help---valve adjustment on Honda 40

Hunkydory

Have only very basic knowledge of motors. Have never adjusted valves on any motor. Have all the tools to do the job. Found it simple to get to the valves and no problem finding and aligning to the marks. Have the Honda shop manual. Problem is [this is where I show my ignorance of motors] the cylinders are aligned vertical, how do you identify which cylinder is #1,2, or 3 so you know which set of valves to adjust for each of the 3 alignments. On each cylinder there is a left and right valve. How do you know which is the intake and which is the exhaust for adjustment. I think the manual writers assume anyone that's going to use the manual for this would already know these little tidbits of information.

The nearest Honda marine service is at least 160 miles, and my past experience with marine service has be terrible, so any help would be appreciated.

Jay

JT · Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 10:26 am Post subject:

Hi Jay,
If you do a search online you should be able to find a Honda outboard owners forum.
It should be a snap to find an answer to your question or to be pointed to a site that can.
Hope this helps.

JT
16' Angler, "Palomino"

Almas Only · Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 10:49 pm Post subject:

Jay:

I have a 90 hp Honda, but expect your motor is configured the same. Cylinders are numbered from top to bottom, consecutively: 1, 2, 3, and on the 90, 4. They do not fire in that order. You should be able to get the firing order, and thus, the order of valve setting, from the manual. When doing #1, notice how it is the only cylinder for which there is a gap in both valves when the flywheel is properly lined up. Whichever cylinder is next is whichever has gaps in both valves when the flywheel is at the next setting mark.

The intake valve is on the same side as the carbs, and the exhaust is on the same side as the exhaust manifold. On the 90, the inlet valves are on the starboard, and exhaust, on the port.

If you don't have experience adjusting valves, and access to the proper torque specs, you might want to get a helping hand on this one.

Good luck.

david

Hunkydory · Posted: Tue May 08, 2007 11:47 pm Post subject:

JT--- Thanks, and that will be the next step if needed.

David----Thanks to you too. I do have the manual and by reading more thoroughly had found location of intake and exhaust and it was just as you described.

Also the manual showed as you said the pistons, spark plugs and carburetors are numbered 1, 2, and 3 from top to bottom. What I could not find and I read through the entire applicable parts of the manual and a lot that wasn't is the firing order. By checking manual there is no problem in setting alignment so #1 firing piston is at TDC. So either by checking gaps as you described and then to double check remove sparkplugs and check to see what piston is at TDC hopefully I'll be ok. Anyone that thinks I won't please let me know.

I have all the tools needed including proper specs and no doubts in my ability to properly adjust the valves once proper firing order is determined. Thanks again,

Jay

Hunkydory · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 12:45 am Post subject:

Find it somewhat strange that with the majority of CD 22's in at least the past being powered by Honda twins, that not a single one has checked or adjusted the valves personally. Or at least none that have cared to post there knowledge. Guess most all take this kind of work to the shop. Guess I would too if I had EQ Marine or near the equivalent closer to home.

Jay

Jazzmanic · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 1:11 am Post subject:

Jay,

In my personal experience, I've tinkered with cars, especially when young and broke (in college) but am fairly new to boats and don't even want to try messing with boat engines. So, I take it to an authorized service dealer and pay for their expertise. Maybe many of the folks on the site feel the same way. Sad

Peter

Notayot · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 1:16 am Post subject:

I have always done all of the valve adjustment in all of my motorcycles and cars, but then I didn't own a car with hydraulic valve lifters and a automatic transmission until 1979, and I'd been doing valve adjustments for 15 years at that point. I've done so many adjustments of solid lifters that I didn't even think to take the Honda 90 anywhere. By the way, the first adjustment found one valve slightly out of spec (tight). I didn't post on the 40's since I haven't done one of those.

Dora~Jean · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 10:42 am Post subject:

Jay, I agree, seems odd. I just did mine a few weeks ago, but they're Yami 80's with shims, completely different than the adjustable Honda's. I really enjoy observing good technology first hand -- as long as it's within my range of capabilities that is...!

Hunkydory · Posted: Wed May 09, 2007 11:10 pm Post subject:

Well valve check and adjustment is finished. Turned out to be a simple procedure and took about 1.5 hrs to do both motors. No valve cover gaskets to replace they are made of rubber and should last a long time. No sign of deterioration of gasket and these motors have 900 hrs on them. This is the first time these motors have had the valves adjusted and only two valves were off and that was by only 001. Tolerances are for the intakes .005 to .007 and the exhaust .008 to .010.

The adjustment sequence turned out to be just like the spark plugs and carburetors are numbered. You start with #1 at the top and then down to 2 and 3. The correct aligment of valves for checking and adjusting is done by rotating the pulser rotor to the proper marks and this is explained and pictured very well in the manual, so is easy to follow the directions.

If anyone else decides to adjust there own and for me it was much easier than hooking up and hauling to shop and then going back and bringing back home after who knows how long. This would be true even if shop was close. Don't buy the special tool for turning the pulser rotor to align as suggested by the manual. I did and it was a waste of $85.

Jay