How to do a Valve Adjustment and add Horsepower (Step by Step) 8th Gen Honda Civic 

To avoid a leaky valve cover torque the valve cover bolts is a spiral pattern, starting with the bolts in the center, working outwards. Tighten them in two steps, with the final step torque to 7 ft. lbs. (84 in. lbs. or 10 Nm).

I saw my brother do this to my Tercel when I was a teenager. I didn’t know what the hell he was doing. Now I know. Now I can do it myself. Thanks dude.

Your like the only person i can find that makes long detailed videos about the r18. Thanks man!

Super clear video footage and perfectly explained for the 8th Gen! Great job - keep em coming!

One tip is that you could just leave the filler tool inside the valve spacing and adjust the valve that way. the bolt should stop moving once it's tightened and hits the filler tool. This should make the entire process significantly faster and more precise.

Very informative and detailed!!! The best video I have seen on this topic for Honda--period. MANY blessings to you for your time.

I couldn't imagine adjusting the back valves if the cowl stayed on which is why mine came off too when performing the job. Subscribed!

I appreciate you man. Reminded me of my old VW Bug. You made it very easy to accomplish without wasting time doing unnecessary stuff. Just got this car for my son and it seems to be a solid vehicle. I will be peeking in on your channel when ideas arise. Thanks again.

The most detailed guide I found. Thanks!

This is the best video I have seen on how to do this on RU-vid. Thank you for creating this video.

you can also slip the gauges under both ins and both outs and adjust until the arms don't wiggle. that way you know the gauge is in there flat. if the arms wiggle, too loose. if no wiggle and you feel excessive drag, too tight. no wiggle and little drag, spot on.

Great tip about removal the cowl. We ran into an issue where the valve cover bolt snapped when putting it it back on. Of course it t was a rear bolt. Having the extra space made it possible. We had to use multiple screw extractor to get it out. We got lucky we had no head damage.

Damn, your walk-through is hella good and easy to follow. Keep up the vids!

you make look so easy! nice vid brother.

Hey bro my adjustment went well. Wasn’t as much out of spec as I thought but it went well. Thanks for the awesome video!

One of the best tutorials I've seen so far. Thank you for being so thorough

Great video and very detailed and thorough. Keep up the good work!!

Love the video this step by step was very helpful especially for any body who’s staring out to the build community very awesome my man!!!!

I’m definitely subscribed. Look forward to your future videos.

thanks for the tip my was unregulated your class helped a Brazilian Brasil São Paulo

Thanks for the detailed and informative video. I'm the 2nd owner of a 2008 civic with 175k miles and don't know for sure if the valve tolerances have ever been checked, but I heard the noise might also be from the fuel injectors. It gets below freezing here so maybe I'll wait for spring weather. Looks much easier than I expected it to be (but so did videos for suspension work and replacing starter which were NOT that easy).

Just finished watching Awesome video saved it to favorites for future reference. This seems like this process is gonna be time consuming not looking forward but my valves are ticking on my daily its time. Oh yea Add R18 to your title so its easier for others to find. 👍✌

Nice n smooth, thanks master !

Very helpful, I need to check mine next week so this is a great step by step. Cheers mate 👍

Oh boy this is sooo wrong... 17:30 All DIYers if you follow this, you will have more problems than before touching it. You don’t check clearances all at once! First you need to align crankshaft to UP sign, and check cylinder 1 valves ONLY. If needed, then you can make adjustments only on two intake and two exhaust valves of 1st cylinder. Then rotate crankshaft to sign 3 (pay attention to horizontal line on right side of 3 symbol, it needs to be level to engine cover) and check 3rd cylinder valves. Then rotate to 4 and go ahead with 4th cylinder valves, and at the end rotate to 2 and check 2nd cylinder valves. So order of checking is 1(UP), 3, 4, 2. After done, rotate two more full cycles and you cAn check clearances again to make sure all is fine. This applies to R18A2 engine type.

Very good job, keep up the good work and all the best

Amazing video extremely detailed 👌🏿

Excellent video! Thank you for taking the time to do this

You did a great job thanks

This is such an amazing tutorial, thank you

Nice and clean just like it should be 👍 just to mention, it is not 3mm more its a 3 tenth of a mm more. Greetings from Europe

GREAT WORK,THX VERY MUCH!!

Great video. I have a 9th Generation ( 2013) Honda Civic. I guess removing the cowl on this one is in order too.

Thank you for the video very well explained and of course it is very useful to me because I going to change the head gasket and I will need to adjust the clearance of the valves

Love your videos bro. Awesome content! I have same car so now I can do my adjustment myself.

Excellent tutorial 👍🏼

Nice and informative , please make an video on stem seals issue

Hey thanks for this video. I did this adjustment, same engine, but I think I got them a bit tight. Had a couple misfires. Replaced spark plugs and loosened up the adjustment but car is still hard to start in morning. I only drove like 50 miles city while the valves were tight. Is that enough to cause burnt valve? Why would it be hard to start when cold in morning after adjustment even if it's correct now?

Another problem with the valves opening too much is the exhaust valve surfaces may not cool sufficiently and may be prone to burning.

Great instructional video.

Very good video tutorial 👍

Nice explanation, only you have to learn difference between millimeters and micrometers

Awesome job!

Good time to change the spark plugs , i'm wondering what type you recommend , platinum perhaps ?

You're the man, man. I appreciate your help! +1 like, +1 subscribe

Hi, During the video you mentioned almost all valve clerance have been adjusted. Would you be so kind and tell me how many mm were the differences? by the way great video!

Great video i am gonna check mine 1.8 too thanks

you should look into getting a power ratchet it speeds things up

I have a question I have the exact same car and Idk if I should do this or pay a garage to do it but when you top died center a cylinder and adjust the exhaust valve what do you have to do to do the intake valve adjustment do you leave it at top died center and just do that after you do the exhaust and also what cylinder did you start with and by the way you did a great video I wish you would have showed you doing all of the cylinders even though it's the same process as the one you showed us and also when you did the adjustment did you do all the exhaust ones first then do the intake after thanks again

At what intervals should valve adjustment be done? How many kilometers

Feeler guages, not valve lash adjustment tool.

Great video

Will this help with lack of acceleration i have no codes but my manual r18 for some reason had lack of acceleration and power even on hills my miles per hour starts declining and i have to drop a gear

Perfect video. Do you have any info what are the valve clearance values for Honda Civic R16A2 engine? This engine is for the 8th generation 1.6 Civic Sedan.

Hi, why it is important to plug the coils the the same spark plugs?

ive heard to never go backwards when hand turning an engine. If you miss the spot go all the way around again the correct way

I know its best to aim for the middle of the specs but is it better to have em more tighter or loose? That way i can adust accordingly depending as the valves wear do they either get looser or tighter out of specs

Hi, can you please explain to me on how to line all cylinders perfectly ? Are those horizontal line (located in the right side) must be line up with the engine block to make sure they are in top dead center? Thanks

Thanks

I physically can't do this sort of work anymore. What would a decent shop charge?

Thanks for the clear and detailed video! one thing tho, did you have to put the car up on stands?

Do you know which model Lexus that lip is from? It looks so good I want one.

Please tell the recommended size latch adjustment for intake and exhaust to

You can only add horsepower if you have severely neglected maintenance on these engines. Honda engines last forever if properly maintained.

So you can adjust both intake and exhaust valves at the same time if that cylinder is at TDC correct?

Awesome

How long should I expect this job to take do you think?

When should you do valve adjstment?

Tried to dm you for your opinion

did you feel and diffrence before and after the adjustment performence wise?

Stick with that Pennzoil.

Are the valve clearance specs the same on the 2.0L SI engine for 8th gen? Great video. Thanks.

How much would you charge for something like this I see you’re in Illinois lol

It’s not a lifter it’s a rocker arm

Would that specs work for my.. 2006 honda civic FD1 1.8L .....

Do you have some classes on line

You did not cover the heads

I think you are using the wrong clearance bro. That clearance is not for R18 engine.