Hydraulic Tappets?
Discussion
I have an S3c. I have just had the rocker off for the first time today and painted them. Whilst doing so I looked at the tappets, and could feel no free movement in them, unlike any OHV I have worked on before. This suggests hydraulic tappets I think, the engine is pretty quiet at idle. Any thoughts
S3C had hydraulic tappets, or rather most did although no one knows for sure, I think, apparently so I'm told.There is a long thread somewhere if you do a search about this. The consensus was, nobody really know for sure whether all C's had hydraulic tappets or not.
This is the least helpful post ever.

I have some info which apparently came from the factory (its been posted before but here it is again to save you looking for it).
TVR says that the S3c engines were fitted with hydraulic tappets but from about May 1991 they were fitted with the same 2.9 engine but with solid lifters (which do need the tappet adjustment - which the hyd ones don't once they have been set up). TVR apparently confirmed that the S3c with VIN after SDLD.......011340 have the solid lifters. Whether there are any exceptions I'm not sure but its a good start - my car is at the end of the run with hyd lifters and it does have them; anyone who is honest should know as if its not been run for a few weeks the hyd lifter engine might be a bit tappetty on start up as the oil in the lifters can drain down very slowly but they refill ok and its not an isuue in terms of any problem and at least I don't need to redo the clearances which is a bonus!
Not sure if the above helps but hopefully it will.
Jim
TVR says that the S3c engines were fitted with hydraulic tappets but from about May 1991 they were fitted with the same 2.9 engine but with solid lifters (which do need the tappet adjustment - which the hyd ones don't once they have been set up). TVR apparently confirmed that the S3c with VIN after SDLD.......011340 have the solid lifters. Whether there are any exceptions I'm not sure but its a good start - my car is at the end of the run with hyd lifters and it does have them; anyone who is honest should know as if its not been run for a few weeks the hyd lifter engine might be a bit tappetty on start up as the oil in the lifters can drain down very slowly but they refill ok and its not an isuue in terms of any problem and at least I don't need to redo the clearances which is a bonus!
Not sure if the above helps but hopefully it will.
Jim
Edited by jimed on Monday 28th January 08:57
This is a thread I started some time ago on the subject:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
With the rockers cover off, i believe it is just possible to see which type you have, if you know the visual difference between the two!!
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
With the rockers cover off, i believe it is just possible to see which type you have, if you know the visual difference between the two!!
hi my eng no is cvg 629...brd 0938xxx so i think i have hydraulic tappets can anybody confirm this as i have read the threads and now im a bit confused if i have i adjusted them just before i started the rebuild it seemed to run ok but was still a bit tappey so it looks like i have messed up. The engine has stood for a year so there will not be any oil up there so i guess now is the time to put things right. Anybody got a blow by blow account on how to do it thanks sorry forgot to say its a 1990 s2
Edited by kenpage on Monday 28th January 16:01
Mr Plow said:
This is a thread I started some time ago on the subject:
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
With the rockers cover off, i believe it is just possible to see which type you have, if you know the visual difference between the two!!
As i said on that other thread, it's impossible to tell by looking under the rocker covers - the cylinder heads, valves and rockers are exactly the same... There is absolutely no visual difference without dismantling the engine down to the camshaft (or, as somebody else says, identifying the difference from the engine number).http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
With the rockers cover off, i believe it is just possible to see which type you have, if you know the visual difference between the two!!
kenpage said:
hi my eng no is cvg 629...brd 0938xxx so i think i have hydraulic tappets can anybody confirm this as i have read the threads and now im a bit confused if i have i adjusted them just before i started the rebuild it seemed to run ok but was still a bit tappey so it looks like i have messed up. The engine has stood for a year so there will not be any oil up there so i guess now is the time to put things right. Anybody got a blow by blow account on how to do it thanks sorry forgot to say its a 1990 s2
I explained the procedure on Mr Plow's thread as he has posted above.Edited by kenpage on Monday 28th January 16:01
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