head gaskets without valve adjustment

[lb7lbz]

ok so i am half way through my head gasket job on my 01 dmax. passenger haed is back on and the arp studs have been torqued valve covers are on etc. that being said i did not adjust the valves. i have read on other sites that this could damage some things. i dont understand why since nothing has changed except new gaskets. could someone tell me if i am going to be ok or should i rip the valve cover back off and do it? thanks

[Kennedy]

From what I have been seeing I would not do head gaskets without a skim cut on the head. The fire rings tend to pit into the head. We have a LLY here getting head gaskets and after a bare minimum .004" cut you can still see a faint outline of where the fire rings were.

I would definitely adjust the valves regardless.

[lb7lbz]

i hear what you are saying john. the head did have the smallest ammount taken off it for that reason. dont know about the drivers side head as i havnt got that back yet. i guess what i am asking is would you take the time to rip it back apart to adjust the valves or will it be ok.? both right side valve covers are on along with fuel lines etc. just hate regasketing if i dont have to.

[Kennedy]

Yes adjust them. I hear time and time again how quiet they are after this is done. May be imagination, but...

[THEFERMANATOR]

The valve lash on these engines is only .012" of an inch, and I believe the rocker arm ratio is close to 1.5:1. If you have even .008", yes 8 thousandths of an inch variation in a pushrod(about 2 human hairs). You could have gone from .012 to NOTHING for valve lash. It only takes a few minutes to do it, and chances are you will find them to be quite a bit off as many others have posted.