2.8i Valve Adjustment Procedure - A reminder please

[m2500tvr]

I've gotta do a valve adjustment on my Ford 2.8i V6. All my documentation is packed away from a move of several months ago. Would someone please provide a reminder of the procedure? Primarily, where/how to start. I've done this on this car, and many others, plenty of times, but there are a couple of things going on that are making me want to ensure that if there are any nuances that I don't miss them.

Thanks!

[hallsie]

how bizzare, not 3 mins ago did I finish doing this in the garage!

Inlets are 14 thou and exhausts are 16 thou, get the timing marks on the crank lined up with the notches (11 'o' clock on the crank casing) and get the dizzy top off so you can see that it is firing on cylinder 1.

Looking from the front of the car the piston order starting with front left is clockwise, 1,2,3,6,5,4, and the dizzy firing order is 1,4,2,5,3,6,
Its easier to turn the car over on the crank bolt (19mm) with the plugs out.

hope that helps
If youve got the wedge bible its on page 10!

Stu

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Mate..Just scanned in some info for the adjustment if its any good..Cheers..Ziga



If you click into the pic then once you are in thumbsnap click again and it will make it bigger..Hopefully its enough to see whats what.

[benebob]

While were at it where are these timing marks I could swear my engine lacks 'em up front.

[mrzigazaga]

benebob said:

While were at it where are these timing marks I could swear my engine lacks 'em up front.

You should have a groove cut into your pulley wheel and a 1.5" jagged tooth plate with a series of numbers starting at 6 and ending in 15 in graduations of 3 just above it slightly to the left if looking at the pulley wheel from the front..When strobed the groove should line up with either 12 degrees..(standard)..or retarded to 9 degree on the plate if using 97 ron or unlesded head conversion...Ziga

PS: Sometimes you need to clean the plate to see the numbers..

[m2500tvr]

Thanks everyone! Perfect. I REALLY am grateful for the help.

Happy new year!

[m2500tvr]

DANGED if that isn't just like magic. Put the valves in spec and it's just a totally different motor. I've never dealt with a motor more sensitive to valve lash and more frequently out of adjustment. I mean, get the lash correct and everything comes back into proper function - even cold idle. Out of spec and nothing goes right. On this motor, I've never had any issue with anything else. Everything's just always worked (well, it is pretty wet with oil a the back of the manifold/distributor pedastal, but strangely enough the level on the dip stick never changes). Just gotta keep the valves in spec. It's just magic.

I have to say that this job was a funky one. The "big" stuff ended up being easy. I got hung up on little stuff, like not being able to get some of the difficult to access rocker cover bolts started in their holes. And that #3 spark plug is just always really tough to access. It's close to the frame, and the oil cooler, heater, and A/C lines all run by it. It's also cold here, making the hoses even stiffer and more recalcitrant to get out of the way.

I lost the coolant in this engine recently. Lower radiator hose split open. I knew I should've replaced it long ago, but I didn't. I am still worried about having done damage to a 25K original mile Ford Cologne 2.8i V6 Doesn't make me happy. But, it's running really great right now. There is water consumption. The level in the overflow/expansion tank goes down. I don't know why this is happening yet.

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Mate..I did read that a guy with a MK3 capri took his in for a service and part of it was to check and adjust the valve clearances, When he got it back it was running real bad..Lucky for him his friend had a rolling road and when tested it was 20BHP less..He then proceeded to re-adjust the clearance to what the book says and low and behold he was back up 20BHP...I have what seems a pretty bad oil leak which is all over the bottom of the car but my oil level never drops?..Im wondering if my gearbox oil is leaking but for the amount and time that its been doing it im pretty sure it would be empty by now?, Although my power steering pump is leaking quite badly somewhere so that could be the culprit...I too loose water sometimes and i cant find out where its going..Ive had a recored rad..New thermostat and housing..Hoses are ok..Ive changed the radiator and expansion caps..At one point i was losing it from the overflow on the expansion tank and so fitted a catch tank which has helped..It now only happens if i drive at 100 for a few miles..Its known for these engines that after they have been driven for a while and then switched off that the water boils as it stops circulating..Do you have a kenlowe fan fitted?..Is it a pusher or puller..One that pulls air through is much better..If you have a thermostatic control valve in your top rad hose is it set to come on just after the thermostat has opened?..When set correctly it should come on..when the engine is switched off..Go off..Then it will come back on after a very short time until it has cooled sufficiently..
I had a catch tank made but they can be bought and dont need to be very big..