Valve Clearance Rumor

[drillbit7]

G'day all.
Whilst buying parts today from a Mitsubishi service agent that I won't name, I was told that MMAL have told dealers only to do audible checks on tappets even at the 30,000km interval.
Seemed a little far fetched to me. Has anyone heard anything similar to this?

Cheers
Drillbit

[Cowboy Dave]

Audible checks on valve clearances have been around for ages. Many posts on this sort of thing in various places. The view on this that I prefer though is that you have buckley's of working it out from listening to them and they should be physically inspected/checked every 30,000.

[drillbit7]

CD,
I completely agree with you. This was also what I said to aforementioned service agent. I'm just curious if there's any truth to what he was telling me about MMAL directing dealers not to do physical adjustments.

[scottym1976]

Drillbit,

Is the dealer in question still charging the $120 odd dollars for parts and 2 hours labour to conduct this 'audible' inspection? Presuming that this may apply to 'fixed price servicing' vehicles only?

[salt36]

Audible will pick up an obvious loose tappet, but the tight ones don't make a sound and they cost you in economy, like my rattler work ute at the moment, boss says 'just keep driving it'

[drillbit7]

Scotty,
Wouldn't have a clue mate, I'm a diesel mechanic so never used a dealer for servicing.

Salt,
100% correct, however where I work their philosophy is over-service everything so we don't have rattler utes lol

[Mitstech2936]

We havent been told this at my work?
Out of the hundreds of 30k intervals iv done I can probally count on one hand how many times iv gotten one apart and they were all perfect clearances....
Plus without the 30k interval adjustment we would be f$&kd at the dealership and outta work quick smart
If this is true Im guesn the number crunchers in head office at Mm have gone absolutely nuts on there cost cutting wich will ultimately be there demise
Drivetrain warranty
Audible tappet checks instead of physical
What next? Axing the cap price servicing??

[drillbit7]

Thanks for the reply Mitstech
I was hoping to get a reply from a Mitsubishi mechanic.
I don't hold a lot of faith in this guy as he's not actually a dealer, just a local mechanic who's an authorized Mitsubishi repairer and parts retailer ( who does do parts at a good price). When I go back in there in 5000km time to buy another oil and fuel filter I'll ask if he has anymore. Although personally, I'm not canceling the parts kit that I've ordered to do mine.

Cheers
Drillbit

[BEN115]

a new guy has started at work, came from a mitsu dealer . . . he says audible check on the 2.5 is rubbish because they actually tighten instead of loosen..... not sure on the credability of his statement ... but he was a mitsu tech for 6 odd years. no reason to lie.

[Tony]

Its true as most oilers, they more often tighten up due to valves seating in. audible check is a joke as loose rattly valve clearances do less harm than if they happen to tighten up and eventually leak or get hot spots which possibly may result with a dropped a valve and/or top end damage whilst under full snort.

[aids84]

I've found that the inlets tend to tighten up slightly between each adjustment, the exhaust valves tend not to move as much.

A slightly noisy tappet is a happy tappet, when they go quiet it's time to worry. Audible check is bullsh!t, and no i've not heard anything through work either. Sounds to me like the dealer was just trying to weasel out of doing the work, if you don't have techs that are familiar with the job the times can blow out and mistakes can be made.

[Mitstech2936]

I agree completely guys, i find the clearances all over the shop though, half tight half loose, sumtimes there right and sumtimes they are so far out it's not funny, they don't have a haudraulic lifter in there so audible adjustment isn't an option... Full stop!
If Any business claims it takes too long and they don't wanto do it there lees than competent
Iv got the valve adjustments on the 2.5 down to 2 hours on the dot now from go to woe, that Inc replacing fuel filter, carrying out leak test and SQL
Money can be made from dealer perspective if they try hard enuf and itl keep theese engines running for years to come

[Dunga71]

So Mitstech can you give me the run down on the checks and serviceing for a 30k service, mine is going in next week and i dont have 100% faith in my service manager,he has bullshitted to me a couple of times

[Mitstech2936]

Oil and filter, inspect gear oil levels, front diff, gbox, transfer case, adjust rear shoes so handbrake has only a few clicks insted of loose as from the factory( if it hasn't already been done) also from the factory the rear diff oil is aprox 800mls shy of being full that should get picked up on pretty early but I know some people are lazy and don't even check, brake fluid flush, fuel filter replace, and valve lash adjust, leak test on inj pipes and small qty injection learn, test drive

Oh little trick for those that do there own valve adjust,
Replace oil before valve adjust, start vehicle and vary the revs from idle to 3k for 30 seconds, this will bring fresh oil back up into the top end of engine and makes valve adjust not such a messy experience
And make sure the engine is pretty well stone cold when adjusting clearances

[mIwoo]

I think I need to speak to my dealer.... knew I had bad fuel economy for a reason and I thought it was odd MIts "listen to the tappets" for the inspection.

[Mitstech2936]

Cap price servicing covers the cost of valve adjustment, I think it's like $580 dollars or so for a 30k interval? The 90 is a really big one, that replaces basically every consumable oil and filter in the vehicle

[Octaneruss]

Hey mitsitech , thanks for the info, I'm a diesel fitter and are about to do my 60K service and have ordered a manual off eBay and it doesn't contain info on my 4D56 engine (there sending me a new one) just wondering what the clearances are on intake/exhaust ? Also what is the HP fuel line tension ? Any info is much appreciated

[colins7014]

Hey Octareruss I bought manual for my MN on ebay and it was shit. Doesn't have all the 4D56 engine details. Go to TradeBit.com and look it up . I ended up getting mine from here after many attempts on ebay and now I also have the complete manual mate. When I did my valve clearances they were all tight at 30,000. Big job what a mission. Had to modify a deep socket to be able to apply the correct torque to the injector pipes. Have fun!!!! Havent got the specs with me at the moment otherwise I could give you this info now.

[Mitstech2936]

Intake .09mm exhaust .14mm
But .10 and .15 is ok if that's all u got on the feeler gauge
What are u using to tension ur pipes? I bought a snap-on pipe socket 17mm specially for the job,
MM recomends 35nm but I go 37-38nm @ injector, back one u need a crows foot to get to it, I do that one at 36 because of the leverage u get on the crows foot, on the rail I go to 38-39 because I use a 6inch extension bar to clear the engine etc. Make sure the pipes are perfectly clean and also the mating surface on the injector and rail, oh and remove the dipstick and put back in last! They are really easy to tag with the tension wrench and they will snap real easy, really weak plastic

[Octaneruss]

Thanks heaps guys , the info is awesome ,I used to work for Mtu-detroit diesel and have tuned heaps of different engines and have got a good feel for injector pipes and honestly would probably tighten the pipes by feel but also like to do things properly so I would use a crows foot . I always give the pipes a good squirt of brakeleen before seating . Also mitsitec , my triton has the factory locker, can I put a friction modified oil in there since it shouldn't have any friction disks in it? Do u know anyone that has wired up the locker to a dash switch ? Turn off ASC ,locker on , FUN ! Probably just have to find the wire that completes the circuit so it thinks it's in 4wd , or is it computer controlled ?

[salt36]

So Mitstech can you give me the run down on the checks and serviceing for a 30k service, mine is going in next week and i dont have 100% faith in my service manager,he has bullshitted to me a couple of times

Sounds like my local dealer Perhaps its a VIC thing as the northern dealers seem fantastic in comparisin......

[Mitstech2936]

Yea wouldn't think it should impact it but for warranty purposes prob best to just stick with factory spec until it runs outta warranty, and as for the asc wiring etc I am unsure as to if u could do that or not, maybe tony might see this and shed some info??

[mIwoo]

Gday mitstech... any manual way of checking if my dealer did my valve clearances besides my receipt or pulling my motor apart? because i reckon they didnt do them at 30k km service.

[Mitstech2936]

Take ur engine cover off the top and have a look where your injector pipes go into the rocker cover... If they look fresh n clean then good chance they atleast took the rocker cover off... If they look like theres dust n dirt housed around the seal thats a sure fire way of telling that they haven't even taken rocker cover off... If it was in the last week or so then you would be able to tell that, other than that only way is to physicly check them urself, kinda defeats the purpose of gettn some1 else to do it lol

[aids84]

Gday mitstech... any manual way of checking if my dealer did my valve clearances besides my receipt or pulling my motor apart? because i reckon they didnt do them at 30k km service.

Also a lot of the bolts around the manifold/rocker cover/egr valve region have paint marks on them, which are put on at the factory as they tighten the bolts.

If all the paint marks still line up and you can't see any "bruising" on the painted bolt heads it's a safe bet to say that they weren't taken out at the 30 when they were supposed to do your valve clearances.