Just been there after about 3 hrs still the same. I've only managed to do one it runs poorly for a few seconds then cuts out. Bummer gonna have to leave it over night I guess.

I wonder if there's a way I can add extra pressure... 

Surprised I ain't bent any valves .. wonder how close there coming to the piston

Did you drive your can around after setting it to zero lash TMB maybe the extra force if you did might of freezed them up abit if dislodged any air locks ...

Edited 13 December, 20205 yr by MinkyMike

Could you please describe or post a link to the procedure that you are following to set the tappet clearances?

 

I have a feeling the answer to the problem may come from that.

 

I have never experienced hydraulic lifters with a pushrod & rocker arm system with tappet adjustment so it would be illuminating to me.

 

Plenty of experience of old school tappet setting even on sidevalve engines and also OHC and DOHC with rockers & tappet adjustment or bucket followers & shims.

1 minute ago, J.R. said:

Could you please describe or post a link to the procedure that you are following to set the tappet clearances?

 

I have a feeling the answer to the problem may come from that.

 

I have never experienced hydraulic lifters with a pushrod & rocker arm system with tappet adjustment so it would be illuminating to me.

 

Plenty of experience of old school tappet setting even on sidevalve engines and also OHC and DOHC with rockers & tappet adjustment or bucket followers & shims.

If I set the all to just touching it starts nicely, but obviously there is no preload then so there not doing there job properly are they? 

Gonan leave it overnight on overlap 2, with 2 preloads in cylinder 3.. see if it starts in the morning .. It really has stumped me I was sure it would work after 3vhrs the first cylinder only took 30 mins :/

They don't need preload, those instructions assume that you're reusing the old tappets which are already partially pumped up. You've fitted new ones which are already completely compressed so the setting procedure is different.

They was fully pumped up I tried pushing a Rod into one before I dropped them into the engine and there was no springyness, that didn't budge setting them to lash they would have no room to auto adjust because there already at the end of there travel 

Edited 13 December, 20205 yr by MinkyMike

That makes complete sense to me.

 

Using that procedure on new lifters is asking for bent pushrods at best, burnt out valves & seats at worst, its just as well that the engine has not started.

 

I would follow lines 1 & 2 in the procedure, ignore 3 and then carry out 4 in an anti-clockwise direction

MinkyMike.

 

That means they were fully compressed, trying to start an engine with no valve clearances and the valves held open slightly is suicidal, follow my procedure, it will be rattly for a while & then the noise will go as they pump up.

Edited 13 December, 20205 yr by J.R.

Well it's starting with 2 preloads in cylinder one.. they seem to have taken up the 2 turns 

Yeah I did that procedure and it worked 

JR is right, all you need with new tappets is little bit of clearance, this then vanishes once the lifter is oiled and running.

You reckon go back to it? 

And not too little either or there is a risk of burning out a valve/seat when the engine is hot especially on a pushrod engine, once you are sorted I would follow my procedure one more time with the engine hot to be sure.

 

I also have a strong suspicion that the written procedure has an error and it should read anti-clockwise, I cannot see the logic for how it is under any circumstances.

Edited 13 December, 20205 yr by J.R.

I'd set them to 12 and 16 thou cold, inlet and exhaust, then let the lifters settle once running, the lifters are designed to take up the lash, they can't force the valve open unless the rockers are too tight.

A mechanic would have just thrown the old ones back in (probably not in the same bores) or fitted new ones, perhaps had a wiggle to make sure that they all had some clearance & then started & revved the nuts off the engine.

I thought the 2 preloads was to take up any compensation and how it would auto adjust 

Engines with new hydraulic tappets are always very noisey when first started, you just have to grit your teeth and let the the engine do its thing, best done from behind the wheel while driving it!

2 minutes ago, MinkyMike said:

I thought the 2 preloads was to take up any compensation and how it would auto adjust 

 

The idea is to ensure the lifter is squashed flat by the valve springs because the spring in the lifter will make setting the gap tricky.

The oil in the lifters drains away when the engine is not running.

You can't damage the valves so don't worry about that.

41 minutes ago, J.R. said:

I also have a strong suspicion that the written procedure has an error and it should read anti-clockwise, I cannot see the logic for how it is under any circumstances.

 

No, it's correct. It's to set the piston inside the lifters to approx midway to allow for auto adjustment. I had the same trouble setting mine but it worked after leaving them to bleed out. Mine were not new lifters though. He is going to leave it overnight and see what happens.

This guy had the same problem only not a Skoda...

 

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/hydraulic-lifters-ive-worked-it-out_topic32754.html

3 minutes ago, TMB said:

This guy had the same problem only not a Skoda...

 

http://www.brick-yard.co.uk/forum/hydraulic-lifters-ive-worked-it-out_topic32754.html

 

Read the rest.