The valve train rocker assemblies on these CX/GL motors are a little stressed on the side that the push rod applies pressure to on one side of the rocker arm because it is pushing against 2 sets of valve springs from only one side. Because of the geometry of it, the pressure is mostly applied to the top end of the rocker arm, and results in a lot of ware to that side of the rocker arm shaft. It wares on the shaft much faster on that one side because of the length of the rocker arm, and the fact that it's not applying pressure in the middle of the 2 valves.
With that said, there is a simple fix to get your valves to adjust evenly, and hold for a long time. Mine hold for about 2500 miles or more before feel the need to adjust them again with this simple and very obvious fix.
The rocker arms ride on a shaft that fits in an assembly that bolts to the top of the head when its assembled and torqued down.
When the head bolts are removed on the top of the head nearest the push rod, the rocker shafts can be pushed out of the assembly, leaving the rocker arm sitting still in it's place. If you remove both shafts, and switch them to the other side, and rotate it 180 degrees in the bore, you will get a fresh perfect surface for the rocker arm to ride on when the motor is reassembled.
Because of this, you will be able to do a valve adjustment that will end up in an even adjustment for both valves that won't change because of the ware on one side of the rocker. With the ware on the shaft, the top valve is always going to have a looser fitting if you adjusted your valves to the bottom valve first.
The following pictures show what I am referring to, and it also shows how I adjust the valves. If you put your feeler gauge in between both valves at the same time. When you push the gauge in the middle with one finger, you should get the feeler gauge to push out from under both valve stems evenly at the same rate. Keep adjusting the valves till you get that. If one is a bit tighter than the other, loosen that one till it equals the other one until you get the equal resistance that you want.
Believe me when I tell you that this method works very well, and will make a very long lasting valve adjustment and a very quiet motor when it's running.
THE WORN OUT SHAFT ON ONE END.
ROTATING THE SHAFT AND PUTTING IT IN THE OTHER SIDE.
THE METHOD I USE TO FEEL THE PROPER RESISTANCE BETWEEN THE VALVES WHEN ADJUSTED EVENLY.
Enjoy the difference in the lack of rattle in your motors valve train when you do this.
UPON MY FIRST THOUGHT OF DOING THIS WITH OUT CHANGING HEAD GASKETS, I STAND CORRECTED.
DO NOT DO THIS PROCEDURE UNLESS YOUR DOING THE TOP END GASKET CHANGE AT THE SAME TIME.
SORRY I THOUGHT IT MIGHT WORK. BE SAFE, DO THE GASKETS AS WELL WHEN YOU CHANGE THE SHAFTS AROUND.
Good luck, and enjoy a quiet constant motor.
Larry
