Valve / tappet adjustment

[Jersey Royal]

Hi All,

 

Small Question.

 

When ajusting the tappets, should this be done with engine Hot or Cold?

 

Hatnes manual says cold.

 

Regards

 

Guy

[RobinTR6]

Done mine cold as per book but my local car expert did them warm and with engine running which seems to hve got rid of noisy tappet problems. Also identified that the 'other' noise was a warn cam follower that needs changing.

[MarkTR6]

Hi Guy,

 

Mine were initially adjusted with the engine hot but I ended up with a slight misfire... they were re-done a couple of days later with the engine stone cold & that seemed to solve the issue.

 

Mark

[TIMS]

Guy

 

Stop and ponder. Cold is an easy definition, infact I can recall seeing cold being defined as not used for at least 24 hours. All metals at a clear relationship to each other. What would "hot" mean? warmed up? just run down the road? or only after a 50 mile thrash? and would you want to work on the car if it were hot? and how long would it be before it had cooled down too far?

 

Also what hot to cold variation would you give for the clearances? same? less 5 thou? less 7 thou?. My TH5-6 Kent cam is to be set at 22 / 24 thou cold. I would not know where to start for hot?

 

Do them cold, you know it makes sense.

 

Regards

 

Tim

[ianhoward]

Hi Guy

 

I have always done mine cold - as per the book. I understand the theory is that as the engine wams up the valve stem and pushrod expand thus closing the gap - though by how much I haven't a clue (I cannot remeber the Coefficient of linear expansion for steel - or anything else!!! )

 

Brgds

[Richard Crawley]

Tappets can be adjusted either hot or cold & there are some manufacturers that specify hot clearances; it is, however, important that the correct clearances are used hot or cold. The valve clearances given by Triumph are for cold setting & will close up when the engine is hot; using cold clearances on a hot engine will increase the operating clearance, cause clatter, affect the timing & running of the engine & cause premature wear of the valves, rockers & even the cam.

[88V8]

I never liked hot clearances. What's hot?

TR6 - cold.

 

If you want to allow for possible wear on the rocker tips, use one of these. Easy. Been around for 30 years, still use mine.

 

http://www.gunson.co.uk/item.aspx?item=1824

 

Ivor

[RogerH]

Hi Folks,

I once adjusted my tappets and I got cold. Had to go in and get warmed - does anybody do a two stroke for a TR.

 

Roger

[Jersey Royal]

Thanks very much for your replys Gents.

 

Looks like i will check em cold then. And have ordered a Clik Adjust.

 

Regards

 

Guy

[88V8]

I once adjusted my tappets and I got cold. Had to go in and get warmed - does anybody do a two stroke for a TR.

How about a sleeve-valve, with furry wrist warmers.

[RogerH]

Hi Ivor,

the sleeve valve engine was a wonderful attempt to reduce component numbers and adjustments on both motor cars and aero engines.

Is there a modern equivalent?

 

Roger

[Kiwifrog]

Hi Ivor,

the sleeve valve engine was a wonderful attempt to reduce component numbers and adjustments on both motor cars and aero engines.

Is there a modern equivalent?

 

Roger

 

Wankel rotary ? No valves just ports opened and closed by ex centric rotary motion of the rotor and tip seals good for 10000rpm and sounds like a mosquito on heat. I do miss the old Mazda RX2 coupe

[stuart]

Wankel rotary ? No valves just ports opened and closed by ex centric rotary motion of the rotor and tip seals good for 10000rpm and sounds like a mosquito on heat. I do miss the old Mazda RX2 coupe

Oh yes the old "Rev it till it melts" engine!

Stuart.

[Alec Pringle]

One thing sleeve valves and Wankels have in common . . . an insatiable appetite for oil

 

Cheers,

 

Alec

[RogerH]

Hi Alec,

your quite right about the oil. I had, quite recently,a Bristol Vibrator (Freighter) parked outside my department at BA for over a year whilst they sorted some engine trouble. After the first engine test run there was oil everywhere - not only do they drink the stuff but they also spit it out.

 

Roger

[ELVEDEN1]

Hello all. Presumably Triumph(and for that matter all motor manufacturers)have to adjust the tappets on a brand new engine cold,so that would seem to be the way to go!.I realise that all the relevent parts would also be new and after initial start up from cold if all settles down quietly when warm I don't see a problem.

Just as an aside has anyone made or used hydraulic tappets for the 6.

 

Clive

[johnny250]

I was watching some chaps in the 'tune up' area at the International this year, one was flicking the engine over on a remote starter button, then winding the tappets while his mate was shimmying the shims back and forth to check the gap..... looks like they had done it before.... fast work!

 

john

[Kneeslider]

Hi Alec,

your quite right about the oil. I had, quite recently,a Bristol Vibrator (Freighter) parked outside my department at BA for over a year whilst they sorted some engine trouble. After the first engine test run there was oil everywhere - not only do they drink the stuff but they also spit it out.

 

Roger

 

 

That's interesting, I thought that the last Bristol Freighter flying in the UK crashed at Enstone quite a while ago. Do you have any other info on it?

[Jersey Royal]

I never liked hot clearances. What's hot?

TR6 - cold.

 

If you want to allow for possible wear on the rocker tips, use one of these. Easy. Been around for 30 years, still use mine.

 

http://www.gunson.co.uk/item.aspx?item=1824

 

Ivor

 

 

Ivor,

 

Clik Adjust arrived

 

I find it a pita, whats the secret? Is there an idiots guide somewhere?

 

Although the problem could be that i cant find my 1/2 drive 1/2 in socket, so was trying with a 13mm

 

Cheers

 

Guy

[Kneeslider]

I thought that the Gunson Click Adjust was a pita to use too, I ended up going back to the traditional method. Calibrating how many clicks per thou you get with the threads on the click adjust is straightforward enough, but I wasn't happy with the method of holding the screw steady while you tighten up the locknuts. I thought that there was too much potential for things to move.

[tr6driver]

I thought that the Gunson Click Adjust was a pita to use too, I ended up going back to the traditional method. Calibrating how many clicks per thou you get with the threads on the click adjust is straightforward enough, but I wasn't happy with the method of holding the screw steady while you tighten up the locknuts. I thought that there was too much potential for things to move.

 

Hi.

 

I also had the same experience with the Gunson Click adjuster.In principle it is straight forward,five clicks from closed to get the right opening on a rocker arm on a cold engine.

I ended up adjusting the rocker arms the old fashion way.But I had one rocker arm making a ticking sound after adjusting .

After the engine was run warm I removed the rocker cover and took the thinnest blade on my feeler under each rocker arm when the engine was

running,starting from the front ,its a bit scary , but I discovered the ticking rocker arm this way.I Stopped the engine , and redused the opening on this rocker arm very little , but enough to stop the

ticking sound.That cured the ticking sound to a much lower level.

 

Gentlemen,what do you think about doing it this way ?

 

Oystein

[scuff]

Old fasioned way still the best.

Regards Paul

[88V8]

Clik Adjust arrived

I find it a pita, whats the secret? Is there an idiots guide somewhere?

Although the problem could be that i cant find my 1/2 drive 1/2 in socket, so was trying with a 13mm

The adjusting nuts need to be free on the screw, some of mine had been half-stripped by hamfisted PO and were binding. The tappet screws need to be free in the rocker so the autotorque works.

 

That said, I find it blissfully easy. And far from being hard to hold the screw adjuster steady, it must surely be easier holding that nice large grippy knob than trying to hold a screwdriver. And a spanner. And a feeler gauge.

The thing that seems strange at first, is not being able to see that the adjusting screw isn't sneakily moving a little, one must become accustomed to focussing on holding the centre knob steady whilst tightening the lock-nut.

Like all new tools, one has to get used. I dare say the computer seemed a bit of a faf compared to the jolly old left-handed goose quill.

 

You're right, it probably doesn't help to be using a slack socket. How does a chap come to have only one 1/2" socket

And I thought you'd organised your garage Or is that the problem - now it's tidy you can't find anything

 

Ivor

Edited December 12, 2008 by 88V8

[Jersey Royal]

The adjusting nuts need to be free on the screw, some of mine had been half-stripped by hamfisted PO and were binding. The tappet screws need to be free in the rocker so the autotorque works.

 

That said, I find it blissfully easy. And far from being hard to hold the screw adjuster steady, it must surely be easier holding that nice large grippy knob than trying to hold a screwdriver. And a spanner. And a feeler gauge.

The thing that seems strange at first, is not being able to see that the adjusting screw isn't sneakily moving a little, one must become accustomed to focussing on holding the centre knob steady whilst tightening the lock-nut.

Like all new tools, one has to get used. I dare say the computer seemed a bit of a faf compared to the jolly old left-handed goose quill.

 

You're right, it probably doesn't help to be using a slack socket. How does a chap come to have only one 1/2" socket

And I thought you'd organised your garage Or is that the problem - now it's tidy you can't find anything

 

Ivor

 

 

Ivor,

 

Garage is still a mess, tools all over the place mixed up with everything. Been very cold in there of late, havent had the time or inclination to sort it.

 

The garage bomb site will need total removal, then put back in an ordilly fashion, into new racks

 

Think i have the knack of it, but would say it doesnt always have a definate click. Worked out 1 click is equivalent to 0.00225.

 

Still in two minds, maybe after i have done them all i will a master at it.

 

Thanks

 

Guy

[BrianC]

I had one rocker arm making a ticking sound after adjusting .

After the engine was run warm I removed the rocker cover and took the thinnest blade on my feeler under each rocker arm when the engine was running,starting from the front ,its a bit scary , but I discovered the ticking rocker arm this way.

 

That's probably the engineer's way but you can also use a stethoscope or 'listening rod' (e.g. piece of dowel or long screwdriver) pressed against each tappet and the other end against your ear. Also, simply pressing down on each rocker in turn until you find the guilty ones which go quiet can sometimes yield a quick diagnosis.