# 2008 Honda Civic Sdn - Valve adjustment? Or no? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** honda\ **Created:** [April 29, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554 "2020-04-29T15:26:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BarryMacDonald](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/df705f/32.png) [@BarryMacDonald](https://community.cartalk.com/u/BarryMacDonald)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2020, 3:26pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/1 "2020-04-29T15:26:37Z")
necessity of valve adjustment ---
**Author:** ![davepsinbox\_157004](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/73ab20/32.png) [@davepsinbox\_157004](https://community.cartalk.com/u/davepsinbox_157004)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2020, 5:21pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/2 "2020-04-29T17:21:58Z")
Yes, your Civic requires valve adjustment, usually at 100,000 miles. How many miles are on your Civic? ---
**Author:** ![GorehamJ](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/gorehamj/32/24103_2.png) [@GorehamJ](https://community.cartalk.com/u/GorehamJ)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:03am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/3 "2020-05-01T00:03:55Z")
Our 07 Fit had multiple codes and problems. Until we had the valves adjusted and all the mystery issues went away. I say do it. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:13am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/4 "2020-05-01T00:13:37Z")
My 1997 Accord with 230K miles has never had a valve adjustment. Runs great! Tester ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 12:22am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/5 "2020-05-01T00:22:44Z")
It might help, it might not, it might hurt (if done poorly.) I have done them myself about every 3 years, when I change or clean spark plugs. Each time several had gone slightly out of spec.1999 Civic EX working and looking pretty darn good at over 190,000 miles. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 1:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/6 "2020-05-01T01:58:15Z")
It should be done every 30k miles. A lot depends upon whether or not you are a gambler. Most luck out; some do not. The purpose of the exercise is to make sure that that you are not one of the unlucky ones. ---
**Author:** ![db4690](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/db4690/32/2583_2.png) [@db4690](https://community.cartalk.com/u/db4690)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 2:15am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/7 "2020-05-01T02:15:43Z")
Am I mistaken . . . or WAS the title of this discussion “2016 Honda Civic Sdn - Valve adjustment? Or no?” Now it says “2016 Honda Civic Sdn - Valve adjustment? Or no?” In any case, the red pencil symbol is next to the title . . . 😖 ---
**Author:** ![lion9car](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/59ef9b/32.png) [@lion9car](https://community.cartalk.com/u/lion9car)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 4:01am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/8 "2020-05-01T04:01:40Z")
If the valves end up loose, you’ll probably hear it, but there will likely be no damage. If the valves end up tight, you won’t hear anything, but you could end up with burnt valves. I suggest adjusting them on the schedule given to you by Honda. ---
**Author:** ![Tester](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/tester/32/15976_2.png) [@Tester](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Tester)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 3:40pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/9 "2020-05-01T15:40:42Z")
If the valves go out of adjustment, it’ll cause a misfire. Which would then cause the Check Engine light to come on. Tester ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 4:49pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/10 "2020-05-01T16:49:09Z")
Loose valve lash WILL cause problems. Early stages of tight valves will NOT cause a misfire. Later stages will trash the seat and valve and in somne cases the entire cylinder head. Exhaust valves can burn in a few miles once they tighten so any adjustment after that point means nothing. The problem is going to surface again very soon. Ever get a chance to eyeball a head with tight exhaust valves then look the valve face and seat over with a magnifying glass. The exhaust tracks on the valve/seat will resemble a drainage ditch from the air at say 3k feet. That exhaust gas is going to continue to follow the ditch until non-visisble to the naked eye becomes very visible. ---
**Author:** ![circuitsmith](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/circuitsmith/32/40376_2.png) [@circuitsmith](https://community.cartalk.com/u/circuitsmith)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 7:33pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/11 "2020-05-01T19:33:38Z")
I would do the adjustment at 30k miles, it there are rocker arms. Direct bucket lifters 60k. Honda may say 105k miles, but they also probably say “lifetime” trans fluid. Bah! My 1975 Civic, 1981, 85 & 88 Accords all got valve adjustments. Doesn’t hurt I find it a satisfying thing to do. Did it a couple times for friends & family Honda, Datsun that were overdue. And they ran better and quieter. Those who never get it done just don’t notice the gradual degradation. Similar to worn out shocks. ---
**Author:** ![shanonia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@shanonia](https://community.cartalk.com/u/shanonia)\ **Post date:** [May 1, 2020, 7:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/12 "2020-05-01T19:42:02Z")
> [@circuitsmith](#): > > Doesn’t hurt I find it a satisfying thing to do. Same here. And like you, I find the engine runs a little better and quieter. Dunno what they charge for this work, but I’d bet close to a couple hundred bucks, and that would give me pause. For me it’s a fine couple hours under the hood getting lot of small things in order, usually before winter sets in. ---
**Author:** ![ok4450](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9bcb4/32.png) [@ok4450](https://community.cartalk.com/u/ok4450)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2020, 3:27am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/2008-honda-civic-sdn-valve-adjustment-or-no/163554/13 "2020-05-02T03:27:49Z")
I’ve done enough lash adjustments and cylinder head repairs that I feel like I know what I’m talking about. Without repeating the story, a guy bought a brand spanking new Subaru and at the ripe old age of 7k miles both heads had to be replaced due to tight lash. They were total scrap aluminum. It was never proven but the guy did not argue for a warranty repair. We are pretty sure he did not like the mechanical “tick” of solid lifters and adjusted them down to zero lash to shut them up. Unfortunately, he did not take into account the expansion of metal due to heat which made the lash less than zero with a warm engine. Both heads were missing chunks out of all of the exhaust valve seats and most of the exhaust valves were nubs. Seven thousand miles on a new car and ruined already.