Valve clearance drama

[roulli]

I read on this forum a few times, that it was kind of normal that V6s rattle, even after adequtely adjusted valve clearances.
That's why I checked the clearances (accoring to the bible procedure) on my still hibernating S3C. (70.000km). I remember, that it was not rattling at all when I took it home the day I bought it and before I laid it up.
Guess what. 0.0mm clearance on all valves!!! I had to turn the screw between 1.5 to 2.5 turns in order to get 0.35 and 0.40mm! This means that the valves hardly closed on the compression cycle and could not get rid of the heat. At the previous owner, the car was serviced at so called TVR and Ford specialists.. no comment.

Can anybody tell what the consequences may be.

Cheers Patrick

[350matt]

It depends on how long the car has run like this and how big a gap you had, whats the pitch of the thread on the rocker adjuster?
If you that concerned, a compression check will tell you if you've managed to burn out a valve seat.

Matt

[tvrmark]

roulli

The S3c (all cat S) have hydraulic tapits, and should not be adjusted, although the adjusters are still there. There is a setup proceedure you will need to go through to get them back to where they should be, they were probably right to start. I done the same thing, Mark from Tower View told me how to reset them but I can't remember sorry. Got to go F1 is about to sart.

Mark

[roulli]

Thanks Mark,

I should have posted this initial message before adjusting.
Now any help will be welcome for telling:
1. How do I identify, wether my S3C has really got hydraulic tapits.
2. Can anybody tell me how to readjust my valve clearance to the initial position, provided I have hydraulic tapits?

Many thanks in advance
Patrick

[GreenV8S]

quote:

Thanks Mark,

I should have posted this initial message before adjusting.
Now any help will be welcome for telling:
1. How do I identify, wether my S3C has really got hydraulic tapits.
2. Can anybody tell me how to readjust my valve clearance to the initial position, provided I have hydraulic tapits?

Many thanks in advance
Patrick

I worked on a 2.9 Granada (same engine, solid lifters) that had the pads on the rockers worn slightly concave. Feeler gauges would ride straight over the top of the hollow and under-read, result was the actual gap was set too big and the engine rattled like mad. Setting with a dial gauge to get the actual gap right cured this. But every now and then someone would helpfully reset the tappets using feelers and set it wrong again. Just a thought if you have solid (i.e. non-hydraulic) lifters.

[Paul V]

All cat S’s are hydraulic tappets, if you have a tappet noise check its not the exhaust manifolds, I thought mine had a dodgy tappet but it turns out the manifold gasket is leaking.

[roulli]

Does the Scorpio book from Haynes describe, how to reset valve clearance on hydraulic tappets? One needs to do that, after having removed the cylinder heads for instance.

Patrick

[roulli]

Mark from Towerview was so helpful and faxed me the Ford procedure to set hydraulic tappets back, in case someone turned on the regulation bolt of the 2.9 engine with cats.
Basic procedure with closed valves:
1. turn the screw until you have no more clearance (0.0mm)
It is however delicate, to find the 0mm clearance point, especially if the oil has been pressed out of the tappet and if you have got "soft" pushrods. You need then to fix the pushrod with one hand, and sense if there's still clearance on the pivot with the other hand.
2. from there on (0mm clearance), turn in the screw by 1.5 turns (corresponds to compressing the spring in the tappet by 2mm)

Done
Patrick

[tvrmark]

Glad you sorted it.

Mark

[roulli]

quote:
Glad you sorted it.

Mark

Mark,
Thanks for your hint with the hydraulic tappets.
Without this I would most probably have needed:
a) a pair of new underpants after having started the engine for the first time
b) to strip down and refit all the cables, hoses, alternator etc. around the cylinder heads

This site is great!!
Cheers Patrick