how to adjust valves on a v-twin HELP

nitro1

well i took my starter to a lawn tractor store and they said the starter is good.....and i explained to them what my cart was doing when trying to start it and they said to Adjust ur valves.

would anyone no what i need to do this on a 16hp vanguard v-twin engine horizontal ???

EDIT:
this is what my cart is doing

once i turn the key over the cart acts like it has a dead battery, but once i turn the clutch on the motor a few inches and try to start it....it will crank and start fine

so if i do need to adjust the valves can anyone explain what to do and need please

BGW

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nitro1

found a few threads about how to do it....so i took off the covers and they seem pretty tight besides one on each valve. its just a tad loose with a slight play in it, it moves left to right a little and up and down just a hair does that sound about right ? or should i tighten them down

crash12888

I thought you said changing/shortening the cables fixed everything?



"once i turn the key over the cart acts like it has a dead battery, but once i turn the clutch on the motor a few inches and try to start it....it will crank and start fine"

That's not a valve adjustment issue.

Flintrock

nitro, you need to invest in a repair manual........

Attached Files

Briggs valve adjustment2.pdf (260.4 KB, 23 views)

GMB74

Improper valve clearance will indeed cause the starter to stall as if it had a dead battery. These engines have a compression release "bump" ground into the cam to relieve compression for starting. That is why the instructions say go past TDC rather than setting clearance at TDC. If your clearances are not correct, the compression release feature will not work, and you are trying to crank through full engine compression.

Flintrock

Good info GMB!

nitro1

went out and bought a feeler gauge and now im going to try and set them my self. if anyone has any tips before i try please post lol thanks

sho305

Usually you can get to the right spot and the valve/rocker will stop moving, move the crank back and forth to make sure it is not moving then set your clearance. Check it again after spinning the engine over a few times they often change.

It helps to look at an animation of 4 stroke operation, then take your plugs out and you need to be able to turn the crank. It is easiest to have the flywheel bare. Of course if you don't take the plugs out make sure you disable the ignition or have it off for sure. If you turn it with no plugs in you can feel the air from the piston come out the plug hole to know if it is going up/down, and see the valves move. Watch them as you turn it each rotation and you can see the intake open, compression, exhaust, even the comp release the rocker will move just a little right before TDC (when the plug fires at compression.) Its all pretty simple once you get a good look at it. Neither valve will move after TDC if you have a timing mark to look at you can tell where it is, and know if that is TDC or exhast/intake stroke where one valve will open and then the other as you go past the timing mark on the off stroke.

Here is a good one showing the intake of fresh air and exhausting: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:4-Stroke-Engine.gif