I have a buddy who is a very good mechanic tell me checking the valves every oil change (3 to 4k) is not necessary. He said that unless the motor is running rough (knocking) or losing power don't mess with it. He said his wife put 60k on a beetle without having the valves done. He is good because we changed the axles on my 99 Altima in his drive way, he knows whats he's doing. What worries me is this seems to contradict everything I read.
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I'm no expert. But I'd go with everything you've read! To me, one person's luck with never checking doesn't overrule years of collective wisdom.
The extreme heat cycles these valves go through makes checking worth it. It's an easy task. And if you find all eight valves are ok, all you've lost is a little bit of time.
Well, it depends...
On who you wish to believe, I guess...The inter web or the VW service manual.
Both of my service manuals (Bentley's and a Volkswagen Shop Manual for 1971) state that the recommended valve checking interval is 12,000 (15,000 miles after 1974, much longer with hydraulic valves). This was for the tried and true aluminum pushrods that VW ran for, what?.....800 years or so? So your local VW dealership would tell you to "bring it in once a year and we'll check the valves along with a few other things", back in the days when we all drove 12K-15k per year - that service usually cost about $40-$50 bucks.
Now, those replica racers out there might tell you; "Hey! I got CHROMEMOLY Steel pushrods in MY engine (wicked expensive ones, too!) so I gotta check 'em more often because they're so close!"
Well, I've got Chrome Moly pushrods in Pearl's 2,110 and I run them at a loose zero (which, according to my thinner-than-paper feeler gauges is somewhere between .00075" and .002", depending on how "loose" you feel the day you set them and how slippery your oil film is).
I, personally, do not use a feeler gauge to check them, rather, I grab the adjuster end of the rocker arm and push-pull on it to see if it clicks (actually, it sounds more like a "clock") the right amount - that being, does it sound like all the other neighboring valves? If so, leave it alone. If not adjust: Click means too close, BIG clock means too loose). You get a feel for this after a while (and a lot of valve checks).
The interval I, personally, use is whenever it sounds noisy (lots of valve clatter) or a couple of years, or whenever I get around to it, whichever comes first. Typically, I drive 2K-3K miles each year, so that means every 3-4 YEARS. My last interval was about 3 years, but it may have been 4 - I had a lot going on back then.
So, Bottom line: If you're going to the trouble of doing an oil change, it doesn't hurt to check the valves. If you drive more than 5,000 miles per year, then check them yearly per the advise up above.
They're tough little engines - they can take it!
BTW: In the last 8 years I put about 7,500 miles on my car and I checked the valves 2 or 3 times as outlined above. Each time they all clicked or clocked pretty much the same between them, so I put the valve covers back on and kept driving. I'll probably keep checking them every other year or so, but I don't expect any changes in the pattern.....
thank you guys for the great feedback . I have a CB perform 2005cc and it moves the car real good
"So, Bottom line: If you're going to the trouble of doing an oil change, it doesn't hurt to check the valves."
Great advice, Gordon. 
His wife probably didn't drive he bug like it had a testosterone Speedster body on it either. Better catch a stretching valve stem before it snaps off (and destroys a head and piston) or a loose in the block head bolt during a valve adjustment.
I average between 5k and 6k miles a year, and I change the oil in spring and fall. I usually check the valves every other oil change in the spring, and the last two times none have needed adjustment (set at loose zero). I wouldn't go longer without checking, but given my history I see no point in doing it every oil change.
Checking valves is a must and you should go by the book. I do mine every 90,000 miles...... :-)
What Greg (Wolfie) said. You adjust them every oil change so you notice trends; stretching valves, sinking seats, retainers pulling through, pushrods ends pounding in. The problem becomes, if there was nothing of note the last 2 times, why bother? If you leave it much more than every 2nd oil change you probably will be surprised by something you would have caught in time.
I change the oil twice a year, and get the valves adjusted once (haven't tackled them myself yet) at a local Porsche racing shop. So far, no problems have been reported or encountered.
In three years, I've put on about 6,000 miles. I understand that newer engines need the valves done more frequently, whereas an engine with a few miles on it is not that crucial.
Sad to say, I owned two Karmann Ghias and a Beetle a long time ago, and can't ever remember having the valves done, and they all lasted well.
Millions of old VW Beetle owners bought their car (new or used, it didn't matter) and just drove it.
Gas when it needed it, oil change once year if they remembered it (more often if they were little old ladies - they're more concerned about that sort of stuff), maybe changed the oil in the air cleaner with the engine oil, maybe not, and that was about it.
Beetles had a reputation for going like the "Energizer Bunny". I've rebuilt a few that came to me with over 200,000 miles on the engine - still running. The insides of the case looked like gook - thick sludge everywhere, inside of the valve covers, too - because there really wasn't any oil filtering going on in there (unless you consider the "pebble screen" a filter!)
Still, they kept running.
Once in a while you heard of a burnt exhaust valve (too many miles on the interstate at 70-80mph and the valve lash set too tight on that one valve - usually #3.....and the occasional oil-starved crankshaft, especially those wonderful 1,300's 
, and once in a while you sat next to one making a bunch of valve clatter at a light, but the really awful noise they all seemed to generate was that screechy-howl from a dry pulley-end bearing in the generator!! Even with that dry bearing, they seemed to go on forever.
Back in the 1960's there was a Beetle sedan (a "rompin-stompin" 1,100 with 36hp) used at Williams Field in the Antarctic to run around base. They were running some sort of silicone-based oil in it at less than 5 wt just so the thing would start at 60 below, but it ran around down there for years (and since they seldom take stuff out of there, it's probably still sitting behind some warehouse). Really, really hard to kill a beetle.......
That's right, Woody Allen found a beetle in a cave, in the future and it started right up....and he never checked the valves!
I check mine when I change the oil, which is probably too often at around 3000 miles or springtime, whichever comes first.
I had a '61 bug once and never checked the valves. I did change the oil however, and when I did I found 3 nickle sized chunks of what looked like piston parts in the screen, along with some smaller shavings of who knows what. I drove it for 2 more months while I looked for another car. It didn't run well, but ran and always started. tough buggers
It you have a type 1 based engine in your speedster and the motor is pumped up and you drive it! You should check them every oil change.
for some of you that could be once a year and others a couple times a year. your engine builder should inform you as to what they should be adjusted at. Rule of thumb is if you have alum push rods .006 intake and exhaust, sometimes I do the intakes at .004. If you have steel pushrods the valve lash is zero (the pushrod should be able to spin in the cup with your finger tips. No spin it's too tight. Should have a slight drag.)
if you have pauter roller rockers I like the roller to have some slight movement, do this without wearing latex gloves. You can't get a good feel between the latex and oil.
bottom line is these cars do not have the best air circulation and the motors run warmer, it just good insurance to check them and a well maintained engine will last much longer down the road. Remember a good oil is also a key factor.
I usually adjust them every spring. This year I didn't as the last two years I didn't have to change one single valve. They were all good. I will adjust them next year for sure in the spring. I do have the Pauter 1.5:1 rollers and I have had to adjust the sideplay with shims once so far in 35,000 miles. I will also check the sideplay this coming spring again. Loose zero for my chromoly pushrods.
Lane---your mileage is aut the same as mine--I've averaged 6,000 miles a year in the 7 years I'v owned my VS. 42,000 on the car and "just" 15,000 on the engine.
I think David Stroud has averaged more miles per year but musbejim holds the total mileage record, I believe.
I adjust my valves just as Danny P says he does his. Rarely ever need to adjust them because they stay in adjustment. I have what i consider to be the best valve adjustment procedure if anyone would like a copy. An easy peasy routine that I got somewhere off the internet.
As I write this Alice has taken her first drive in the Speedster. She can drive stick shift but hasn't ever driven the Speedster. She should be back from the store in a few minutes. I've only looked up the driveway 16 times to see if she's back yet!
Take another Valium and relax Jack.... 
Jack, did you prepare her with your travel tool kit?
Lane---your mileage is aut the same as mine--I've averaged 6,000 miles a year in the 7 years I'v owned my VS. 42,000 on the car and "just" 15,000 on the engine.
I think David Stroud has averaged more miles per year but musbejim holds the total mileage record, I believe.
I adjust my valves just as Danny P says he does his. Rarely ever need to adjust them because they stay in adjustment. I have what i consider to be the best valve adjustment procedure if anyone would like a copy. An easy peasy routine that I got somewhere off the internet.
As I write this Alice has taken her first drive in the Speedster. She can drive stick shift but hasn't ever driven the Speedster. She should be back from the store in a few minutes. I've only looked up the driveway 16 times to see if she's back yet!
Jack: Please dialog me or email to splanecrazy@sbcglobal.net. I'd like this procedure for reference.THANKS
I adjust my valves just as Danny P says he does his. Rarely ever need to adjust them because they stay in adjustment. I have what i consider to be the best valve adjustment procedure if anyone would like a copy. An easy peasy routine that I got somewhere off the internet.
Can you copy it to here? I'm sure a number of people would like to see it. Is Alice back?
That's right, Woody Allen found a beetle in a cave, in the future and it started right up....and he never checked the valves!
I check mine when I change the oil, which is probably too often at around 3000 miles or springtime, whichever comes first.
Al- That's how often you're supposed to check the valves, so you're doing it right. And I remember that movie!
Yes---Alice got back ok. Three shout outs about the car from guys---about 3X what I get---what's that about--I think I know!
Here is a link to the best valve adjust directions I have ever seen. Idiot proof, which is just what I need. Print it out and put it with the rest of your "How To" shop manual stuff. NOTE--The link would not work for me when I tried to copy and paste it onto my search box, but does work when I re trype the address. See what works for you.
http://type2.com.bartnik/valveadj.htm.
This article uses .006 for the adjustment, but for chromolly valve stems it's "loose zero: as stated above in other posts. I Have chromolly valves and don't even use a gauge---just set 'em where you can just barely spin them with your fingers. It's called "loose zero."
I hope this helps some folks--it sure helped me.
I've got a set of John Connolly's H/D AL push-rods in a box. I paid something like $100 for them, and will never use them.
Why? Because there is absolutely no reason to. With CroMo push-rods, adjusting them could not be easier. It's easy enough that there's no reason to pine for the hydraulic lifters in your SBC. Loose-Zero is easy enough that doing it every oil change is no chore at all-- it adds maybe 30 minutes to an oil change.
I want to know if my clearance is tightening up (seats getting hammered in the heads), or loosening up (cam possibly going flat). That, coupled with looking at what comes out of the oil can determine if I need to be proactive about saving my engine form potentially larger issues.
Just do it. It's easy.
Jack- I clicked on the link, copied and pasted it and then retyped the address. It doesn't work for me.
TRP---Thanks! That fixed the link. Works now.
This guy has some other helpful procedures you can see at :
http://wwwtype2.com/bartnik/tech.htm He writes for the bus but many repairs are the same as a Type I or IV. Sometimes a different way of explaning something will make it easier to accomplish.
Works now; thanks Ted! Your new link doesn't work, though, Jack.
I typed the link in and it worked for me. Maybe TRP can fix this one too?
I typed the link in and it worked for me. Maybe TRP can fix this one too?
I make it a point to check and adjust every 1K miles,it really helps with the enjoyment of a nicely tuned motor.
Valve adjustment every 3,000 at recommended oil changes. With experience, it only takes 15 minutes. You'll have better performance and less risk of a tight valve...that is unless you have chrome moly push rods than it's a simple zero clearance i.e just enough to allow the rod to turn between your thumb and index finger.
Yes,I have the loose zero-clearance pushrods on mine. I actually change oil and adjust valves every 1K and have no "chewed up chinese lifter" issues. I have a Web-cam and Scat lifters,and 8K miles the clearances are usually very close and require minimal adjustment every 1K. I do rev this motor to 6K+ and it really sings.
My stock 1600 in my 1971 bus I do the same,I guess I have OCD!
