Just purchased a 2010 Honda Fit with 100k miles on the clock. Replaced all the fluids, spark plugs, and finally got to valve adjustment. It has been a while since I have done one. I have tried the method that seems to be the most popular, where you 0.012 would fit, but 0.013 would not. I found that if I tried really hard, I could create an opening and force 0.013. I didn't like that. I thought that I was making an opening instead of the opening already being there. After doing some more research, I found a method that was a little bit more gentle. When I would feel a slight pinch on the feeler gauge I would call it adjusted. It wasn't a camping pinch that would only allow me to take it out by pulling on it really hard. It was a pinch that would create some resistance when I was taking it and an audible sound.

I adjusted intake at 0.07 and exhaust at 0.011. Exhaust valves were way tight initially. I read somewhere that it is better to make them loose than tights, since they are the ones that get tighter over time. Some were saying "tappy tappets are happy tappets". Now the engine sounds like sawing machine. There is a very distinct lifter tap. Here is the video of the sound:


I also found another video on YouTube with a similar sound.


Is this okay?

I drove for 20 miles yesterday in the city, and I am getting 40mpg. The car runs super smooth. Before it would burst after pressing on acceleration pedal. Now it gradually picks up the speed. Idle has dropped by about 50rpm.

 

I think you have a typo in your post. The intake clearance you adjusted to was probably.007"- not .07" The Fit valve clearances (COLD) are Intake= 0.15- 0.19 mm = .006"- .007" and Exhaust 0.26-0.30 mm = .010"- .012"
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A good adjustment needs the feeler gauge to go in straight through the gap between the rocker arm and the camshaft lobe.and have a slight drag when moving it through the gap.. The cam lobe also must be in a position where the lobe has no lift.at all at the point of measurement. There are a lot of videos on the internet to correctly bring the engine to TDC to adjust cylander 1 valves, then a 180 degree rotation CLOCKWISE to adjust cylander 2 valves, etc, etc. Turning the engine over can be done through the pass side wheel well inner shield with a 19 mm deep well socket. turning the crank bolt- clockwise.

You obviously know what you're doing in adjusting your valves. In listening to the video you attached to your post, it seems to me that the valves are close to, or are correct - or maybe very slightly loose. If you want to re-adjust them, I'd re-do them at Int .006" OR .007" and Exh .011". After adjusting each valve, make sure to lock the rocker arm nut and then re-check them as you go to make sure the adjustment doesn't change while locking them down.. Good luck.

Loose adjustments are better than too tight- if you have to choose between just those two possibilities. Loose valve adjustments basically kills performance a little bit because the camshaft can't open the valve up as much as was designed to, and too tight adjustments can in extreme circumstances lead to a burnt valve.

Here's an internet video on Fit valve adjustments that goes through the basics for those reading and wanting more info Please note that the poster of this video refers to a 20 ft lb torque- versus the Honda original recommendation of 13 ft lb torque- in the plug installation he did towards the end of the video: : https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q...=1709145324234

 

I think I will give it another run.

 

I haven't got anything to add to these very good posts except to say that, like @strannik, the last time I adjusted my valves it had been a while. When I as done, the valves sounded a little noisy. Ran awesome, but noisy. So, I redid the adjustment. Twice. Yeah, I'm that guy. I bet my first adjustment would have been fine because, like strannick, I am under the assumption that a little noisy is good. I know it was good on my 2002 Suzuki Bandit, which had a detuned GSX-R engine.

My life is fascinating, isn't it? Hope I haven't bored everyone to death.

 

No I like reading everyone's two cents as long as relevant.

I never had a loud tick till in January 2024 I drove to Newport News VA from Atlanta GA. I had the loud tick the. I took it into the local shop and then the loud tick was gone but came back on my drive back to Atlanta 3 days later. So now I'm home wondering if one came loose?

 

No- never boring at all to read your feedback. Glad you added to the discussion.

 

You got some excellent feedback!
I can't tell volume well enough through your video to determine if it was all too loud, but excluding volume, I started to nod off listening to it
​​​​​​ That's a happy, healthy little engine. I could hear the taps of the valves, the little pops of the explosions, the ticks of the spark plugs, and that wonderful churning.

I think the best video I have of mine is maybe
but you can listen to or I could record a freshie.

Your engine sounded nice. But if you feel like it's disproportionately loud, get back in there! And you're using angled feeler gauges, right?

I work with , and an offset box wrench.

 

I would also be remiss if I didn't mention that Pyts usually has helpful and useful feedback posted to posts on this forum.

 

A big thing with adjusting honda valves is you have to do it while the engine is cold. A lot of people skip this part and end up with weird noises. This is because metals and any material for that matter contract and expand in different temperatures. A hot engine will have a little bit less clearances than a hot one. learned this from being a small engines mechanic and working on tons of little honda 1 and 2 cylinder engines, all of their valve adjustments have to be done when the engine is cold. I recommend redoing it if you skipped that part. Pain in the butt but it is what it is. I recommend taking everything apart that you need to get to the valve cover while you wait for the engine to cool down. Hope this helps.