COLD valve lash clearances for the '34 Dodge DR and DS - UPDATED

[Semmerling]

 

 

The 1934 Dodge DR did not have the much improved removable inner fender access panel found in later year Dodges that allowed proper access to make valve lash adjustments. The 1934, like most of the early Dodges, has terribly constrained access. One cannot improve the situations by going in from underneath and removing the engine drip panels. Nor will removing the spare tire, it's cover and support bracket. Removing the whole fender is a way to gain barely enough access, but it is quite a job as the inner fender is tack welded from the factory and removal requires taking off many surrounding parts. Damage is possible and four hands is recommended. Having said all that, if one wanted to do the valve adjustments with a fully hot block, well, it is not going to be pretty.

So how did the valves get adjusted both back in the day and what is the right approach for now?

COLD adjustment now becomes the best path forward when working on the early Dodges The main reason is because the cleanest, most direct way to attend to the adjustment is to take off the exhaust manifold (and the intake manifold) in order to gain excellent access. So.....now the big question....what would one use for the correct COLD valve valve lash? The answer is "a tight .002 over the recommended HOT valve values" for the 1934 Dodge DR and DS. But, it has to be a "tight" .002" add-on. That means that the feeler has to just barely be able to get into the gap. A normal .002" is the standard for cars with longer valves, like a Packard. The Dodge actually needs only .002" and no more. 

The 1934 Dodge's Factory Maintenance Guide listing out the following for HOT valve clearances:

 

HOT valve clearance 1934 Dodge DR and DS
INTAKE is equal to .005"

EXHAUST is equal to .007

First, we need to note that these recommended clearances are tighter than for the years that would follow. Many rebuilt engines for the 1934 have been decked and therefor the clearances are actually tighter for the valve to travel in. Equally,  many of those same rebuilt engines are set-up using the later (and looser)  INTAKE=.008 and EXHAUST= .010 clearances. All of these can be a recipe for new set rebuilds to be found to be making noise soon after being broken in. 

 

Second, to do the valves COLD we would add the for mentioned "tight" .002 to both the HOT INTAKE and EXHAUST clearances. 

 

COLD  valve clearance 1934 Dodge DR and DS
INTAKE is equal to .007"

EXHAUST is equal to .009"

With that all out, One would need to ask where did these numbers come from? The HOT adjustment numbers come from the Factory Manual. The COLD adjustment numbers come from asking everybody I know that have spent time with the 1934 DR.  Of those people that would or could provide an answer, they agreed that taking off the manifolds and doing the engine STONE COLD with the COLD numbers provided above is the best way for this year. One of them is so proficient at taking off the manifolds, he says he can do them "hot enough" to use the HOT numbers. He uses air driven tools to take off the manifold as its all about speed and manual typical hand tools to put it all together. He too recommends  that "just do them cold"  is perfectly fine as well. 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2023 by Semmerling
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