Tappet adjustment

Tappet adjustment

Author
Discussion

ChrisLeese

Original Poster:

54 posts

275 months

Friday 12th April 2002
quotequote all
Can anyone tell me how often the tappets should be checked, as some dealers say 12,000 and some say 48,000.

Also, is it a job I could attempt over a weekend. If so what are the gap sizes.

dannylt

1,906 posts

291 months

Friday 12th April 2002
quotequote all
It's DEFINITELY every 12,000. I think it was initially 24k, but then brought down to 12 due to problems with going far out of spec. It's also a 1000 mile service item, e.g. a new car or after an engine rebuild.

I think you need a special tool to hold the cams in place while you adjust them, so not really a job you can do yourself, even if you can get hold of the shim sets (may be possible to get from tvrgear though). It might be easy to fabricate a holder though.

Better off just paying an independent expert like www.joospeed.net £150 to do the lot in one go. I should have some pictures of the job; my 4.5 is being done by Joolz tomorrow.

danny

dannylt

1,906 posts

291 months

Friday 12th April 2002
quotequote all
Btw, apparently after a lot of practice and short cuts you can get it down for 5 hours, so I imagine first time on your own could well be several weekends assuming nothing goes wrong!

dannylt

1,906 posts

291 months

Monday 15th April 2002
quotequote all
I checked all my tappets on Saturday, under the watchful eye of Joolz (www.joospeed.net) while he got on with the more interesting stuff.

Strip off the airboxes and cam covers, the clearances should be 10 exhaust, 8 inlet - slightly wider is fine since they only close up - stretching valves I suppose. Most of that 5 hours is messing with cleaning up the gasket faces so that they reseal properly and getting the bastard purple tubes back on (you're lucky if you have a 4.2).

Unfortunately, if you have to adjust it you need a tool to hold the timing chain pulley while you remove the cam. Mine were all in spec, but I wouldn't do this part on my own personally, and unless you're a dealer, you won't have the appropriate full set of shims (expensive! - £3 each!) anyway.

danny

ChrisLeese

Original Poster:

54 posts

275 months

Monday 15th April 2002
quotequote all
Thanks Danny

I think I will attempt a check and take it from there.

Cheers

ChrisLeese

Original Poster:

54 posts

275 months

Tuesday 16th April 2002
quotequote all
Danny

Can you confirm that you only removed the airbox and rocker cover? I thought you had to remove the inlet manifold as well? (not keen on the idea of removing injectors etc, just incase I get dirt in there.


dannylt

1,906 posts

291 months

Tuesday 16th April 2002
quotequote all
Ah, you must have a 4.2? On the 4.5, you can remove the purple tubes and airboxes and get at the cam covers directly. I suspect you need to take the inlets off on the 4.2 then, can't you just number the injectors for the cylinders? Just keep the inlets somewhere clean (or send off to Joolz for porting - worth an extra 20bhp).

I am NOT an expert though - ask your dealer, or perhaps someone who's done a 4.2 can help? Or send joolz@joospeed.net a mail.