Valve adjustment

[Bykrdon]

The technical manual mentions that the Smart engine uses mechanical cup tappets and that the valves need periodic adjustment by changing the thickness of these tappets. Is it mentioned anywhere how often the valves need adjusting? I had a 2000 Honda CR-V that required valve adjustment checks every 15,000 miles. I had to take it to the dealer, leave it all day so that the valves could be checked with the engine cold. Not fun and not cheap! Any feedback.......

[Carlarm]

I noticed this as well. The answer I got from smart center San Jose was that they need to be adjusted every 60,000 miles. I neglected to ask what the cost of this would be.

[saras]

valve adjustments intervals would be good to know ..our smart dealer had never heard about any adjustment intervals... shouldn't they know??? yeah I think so...

[Duckhunter]

Originally Posted by saras

valve adjustments intervals would be good to know ..our smart dealer had never heard about any adjustment intervals... shouldn't they know??? yeah I think so...

Dealer should know about this. It is listed as in the maintenence schedule booklet supplied with car at 60,000 and 120,000 miles

[Macaw]

Lots of cars and motorcycles have been using this for decades. My old yamaha had them as did my '73 XJ12 not a biggie and does keep the valve clearances better than the other alternatives. Of course we'll have to wait for a manual to really see how much of a pain it is (is the Mits manual avaialbel?).

[PeteInLongBeach]

Do I recall correctly, that the intake valves are sold (adjustable) tappets, and the exhaust valves have hydraulic (self-adjusting) tappets? If I'm correct about this, it would reflect the nature of intake valves which exhibit relatively little seat wear (cooler and more lubrication from fuel), as opposed to exhaust valves which exhibit relatively more seat wear (hotter, no fuel lubrication).

I would expect very little adjustment would be needed on the intake valves at the 60,000 mile service.

[Karl Roth]

Smart Car technical spec manual
Will give you a better feel for it
karl

[forestacademy]

Originally Posted by Duckhunter

Dealer should know about this. It is listed as in the maintenence schedule booklet supplied with car at 60,000 and 120,000 miles

I don't think a lot of US dealers have seen a 60,000 mile Smart yet, and most won't for a little time yet. It has to be hard to price something that has not been yet in your shop.

[Karl Roth]

The link above talks about measuring each lifter cup with a micrometer and replacing it with a cup of the correct size. The shop I picked my car up from charges $98 an hour. With lead no longer a part of our fuel I am nor sure what lubrication the fuel will provide. Even if all the cups go back in place the labor the do the measuring will come to more than I spend for my coffee in the morning. The labor rates at most of the local dealers are right around that mark as well smart does not have a hammerlock on charging too much.
Lots of people seem to believe you get what you pay for, if that where only true...
karl

[Old smart]

Originally Posted by Karl Roth

... With lead no longer a part of our fuel I am nor sure what lubrication the fuel will provide. ...

The wear due to lack of fuel lubrication won't affect the valve train directly. It does cause wear and erosion to the exhaust valve seats in older engines, resulting in "valve regression." Regression then does involve the valve train as the wear on the seats allows the valves to bodily regress toward the valve actuation (either rockers or overhead valves), tightening the clearances. But modern engines use hardened valve seats to prevent regression, so that shouldn't normally be a problem. I suppose there is a possibility that a smart's head with inserted valve seats could suffer regression if the seats bed further into the soft aluminum. Valve train wear prevention will be a function of good, un-contaminated engine oil of the appropriate viscosities.