Cylinder head, Valves, adjust

# Adjusting valve clearance

Remove nuts holding spark plug harness to valve cover, remove spark plug boots and place harness aside. |
Loosen clamp and remove purge hose. |
Remove the eighteen 10mm nuts securing valve cover. |
Remove valve cover. |
Crank engine by turning the crank pulley, or by inserting a switch into pins 11 and 14 of the diagnostic connector. |
DANGER: Ensure key is NOT in ignition and car is in Neutral. Cranking the engine from the diagnostic connector, with the ignition on , will start the engine. Cranking the engine with a manual transmission in gear will cause the car to jump.
Measure valve clearance of lobes while they are facing up. Adjust to 0.26 to 0.35mm ( 0.010 to 0.014") cold or 0.31 to 0.40mm (0.0122 to 0.016") warm.
It is always best to adjust valves with the engine dead cold. |
Turn valve lifters so that the slot in the upper edge is located inboard of the cam. |
Press lifters down with BMW special tool 11 3 170 or an aftermarket bucket compressor. The tool should have two different thickness ends. One for intake and one for exhaust. The BMW factory tool is marked A for exhaust and E for intake. |
Use compressed air to blow out old shim, by placing rubber tip of blower in slot on lifter. Measure shim thickness and install an appropriately sized shim with the thickness markings facing down.
NOTE: Always measure the shim being removed, even if thickness is marked, it may be worn.

E30 M3 Repair Manual V2.7. Copyright ©1999-2001 Koala Motorsport & Brett Anderson