Old timer in Memphis called me out on my valve lash technique

I spent like 3 years doing valve lash adjustments the way I was taught at tech school. Then this grizzled old diesel mechanic at a shop in Memphis watched me for 30 seconds and said 'you're leaving half a turn on the table every time.' He showed me how to feel for the exact spot instead of just going by torque specs. Tried his method on a 2007 Peterbilt last week and the engine ran smoother than it ever has. Now I'm questioning everything else I learned on a textbook lol. Has anyone else had some old school dude completely change how you do a basic job?

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paige_bell8111d ago

Had a buddy who worked in a body shop for years, thought he knew everything about paint matching. Old timer walked by one day, showed him how to check the color under a regular lightbulb instead of the shop lights. He said it saved him like half his re-dos after that. Made him feel kinda dumb but it worked.

shane_wilson11d ago

That "textbook vs real feel" thing is everywhere, from cooking to carpentry.

fionamurphy11d ago

Hear that all the time in machining too, people swear by the manual until the CNC makes it perfect every time. But the real question is, when does the textbook crap actually fail you in a way that matters? Like in body work, the theory says prep it right and it'll stick, but if the humidity is off or you rush the flash time, the whole job peels off anyway. Does that "real feel" stuff mostly just save you from having to redo the same job three times, or does it actually get you a better result the first time?