I'm looking for some perspective on doing a valve check/adjust myself. I am mechanically literate but DEFINITELY not a wrench! I used the excellent advice on the site to change my plugs, but have never done a valve adjustment. Do it myself or take it to a mechanic? Thanks. :?:

just turned 16,000.

I don't have the manual in front of me, and can't remember the exact terminology, but I think it says something like, inspect at approximately 16,000 miles, and adjust if necessary. So, if you absolutely, positively have to do something, go ahead and inspect, and accurately measure the lash. That alone should burn up your afternoon. After you're finished, compare the values with the factory allowable tolerances. If the values are even close, IMHO it's certainly not worth the bother and time to adjust the valves.