One DS repair turns into many. Youtube.

So Citronpieces say the valves MUST be adjusted everyn10,000kms.

Is this people’s experience with DS 23’s?

I can’t say I’ve done mine in the last 25k.
 
Naaaaa.........
Somewhere between 25 and 40.
We had a DSpecial on the road in the late '80s and '90s, we did about 40k per year, i reckon i might have checked the valves once a year on average.
I never found any badly out of spec.
 
Although, it's probably not a case of counting km, but how many cold starts.
Being 50km out of town, the car rarely did less than100km per cold start.
 
I can't say I've ever found the valve clearances needing to be adjusted on CX and DS motors... once you have done them the first time (I've had cars here that had the valves never fully shutting due to incorrect adjustement).. Usually they are close enough, I'm just not sure if its me not being able to get the same "drag" on the feeler gauges as last time :).... I'm sure nothing I do is perfect, but "near enough" for sure :confused:
 
Talking about the DS valves and heads, we were advised that DS head gaskets were prone to blow, so used to have the head re-tensioned once a year (20K km). Never had one go in 230k km. Wondering if DS head gaskets are more of a problem than on any other car.
 
Talking about the DS valves and heads, we were advised that DS head gaskets were prone to blow, so used to have the head re-tensioned once a year (20K km). Never had one go in 230k km. Wondering if DS head gaskets are more of a problem than on any other car.

I've never heard of them being prone to blow ..... I'm betting most worn out motors have never had there heads off!
 
In over 40 years I have had several "D series" and never had any head gasket blow. Rarely do these engines give any real issues.
 
Talking about the DS valves and heads, we were advised that DS head gaskets were prone to blow, so used to have the head re-tensioned once a year (20K km). Never had one go in 230k km. Wondering if DS head gaskets are more of a problem than on any other car.
Absolutely not!
Never had one fail, unless there was a major overheating event.
If the head is good, and everything is clean at assembly, and bolts oiled and tensioned properly, never had a problem.
Almost 45 years with Dees, all cheap second, third or fourth hand, have rebuilt 5 or 6 on the cheap ( hone the bores, lap the valves, only new parts being rings, bearings, chain and gasket set) never had head issue.
Well over a million km over various models from '57 to '75.
I have done a few full rebuilds with valve guides, piston sleeve set, regrind, cam followers, etc.

Rarely replaced valves, rocker shafts, cam or cam bearings.
Once got rod small ends rebushed.

The only head issue that is common now is internal corrosion. You must keep the coolant in good condition.

Good serviceable heads will be a limiting factor for us........ very soon.
Not because of gasket issues, but corrosion.

The only other head problem I've seen is on very early '56 DS19...... the head is soft aluminium and has been pushed down by the head bolts. So when rebuilding one of them, I fit washers as big as I can fit in, and go very gently on the bolt tension, even 10 or 15% below spec.
 
Talking about the DS valves and heads, we were advised that DS head gaskets were prone to blow, so used to have the head re-tensioned once a year (20K km). Never had one go in 230k km. Wondering if DS head gaskets are more of a problem than on any other car.

That is something i read that is supposed to be a DS23 only ...reason given is that the increased bore size (as opposed to a ds21 leaves less gasket from bore to edge of head....id also read that retensioning each year helps....whether its true or not thats what i have read...never experienced it myself though
 
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