1.3 Tappets

[Doberdoy]

When I set the tappets using the method in the Haynes manual, I end up with a noisy rattly engine.

If I use a different method of checking - from an old 70’s car mag –

Turn the engine until the exhaust valve is nearly closed and the inlet just starting to open on the same cylinder. Then check both inlet and exhaust clearances on the ‘opposite’ cylinder ( 1 and 4 being ‘opposites’, and 2 and 3 being ‘opposites’ )

I then find that three of the clearances are spot on, but the other 5 are too large. Re-setting these gets rid of most of the noise, but a couple of valves are still tapping away.

Turning the engine over a little at a time, I found where the clearance on these 2 valves (#4 and #7 valves) was the widest , and reset them at those points. This made the difference – not as quiet as a modern engine, but at least all the tappets are making roughly the same amount/type of noise.

The question is – can I get away with doing this? or will it lead to problems?

Also, the Haynes manual says “ a tight sliding fit” for the feeler blade –

Can someone clarify this a bit, cos to me, it could mean anything from

A fair amount of drag on the blade

A serious amount of drag on the blade

OR

Can only just force the blade thru the gap without buckling it

I’ve slimmed down the blades to about ¾ of the valve stem width, so as not to get caught out by wear ridges on the rocker tips.

Thanks,

D

p.s. has anyone found that after replacing the head gasket, (after running it up to temperature and letting it cool down again) the clearances tighten up a lot, and have to be backed off 1/8 to 1/4 of a turn.

[anewman]

Richard Black posted a great guide to speeding up the process here http://briskoda.net/forums/favorit-felicia-fun-forman/proud-owner-tractor/99064/#post1143814 that does not involve feeler blades.

I personally turn the engine for each valve until the opposite one to the one to adjust is at the highest point of the cam (so the one to adjust is as close as possible to the heel), but then again I'm relatively new to all this stuff

I suspect the haynes says "tight sliding fit" meaning such that you can't then get a 0.25 in to a gap that's meant to be 0.2.

[KenONeill]

I'd go with Richard's method in this case, because you've got a clear case of worn followers or tappets.

I've always taken a sliding fit as meaning that you can fit the right guage in, but not see light around it. If you want to practice, use an old spark plug. You can probably blag one from a smallish garage by asking nicely (or change your plugs).

On the head gasket point, that's perfectly normal with a cam in block pushrod engine, and is caused by the gasket compressing to its working thickness.

Also, I'd suggest rechecking the head bolt torques (assumes torque reading, not angle tightened) after 1_000 miles or so.