Tell me I'm not going crazy! S3C spark plugs
Discussion
Did Ford get TVR disease when they supplied engines?
I've read up in the bible and on here the differences between the cat and non-cat 2.9's. According to the logic my S3C should have hydraulic tappets and taper seat plugs. The wisdom is heads with a K are taper seat plugs.
Well I've just checked mine and it has the K (both sides, I thought of that) and flat seat plugs - running RC7YC4.
I'm not crazy am I?
Gary
p.s I'm not responsible for the orange goo, on the list to sort.
I've read up in the bible and on here the differences between the cat and non-cat 2.9's. According to the logic my S3C should have hydraulic tappets and taper seat plugs. The wisdom is heads with a K are taper seat plugs.
Well I've just checked mine and it has the K (both sides, I thought of that) and flat seat plugs - running RC7YC4.
I'm not crazy am I?
Gary
p.s I'm not responsible for the orange goo, on the list to sort.
I thought all 2.9's had taper seat plugs !! AFAIK the only difference between the S3 + S3c plugs are that the cat engines use a bigger plug gap (1.0mm) looking at your picture it looks like some kind if spacer or collar is still in place, wasn't it only the 2.8's with flat seats ?
Cheers.....Tony..
Cheers.....Tony..
tozerman said:
I thought all 2.9's had taper seat plugs !! AFAIK the only difference between the S3 + S3c plugs are that the cat engines use a bigger plug gap (1.0mm) looking at your picture it looks like some kind if spacer or collar is still in place, wasn't it only the 2.8's with flat seats ?
Cheers.....Tony..
Tony, no collars or spacers still in there. I'll check if I can tell if it's an insert but didn't look it.Cheers.....Tony..
Is the F or K marking a myth?
Phillpot, Ketvrin - are they S3's or S3C's?
Just one (more) part of TVR's rich tapestry of entertainment!
Gary
Edited by GadgeS3C on Monday 4th April 09:09
Not all S3Cs had the hyd tappets Gary as they were replaced with the solid lifters after a certain VIN. You can find the (alleged) details from the Steve Heath publishing website and look for the bit for updates and the S manual and it is there (incl how to set up the hyd tappets). Not relevant re plugs though.
Jim
Jim
Had a quick look at the updated info on Steve Heath's site. My car was registered in Jan '91 and is a couple of hundred short of the VIN number listed for the switch to solid lifters in May '91.
So it fits all the info for having the hydraulic lifters.
I'll start a thread for that when I look at them.
Gary
So it fits all the info for having the hydraulic lifters.
I'll start a thread for that when I look at them.
Gary
I can't remember where I read that the "K" stamped on the head (visible in the OP's photo) means taper seat plugs, and "F" means flat seats. I think it was the Ford Scorpio site in the wiki at the top of the forum.
However, looking at the photo, they do look like flat seats right enough (although it's difficult to tell looking straight down the plug 'ole with flash).
Mine is a May 1990 S3C (so one of the first) and well below the VIN No where they changed to solid lifters. Mine has "K" heads and taper seat plugs, and hydraulic lifters.
There is no way, that I know of, to tell if the car has hydraulic lifters just by looking at the engine. Taking off the rocker covers doesn't help: the rockers, valves and pushrods are exactly the same. The hydraulic tappets are deep in the Vee of the engine, at the camshaft end of the pushrods, so are not visible without considerable dismantling.
The only way to be sure is to try adjusting a valve clearance while that valve is closed. As you turn the adjuster screw, a solid lifter won't "give" - it will go solid (or, rather, start to open the valve against the spring pressure). A hydraulic lifter will "give", and the adjustment won't make the difference you expect - ie the feeler gauge won't get tight properly. It's hard to explain - if you're used to adjusting normal valve clearances, you'll know that it doesn't feel "right". DO NOT OVERDO THIS TEST - if your car has solid lifters and you try to overtighten the clearance, you might bend a pushrod. And you don't want that.
However, looking at the photo, they do look like flat seats right enough (although it's difficult to tell looking straight down the plug 'ole with flash).
Mine is a May 1990 S3C (so one of the first) and well below the VIN No where they changed to solid lifters. Mine has "K" heads and taper seat plugs, and hydraulic lifters.
There is no way, that I know of, to tell if the car has hydraulic lifters just by looking at the engine. Taking off the rocker covers doesn't help: the rockers, valves and pushrods are exactly the same. The hydraulic tappets are deep in the Vee of the engine, at the camshaft end of the pushrods, so are not visible without considerable dismantling.
The only way to be sure is to try adjusting a valve clearance while that valve is closed. As you turn the adjuster screw, a solid lifter won't "give" - it will go solid (or, rather, start to open the valve against the spring pressure). A hydraulic lifter will "give", and the adjustment won't make the difference you expect - ie the feeler gauge won't get tight properly. It's hard to explain - if you're used to adjusting normal valve clearances, you'll know that it doesn't feel "right". DO NOT OVERDO THIS TEST - if your car has solid lifters and you try to overtighten the clearance, you might bend a pushrod. And you don't want that.
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