Thought I posted this already, but it's not on the site. Anyway...

I've noticed that my 1982 280zx with 120k miles is quieter when the engine is cold. Once it warms up, it ticks more and sounds like it might need a valve adjustment or something. Does this sound right or could it be something else?

I tried adjusting the valves but couldn't get them perfect. Didn't want to do it hot because I tried that and burned myself. So if I'm adjusting them cold and they're supposed to be at .007 and .009 (trying to get them as close to that as possible) would it be more detrimental to the engine if they were gapped wider than that or narrower? For example, closer to .008 and .010 or closer to .006 and .008? Which side should I err on?

 

You really should gap them when hot. Thats what the FSM says to do so I wouldn't really try to get around that. Just wear gloves lol

 

Is there an easier way of getting the valve cover off while the engine is hot? Or do I need to go buy some Kevlar gloves? I just hate using gloves because they make my hands so damn clumsy!

 

It really wasn't that hot to me... Eh Put you could loosen the bolts all the way the pick it up by the ventilation hose.

 

Adjust a set when hot, wait for it to cool down and measure it again and use those cold measurements for all of them. Personally a cold measurement never usually varies. Another thing you could do is to undue the valve cover bolts and just have the valve cover sitting there and have everything ready to go. if you wear the gloves enough, you don't notice them as much.

 

And loosen all the pivot lock nuts at the beginning. Then you can cruise through the adjusting & lock them down. Saves a lot of time... and in this case, time = heat.