there easy to check if they just need adjusted or anything like that if you have any sort of mechanical ability. if you have a depth gauge (bunch of metal flaps all different sizes) goto http://www.hondahookup.com/manuals/ join and download the manual for your car. find the correct depth for your valves in there, then check them, all you have to do to check them is take the valve cover off, just make sure your engine is cold, if not it will be inaccurate. and youll adjust it to the wrong depth. if they are not off by ALOT then thats probably not the reason is smoked when you accelerate. and since alot of people do it dont over tighten the valve cover when you put it back on. those bolts break easy.....haha ofcourse im not speaking from experience, ide neverrrrr do that