Finally ditched the tape and went digital for valve lash adjustments

I used to do all my valve lash adjustments with feeler gauges, took forever and I'd always second guess myself on the tight ones. Last month I finally bought a digital dial indicator setup from Matco for around $260, and it's a game changer. Now I can set the lash on a C15 in about half the time, and I know it's dead accurate down to the thou. The old way felt like guessing sometimes, especially on engines that are already warm and the clearances shift. Wondering if anyone else has made the switch and if you still keep feeler gauges on the truck for a quick check?

2 comments

2 Comments

alicecooper25d agoMost Upvoted

Kept my feeler gauges in the glovebox for about six months after I switched to a dial indicator setup. Ended up pulling them out maybe twice when the battery died on the indicator mid job. Now I just keep a spare battery in the case instead. Honestly the consistency is what sold me, no more wondering if I'm getting a good drag on the gauge.

the_hayden19d ago

Funny how that works, @alicecooper, same thing happened with my torque wrench and the old beam style, kept it for a year just in case, but really it's like we hold onto the backup until we trust the new tool more than we trust ourselves. Eventually you realize the spare battery is the only safety net you actually need, and that's just how progress goes, one less thing to carry around.