checking valve clearance

[geneP]

I bought an L2250 2wd back in June. I've put several hours on it, gotten use to it's characteristics and love it. I've made a few adjustments and repairs, and built a grill guard and a belly pan. I bought it from a dealer and have since talked to the previous (only) owner about the scheduled maintenance items that have/have not been performed. I've received the owners' and service manuals and am ready to get down to the less glamourous maintenance items. The tractor now has just over 1000 hours on it, so I am going to go through the 800 hr maintenance to prepare for a fresh start. I'm comfortable with the service instructions so far with the exception of checking the valve clearance. My question is "do you check the clearances with the engine cold or at operating temperature?" No mention is made in the manual.

Any other advice and comments are welcome. Thanks in advance

Gene

 

[art]

Gene warm is the most accepted way to check the valve clearences and it wouldn't be bad as long as you have gone that far to put a torque wrench on the head bolts. My thoughts on what you are doing and knowing engines is I wouldn't worry about it unless there is a problem. Kubota's quality of workmanship out of the factory is some of the best I've ever seen bar none!

 

[TomG]

Procedures may differ from tractor to tractor. For what it's worth, clearances in the repair manual for my Ford 1710 are specified as 'cold.' A dealer service tech probably could answer the question definitely.

You didn't mention servicing and checking the injector spray patterns. Those are maintenance procedures done at 600 hours on my Ford, along with setting the valves and changing hydraulic oil.

 

[geneP]

The schedule does call for injector pressure to be checked at 800 hrs, but since the tractor starts and runs perfectly and without smoke, I elected to forgo this operation because it will require specialized skills and equipment.

I ran the tractor to operating temperature before removing the sheetmetal and valve cover, but by the time I got in to the valves it had cooled off considerably. I found most of the valves set about 3-4 thousandths loose. Also found that the manual has the intake and exhaust valves reversed in their illustrations.

The hydraulic oil had been changed about 50 hours ago per the owner, and the dealer cleaned the filter (metal, permanent type) when I bought it.

On a subject maybe of interest to the Oils and Lubrication topic, the previous owner said he had changed the engine oil twice a year with Valvoline 10W30. I found the valve train, cover interior, and head surface without a trace of sludge.