Tappet Advice

[WildfireS3]

I am planning to have a go at my tappetes as soon as the weather is good enough.

Any tips?

Just to clarify that valve overlap is when both the valves on the particular cylinder are down as far as they can go?

I have done the ones on my mini many times and I asume that the Tiv's ones are the same?

[kev s3]

if you have the bible it explains realy well how to do it, just remember to use the 2.9 diagram instead of the 2.8 one. not that i would do such a stupid thing as that

[WildfireS3]

How long does it take?

[kev s3]

took about half an hour and wasnt too hard although i had the engine out, cant remember the way the valves sit but the instructions are good in the bible, oh and u will also need to order your gaskets as well. dunno if ford are the same around u but it took a couple of days to get them. it makes a big difference to that tappety sound from the engine.

[WildfireS3]

Ah right. New Gaskets. I take it that's rocker cover gaskets?

Will order them tomorrow.

[kev s3]

thats the ones, while u have the covers off why not paint them. done mine and now have splendid red ones, makes the engine look braw

[KentishS2]

My engine is a bit rattly, did the tappets a while back and is better now but has a bit more of a rattle than just tappets. The V6 lump is prone to wear if you don't give it regular oil changes due to the oil ways becoming clogged. Looking at new heads before too long, does anyone know if they are standard Ford, or uprated in any way?

[RichardR]

kev s3 said:

it makes a big difference to that tappety sound from the engine.

Mine was serviced today and I got the tappets adjusted at the same time - v. noticeable difference , the only problem being that I can now hear the hole in one of my downpipes more clearly!

[WildfireS3]

Tim from ACT does a set of SS down pipes for a very reasonable price Richard. Easy to fix, just a little time consuming.

[greenv8s]

Best to use a dial gauge instead of feelers when you do this, when the rockers start to wear the feelers will read low so you end up leaving too much clearance. Doesn't apply to newer engines, but more important for the older ones.

[WildfireS3]

Dial gauge. Hmm never done it that way before. How do you use them to do this? I have used them to set cam timing once.

[greenv8s]

Position the mounting block on a suitable flat surface (seem to remember the rocker cover sealing face works well) and position the dial gauge above the rocker arm directly over the valve stem (i.e. directly over the point you would normally apply the feeler gauge). Rock the rocker and use the dial gauge to show how much movement there is. Basically just like using feelers except you are measuring play with the dial gauge instead of measuring the gap with feelers.

[WildfireS3]

Ah ha. Right. Shall probably do it with feelers until I can go home to Surrey and get hold of the dial gauge. Then do it again.

[RichardR]

WildfireS3 said:

Tim from ACT does a set of SS down pipes for a very reasonable price Richard. Easy to fix, just a little time consuming.

Cheers Chris. mgaut's going to let me have his old set for now as an interim measure until I get round to sorting out a new set.

The one's that're on there at the moment were actually new on just after I bought the car in August '02, and were about £60 for the pair (S/S) from Peninsular IIRC.

[WildfireS3]

They were new? If they're SS they shouldn't have holes in them.