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Question on Valve adjustment m30 , e12: Have always adjusted intake and exhaust valves with the same setting i.e. Say on adj #1 cyl I use cyl.6 overlap of intake and ehaust and proceed to adj both # 1 valves. Is this correct or should I be adjusting the overlap on cyl. 6 for the ehaust and the intake to adj. the intake and exhaust on # 1 cyl. Don't know if I could put in words my thinking. Thanks

If just a box stock grocery getter that's all apart, my 2¢ is follow the factory adjustment instructions. On line, Haynes, etc.

For fun, pay attention to the wear on the cam lobes. 35 years, depending upon the miles and maintenance, is quite a bit of time for spinning.

I do them one at a time and use a checklist to make sure I get all of them. I might do both on a given cylinder at the same time or I might not. One thing I will add is to make sure the lobes are pointed pretty close to all the way down, the ramp starts before you think it does and it's not difficult to be a thou or three into it and misadjust it.

I guess my question is : since it is difficult to see if the lobes are down , on say cyl. 1 I observe tl lobes on cyl.6 to see if they are straight up - overlap position . Can you adjust both the intake & exhaust valves on cyl. 1 based on the same setting of cyl. 1 lobes being dowm and or cyl. 6 lobes being up or do I need to adj the intake and exhaust valves based on the the intake or exhausts lobes particular position. Perhaps my question is do the intake and exhaust valve trains move in exact tanden just in opposite opposite direction and one cannot get finer adjustment individually. Thanks mike and T Hanson for replies.

You do not need to rotate the crank to adjust the int and exhaust separately.
Also, use a flashlight if you have to, but go by the lobes facing down. Trying to judge when an opposing cylinder's lobes are pointing up is definitely not the way to do it.
Get a piece of paper and a sharpie.
Write the numbers 1 through 6 across the top.
Below that, Write an I and an E below each digit of 1 - 6. First, remove all of the spark plugs to make rotating the engine easier.
Rotate the crank until #1 is at TDC, "O" on the front balancer, I & E valves of cyl #1 both fully closed. Look at how the cam lobes of cylinder 1 are positioned. You want each cylinder to look just like that when you adjust it.
With the cylinder #1 at TDC, adjust both valves, and cross off the I and the E of the cylinder being adjusted as you go so you know where you are in the process. Using this method, a few other rockers will be on it's base circle, so you could adjust those now too if you want. Just cross them off of the list. But honestly, it's easier to just do one cylinder at a time to avoid any confusion.
Following the firing order, turn the crank until the next cylinder in the order of firing looks exactly like cylinder #1 did earlier, and adjust both of those valves. Keep doing this until you end with cyl #4.
You are only turning the engine 60 degrees to come to the next cylinder, so not even a full revolution to do all of them.
*Please don't make the eccentric nuts crazy tight. Just snug is all that's necessary. Also use the 10mm box wrench from the factory tool kit. Perfect for this job.

Frederich wrote:Perhaps my question is do the intake and exhaust valve trains move in exact tanden just in opposite opposite direction and one cannot get finer adjustment individually.

It sounds like you're describing a dual overhead cam scenario, which this isn't.

*Please don't make the eccentric nuts crazy tight. Just snug is all that's necessary. Also use the 10mm box wrench from the factory tool kit. Perfect for this job.

Agreed. I had to build a tool to undo the rounded-off nuts to fit in the tiny spaces of the head that the PO/PO's mechanic had messed up. The nuts are cheap, replace them if there's any sign of damage.