When to adjust valves? 2.4 liter engine

I've been researching and some people say they never adjust valves, others say to check it at approximately 90k miles.

Anyone have opinions on this?

 

Use a feeler gauge and see how much out of spec they are and that will determine if you need to adjust them or not.

 

Every time you tune it up they are easily adjustable for a reason.

 

I was dead set on doing it when I hit whatever the mileage was that the manual said to do it. I was in high school at the time and was going to do it during my auto shop class. The instructor talked me out of it (he was a BMW/Mini ASE master tech for 15 years so I do not question his credentials). He said if they don't sound off don't worry about it.

 

The 2.4's valves clearances change there are a lot of moving parts unlike a direct contact tappet. If the clearance is too great your valve timing will be late if it is too tight it will be too advanced and possibly burn valves. Will this make a noticeable difference? Maybe, maybe not but it is part and parcel of a proper tune up. In the case of an older BMW they were very easy to adjust so there was no excuse to do it other than being lazy. In a modern mechanical tappet overhead cam engine the clearance is shimmed (like a 4L V6) and in theory all the parts wore at the same rate so the clearance remained the same through the life of the valve.

 

He thought I had the shims, is the 2/3RZ not that type of tappets? I had no idea and just took his word for it.

 

You do have shims, and its kind of a pain to adjust..

 

^ I was hoping someone like you that knew the 2rz in and out would chime in. He basically stuck his head on the valve cover and listened for awhile and said "we can open it up and look if you really want but they're fine"

I had a bunch of other shit I had to get done in the hour and a half I had the shop for (plugs, all oils/fluids, rotate tires) so I was happy to check one thing off the list right off the bat

 

Any valve is adjustable in some manor or other my comment was about the older BMW's as you did not state a year they had easily adjusted valves like a 2.4. Yes the normal maintenance on a shimmed valve is listen for noise due to the complexity how ever the old 3L V6 Toyota had a tendency to tighten the clearance to the point they would burn valves so that does not all ways hold true. Bottom line if you can adjust the valves with out dismantling the engine do so with a tuneup if they have adjusters they were meant to be adjusted.

 

Good writeup..
http://www.yotatech.com/f128/5vz-fe-3rz-fe-2rz-fe-valve-adjustment-tech-226997/

 

It was a variety of BMWs he worked on (it's Baron BMW in Kansas City for anyone that knows the area), but he was their Mini Cooper expert.

It's beside the point, I was just trying to avoid the "your shop teacher is a retard and is wrong he doesn't know anything" comments

 

Your right it was assumption on my part about the age of the BMW he is right if they are shimmed,

 

He cetainly isnt a retard for wanting to be a BMW mechanic, those cars are always in the shop because of neglect. But I would like an M3.