How to adjust valve clearances on the K7J, K7M Renault and Dacia engine

Eight-valve engines developed by Renault K7J, K7M are installed on Renault Logan, Renault Sandero, Dacia Largus, and some other models of the Renault/Nissan concern. Adjusting the valves on the K7J and K7M engines is an important procedure to keep the engine running properly. It also does not hurt to check the valve clearances when replacing the gasket if there is an oil leak from under the cover.

When to adjust the valves Sandero, Logan K7J and K7M

For both engines, the adjustment is required every 30-40 thousand kilometers. Provided that the car is used gasoline.

If the Renault Logan engine is mostly used in gas, the valves are adjusted every 15-20 thousand kilometers.

Valve adjustment is also recommended in the following cases:

1. When disassembling and assembling the engine.
2. Replacing the camshaft on the K7J and K7M engines.
3. Engine overheating, power loss, hard start.
4. Extraneous knocks are heard in the engine when hot.

Knocking valves on a cold engine is considered normal. However, if the thermal clearances of the valves are not adjusted in time, burnout of the valve or piston bottom can be added to all the troubles, which already smacks of a major overhaul.

What are the valve clearances of K7J and K7M Logan

The recommended valve clearances for K7J and K7M valve trains are:

When working on gas fuel, it is recommended to set the maximum clearances.

How to adjust valves Renault/Dacia Logan, Sandero

The engine must be cold. It is desirable that the ambient temperature is no more than 25 degrees Celsius. Adjustment requires a standard set of tools and measuring probes.

Remove the negative terminal from the battery. Blow out the engine compartment with compressed air to get rid of dust.

Using an 8 socket ratchet, remove the four air filter housing mounting bolts. Two are in front and two behind. Remove the filter housing by disconnecting the breather hose.

To prevent foreign particles from entering the throttle valve, cover it with a clean rag.

Remove the electrical connector from the ignition module, disconnect the four high voltage cables from the spark plugs. Unscrew the three T30 bolts securing the ignition module and dismantle it.

Attention! If the ignition module is an old model, then it is installed with high washers or nuts under it to prevent cracks from appearing on it. The old-style module differs from the new one by the presence of a convex part at the bottom. On new modules, this part is on top and no washers are required in them.

Disconnect the wiring harness, remove the tubes and hoses from the valve cover that prevent its dismantling.

Using a socket for 8, tear off the 8 bolts securing the valve cover to the cylinder head. Tear off one by one and unscrew gradually so as not to disturb the plane of the cover and avoid further fogging. Remove the valve cover from the cylinder head.

Raise the drive wheel with a jack and set to 5th gear. Rotate the wheel in the direction of travel until the marks on the camshaft match. The mark with the letter “F” should look up and should coincide with the axis of the rocker arms. This will mean top dead center 1 and 4 cylinders.

Insert a 0.10 mm adjusting probe between the adjusting bolt and the inlet valve of cylinder 1. The probe should enter with a slight pinch. If this is not the case, the gap must be adjusted by releasing the lock nut and turning the bolt in the desired direction.

After setting the correct clearance, while holding the bolt from turning, tighten the fixing nut. Make sure the clearance is correct. Repeat the procedure for the outlet valve.

1. Rotate the crankshaft 180 degrees. During this time, the camshaft will rotate 90 degrees and put the 3rd cylinder at the top dead center. Adjust the clearances on the 3rd cylinder of the engine.
2. Rotate the crankshaft another 180 degrees and adjust the clearances in the 4 cylinder valve train.
3. Turning the engine crankshaft another 180 degrees, set the gaps in the 2nd cylinder.

If the crankshaft rotates with difficulty, you can rotate it with a spanner wrench for the pulley bolt, after setting the neutral gear. This makes it easier to control labels.

Some people unscrew the spark plugs to make it easier to turn, so as not to overcome the resistance created by compression.

Remove dirt and old oil from the mating surface of the cylinder head and valve cover.

Install a new gasket, since the old one is no longer usable, and install the valve cover on top. The use of sealants is highly discouraged.

The original gasket has part number 770 147 1719 (manufacturer Goetze).

Fit the bolts and tighten them by hand to the end. Then, from the center to the edge, tighten all the valve cover bolts in a crosswise pattern. The exact tightening order is shown in the photo. It is necessary to tighten the cover in two passes with a torque of 3-5 N∙m, then 10-12 N∙m.

Reassemble all elements in reverse order.

Start the engine and make sure it runs smoothly and without extraneous knocks. It is advisable to warm it up to a working temperature.