Ok so ... :guapo: there i was driving along, when the ticking from my engine really started to annoy me :singer: "tick tick tick" .... it stopped when i depressed the clutch, so i know its the engine and not the spedo cable.

Just adjusted the valves .:holmes:.. exhaust 0.2mm and inlet to 0.25mm.

Did this solve the problem ... errrr... no !

It is now ticking louder than before :huep: <----- so here are my valves (except mine are not happy like these, because they tick so much)

I did do it with the engine slightly warm :ukliam:as i am impaitent. should i have done it with the engine STONE cold :orb_cold:? ???

warm is good

Unhappy valves, lol. Best done stone cold, they will be a little loose if done when warm which may make it noisy. The idea of the clearance is that it has room to expand, so when your engine gets warm it will be closer, but not close enough to cause damage. You could try clearance of 0.2mm all round, this is what the haynes for the Favorit says to set them at.

Just thought I might ask, are you sure you adjusted them correctly? I.e. one valve the spring becomes compressed on, adjust opposite one. I made the mistake of doing it the wrong way around when I first did it as Mr Haynes doesn't explain it well.

:think:so basically i must have made a mistake when adjusting them ! i tightened the screw untill the feeler guage was only just under pressure (but it still slid out) then did up the lock nuts.

Is it worth rechecking ? ..... i did think it a bit strange that most of them needed tightening ... only one required loosining

I checked the clearence on valve 8 when valve 1 was "open" (pushed down into the cylinder head)

That all sounds about right. I think it's worth looking again when it's stone cold. Also re-check with the gauge again after tightening those nuts as they can carry the screws with them, even if you think you held it in place.

Not sure if there could be another explanation for the ticking though.

Basically the "9 rule" so if valve 2 is open (fully pushed down) i checked valve 7. Dont know why its so noisy, does noisy indicate i havnt left big enough clearences or are the clearences too large ! ?

The engine has only got 48k on it so there is no reason i shouldnt be able get it to run smooth.

Its not the timing chain, as the same noise got louder when i adjusted the valves.

I'm not an expert but my understanding is that loose clearances can be noisy, tight can burn the valve seat leading to costly repairs. When I did my clearances wrong it sounded a little closer to a tractor (I guess that's the sort of tapping sound you mean?), and made the engine send what felt like knocks through the car at higher revs. I came back to them finally understanding how to adjust them properly and found most a little tight, and a few loose.

Hopefully the pros will come and give better help than me if you still have probs

I have heard something about valve lifters, no idea what they are. Also maybe oil change if due would help.

The pros would be helpful !

Had another go this morning, and now it does seem quieter than before I ever touched it ..... but MY TORQUE HAS GONE it was there in bucketfulls between 3500 and 4100 but now its gone !?

overall the engine seems smoother .... but my BUTT DYNO tells me there is less power !!

Wish felicias came with an undo button, despite the ticking the performance of the engine before was perfect!!!

:rotz: .... have i learnt anything .... :grouphug: .... NOPE :gapteeth:

Know exactly what you mean mate. Adjusted mine (1.3 mpi felly, 1997) the same, (.25mm inlet .20mm exhaust).

Had to loosen most of the valves clearences on mine- they were all bar one tighter than the above specs. Have done this routine job on a few cars, normally without blowing anything up...

Tapping now MORE in evidence than before, and seem to have lost a drop of ommphh..

However, have just gone thru and mot, and passed emissions test with flying colours.

Felly gurus out there, we humbly await your words of wisdom...

:)The tappets on the all alloy 135 and 136 engines are always noisy in the same way the old Talbot engines from the 70's and 80's were. If you get one to run silently you've probably set them too tight which will cause poor starting and low performance. The tappets should be set by the rule of 9 with a cold engine and the guage should be an easy sliding fit in the gap between rocker and valve.

If you have a tappet that is particularly noisy you can run the engine with the rocker cover off and eliminate the culprit by sliding the guage in [while running].

Unless specified otherwise, always check tappets with the engine stone cold (leave overnight type stone cold) for best results.

Dave's covered most of the rest except that, if you can get it (try a proper tool factor, not someplace like Halfrauds) do the hot test using feeler strip rather than a guage set.

If you have a tappet that is particularly noisy you can run the engine with the rocker cover off and eliminate the culprit by sliding the guage in [while running].

I assume the oil flow would be slow enough not to result in oil spashing everywhere?

My dad's Opel needed tappets setting hot and running. You might need a splashguard if there's an exposed camchain sprocket, but not really otherwise.