DIY Adjusting Valves 2nd Gen Cr-v (2002-2004) (maybe 06)

[Serj22]

Well, I did it. The one DIY I know a lot of people want. There was one on the EOC and that was how I did this one, enough info to get most of it done. I got pictures of mostly all of it. So here goes.

What you need:
Feeler Gauges ($8.00)
10mm socket/ socket wrench
Flat head screwdriver
19mm Socket/ 2nd Socket wrench (you need 2 seperate wrenches)
Pliers

VERY FIRST STEP: Turn the steering wheel all the way to the right, DO NOT NEGLECT TO DO THIS, YOU WILL SEE WHY LATER.

Step One:
Get The Valve Cover Off

First, take the 2 10mm bolts out of the engine cover (plastic) and pull the cover off.

Take the dipstick out.

Next, take your 10mm wrench and get all the 6 hold down bolts off from around the sides of the cover, then use a flat head to pull the washers out, and set them all aside.

Then, Pull the 4 10mm bolts off the spark plug cover, and remove the cover. Then pull the single 10mm bolt off the side of the cover that is used to hold a little arm on to hold that giant hose that runs across the engine over the top.

Pull the breather hose off the right of the engine by using pliers to clamp down on the hose clamp holding it on, and slide it off.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/One.jpg

After that move everything out of the way, and get down to the spark plug coils.

Use the 10mm again to pull all 4 coils out. They're very easy to move out of the way, I marked mine to be set back in the right order, in case it mattered, it probably doesn't, make sure you unclip the spark plug rail before hand and move it out of the way first to get to them, it's also held down with 10mm bolts.

After all that, pull the cover up towards you and out of the way, set it aside.

Then get down to business.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Two.jpg

Intimidating huh? Not really, just get it done.

Now, kneel down next to the right tire and look in the wheel well, there is a star-like diagram cut out, that is where you put the 19mm socket wrench on the crank, and that's how you will spin the engine.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/PB060356.jpg

The star will hold the socket on so it can just hang there. COOL I KNOW! It's ingenious.

Now, first thing you need to do is find TDC (top dead center.)
The cylinders fire like so: 1,3,4,2
Don't forget that order.

[Serj22]

ONLY ROTATE IN A CLOCKWISE DIRECTION, OTHERWISE the chain may come off.

Now, with the help of someone else, or a little patience (my wife helped me by watching the cams, go get married if you need a wife), spin the crank on the wheel well till the gears reach TDC. The way to find TDC is the Rectangle marks on each of the cams will point at eachother EXACTLY. If you miss, spin the engine again, don't adjust backwards.
The two cams' marks will line up inbetween them, like so:
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Five.jpg

Now, you may adjust Cylinder one, DO NOT MOVE THE RATCHET ANYMORE!
The intake side is towards you, the exhaust side is on the back of the engine.
I adjusted my intake valves to .009 and the Exhaust to .012
That is within spec. All my exhaust valves were either too tight or too loose, so it was good they got adjusted, one of the exhaust valves was at a .014..:eek:

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Four.jpg
The valves are in pairs like so, and there are two more on the back of the cylinder. WEdge the proper feeler into each valve on the intake and exhaust side. I wedged the .009 in the intake sides, then take your 10mm socket from earlier and loosen all 4 of the nuts on the valves, then take your flathead and loosen each out, then tighten them down to the thickness of the feeler gauge, make sure the gauge slides in and out, but just barely, and that a larger gauge will not fit in, so test to see that a .010 doesn't fit after that, and it's perfect. Leave the feeler gauge in the spot its at, and use the 10mm to tighten down the nut, repeat for all 4. Remember to use the .012 in the back valves though.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Six.jpg

[Serj22]

Finish tightening down all the 1st cylinder valves, and now we move to cylinder 3 DO NOT MOVE TO CYLINDER 2!!!!
Adjust the socket on the wheel well to cylinder 3, which is 180 degrees from the last position. The cams will spin only 90 degrees.

Line up the mark on the right cam with the edge of the piece of metal hanging over the top of the cams.
The mark on the left gear should be facing straight down, check that it is, and check that the mark on the right cam is lined up with the edge.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Seven-1.jpg

Now, leave the socket alone, and again if you missed, spin the engine again, don't turn backwards.
Adjust the valves as you did before on CYLINDER 3

Tighten all the valves to spec, and retighten all the 10mm nuts, and now we move to Cylinder 4

Get back to the wheel well wrench, and spin another 180, 90 on the cam gears. The marks are harder to tell on this cylinder. The marks need to face AWAY from eachother, check with a ruler or straight edge, so they are level and on opposite sides. Check also with a square, or something else to see that the mark on the right is a 90* seperation from the edge of the piece of metal used to check Cylinder 3.
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Nine.jpg

Do all the steps from the last sets and make sure the valves are tightened to spec, and tighten down all the nuts again. Then we move to CYLINDER 2 which is the last cylinder.

Move the wrench on the wheel well another 180 degrees, 90 on the cams, and adjust so that the mark on the left gear is set to the middle of the piece of metal on top of the gear on that side, like so:
http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e356/serj22/Eight.jpg

Adjust all the valves for cylinder 2, and then tighten the nuts again, then you are DONE!

Put some sealant on the valve cover, and put the valve cover back in place. Put all the washers and nuts back, the hose hanger back, and the spark plug coils back in. Put all nuts and washers back, and then re-attach the valve cover breather tube. Then finally replace the dipstick back in, and put the oil cap back if you removed it (not necessary to pull the cover off)
Hope this helped someone, tell me if you need a little more info or if something is unclear.