011 11:44 am

60ragtop wrote: I have been setting mine at .006 for the last 200K

Any upgrades to motor?

Chris

Tue Aug 23, 2011 11:52 am

Now it has the WW dual carb kit, cam & stroker crank, :D
Going on 7K with this setup.

Tue Aug 23, 2011 3:05 pm

60ragtop wrote: Now it has the WW dual carb kit, cam & stroker crank, :D
Going on 7K with this setup.

yeah they say go .006

maybe I'll go middle, .005

haha

chris

Tue Aug 23, 2011 5:13 pm

cvallone wrote: 60ragtop wrote: Now it has the WW dual carb kit, cam & stroker crank, :D
Going on 7K with this setup.

yeah they say go .006

maybe I'll go middle, .005

haha

chris

I run mine at .005..004 is to tight and .006 is to loose, .005 is just right. :D

Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:05 pm

stale air wrote: cvallone wrote: 60ragtop wrote: Now it has the WW dual carb kit, cam & stroker crank, :D
Going on 7K with this setup.

yeah they say go .006

maybe I'll go middle, .005

haha

chris

I run mine at .005..004 is to tight and .006 is to loose, .005 is just right. :D x2

Tue Aug 23, 2011 7:31 pm

The Bentley manual talks about how valve clearance on a 36 hp engine actually increases when hot rather than decreasing. In fact on page M12 of the Bentley manual they state that if you adjust valves when the engine is not cold, (104 -140 degrees F), set intake at .004-.005 and exhaust at .006. Cold adjustment is .004. I have always done my valve adjustments after the car has sat overnight. At a garage obviously, this was not practical. If you are using .006 as your cold setting on a 36 hp motor and valve clearance might increase another .002 when hot, then you could be running .008 on the exhaust valves. I have used .006 on both my 1600 dp and 36 hp motors without a problem. But I have always been a little puzzled by the claim of valve clearance increasing on the 36 hp motors when warm instead of decreasing as it does on the later motors. As suggested by the OP are the valves used today different than originals. [img][/img]

Tue Aug 23, 2011 8:33 pm

More of similar speculation can be found here.

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=439847

Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:33 pm

I typically go off the owner's manual which says .004" all around.

I have used .006" on the exhausts though, in the summer.
Sometimes just on the #3 exhaust.

Tue Aug 23, 2011 10:36 pm

I did .005 except for #3 exhaust at .006. Sounds & runs good. Personal preference I guess.

Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:06 am

Well thing is, I am just going by what WW told me with using new valves to rebuild the motor. For some reason they said the new valves in the old head will expand more than the originals, so it is best to go .006.

I ran it last night still at .004 and she still ran good, no issues that I could notice.

I guess I will just have to experiment. :0)

Chris

Wed Aug 24, 2011 5:46 am

After driving my car for 15 years, over 200K with the same engine, .006 works the best for me. If I set them any different I notice a slight loss of power and with only 36 HP to start you need all you can get :wink:
But this is JMHO

Wed Aug 24, 2011 7:30 am

Which of us is brave enough to pull a valve cover and check the valve clearance on a hot motor so it can be compared to the cold clearance? Remember, it's for science.

Wed Aug 24, 2011 8:17 am

I'll do it for research. I'm going to get mine out to wash it anyway today.

Wed Aug 24, 2011 9:46 am

Setting them to .006" shouldn't hurt anything.

After all, VW told people in the USA to start using that on later engines when the real spec. was still .004".

I don't remember if it was retroactive back to the 36hp engines but it probably was.

Wed Aug 24, 2011 10:09 am

Checked # 3 as I'm lazy in my old age besides just setting them not to long ago :wink:
I checked them cold after sitting over night .006
after running for 30 minutes ex .009 int .008

Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:16 pm

Thanks 60ragtop for that information. I also noticed in an original 1960 owners' manual the statement of valve clearance increasing on a warm engine. Seems like they were right. I am very impressed with the 200k on your engine. The 36 hp is a tough little machine. Have you had to do any major work to it during the time you have owned it?

Wed Aug 24, 2011 4:56 pm

Thanks, 60ragtop. Another triumph for science.

Wed Aug 24, 2011 6:11 pm

It was piece mealed together for those 200K :lol:
It was going to be a long term resto but a divorce forced it into my daily driver, 80-100 a day. First a valve job then a lower end, bearings about 60K later then P&C later on. I had 130K on the valve job but I run Marvel Mystery oil in my gas and the valves are still like new.(Ask Glutamodo/Andy, he saw them disassembled) Then 2 years ago I redid the whole thing all new/reconditioned parts except crank. I still have this engine as it is the original. But then WW came out with the dual carb kit and I had extra money to add a stroker crank and cam :D Now I have to watch my speed as I am used to driving it floored all the time. Easily cruises 80 now :wink:
I drive mine :shock:
Sorry to hi jack this