Tappets, love them or hate them?

[benlawlor85]

Hi there,So i got the R65 last week and as amatter of course i thought i better give her a quick service.
So new oils all round filters and adjusting the tappets.
Now i used to have to do this on the old '79 MG midget but always seemed simple and never had any tappet noise after.
So today im there adjusting away, and then start her and get a nice loud "knocking" so re adjust etc.
And now its better but not great! think i will go for a ride later let them settle down then adjust tomorrow/late this eve.
My question is any tips for easy tappet adjusting?
And do you love or hate them, I love the fact they are easliy adjusted hate the point of doing them!
Cheers
All Ben

[airhead]

1. Engine cold.
2. Retorque the heads.
3. Timing mark set to OT (TDC) in the window, though maybe check that it is, as the flywheel can be put on in any of five positions and only one is correct (It's been done!!!).
4, I use 0.1mm IN and 0.2mm EX though the later unleaded's (after '85) can run 0.15 EX if you like.
5. Spin the pushrods to see if they're straight, make sure rocker sideplay and bearings are ok.
6. While checking the clearance, push on the pushrod end with enough pressure to just stop the pushrod spinning. I learnt this trick from an old VW mech when I had VW's. It takes up any slop from the pushrod dropping from gravity and the tappet not hard up against the cam. Try it, you'll find you can tighten them a few thou more.
7. Accept that the Airhead is a valve noisy engine....though a noisy valve is a happy valve (obviously within reason!!)

Bill.....................;-)

[Semper Gumby]

Become one with your tappets only after the engine has cooled to ambient (not warm to the touch).

The first thing i do when I set the tappets is check what is the largest feeler that goes into each valve and I write this down!  This tells me about the health of my heads.

The second thing I do is check the cylinder head bolt torque (loosen each up a 1/4 turn and tighten again to the proper setting).  Then I check the rocker end float.  This is one source of "tappet" noise.

How this is done.  Turn the engine over till you get TDC and both valves are loose.  (You should be able to turn the pushrod with your fingers).  Try moving the rocker up and down if you can see it move or you can hear it "clicking" against the post then you need to adjust the end float.  Do this by loosning one of the rocker post cylinder head nuts.  Get a big set of plyers (5" wide jaws) put a .002" feeler between the rocker and the top post.  Squeeze gently on the two posts that hold the rocker on the plyers until there is a little pressure on the feeler and while holding that pressure tighten the cylinder head nut back down.  The feeler should never be pinched between the rocker and the post.  Seems like it needs three hands.

Then adjust the valves.

Once again I do this gradually. For exhaust I use a .008" feeler.  (03/1980 spec)  I put the feeler between the valve stem and the rocker arm and hand adjust the until it is where I want it (just a bit of drag on the feeler).  To check that I have the right setting I use the next size feeler larger (.009") and check to see if I can put it in.  If it goes in then I go back to the .008" feeler and hand tighten up again.  Back to the next size larger until it doesn't go in.  Then I get my torque wrench and socket and start to tighten the lock nut while holding and open ended wrench to keep the adjustor from turning.  I tighten about 1/3 of the way to the torque setting.  And I stop and check again with the .008 and .009 feelers.  The sad fact of life is as you tighten things down, the gap changes.  It usually takes about 3 or 4 times of back and forth until the torque wrench on the lock nut goes "click" and I have a .008" gap.

Repeat for the intake.  I'm setting .006" gap on the intake so I use a .007" feller as the first oversize to check my work.

When all this is done guess what?!  Your valves will still tap!  Happy airhead valves make a tapping sound.  But everything being the same they should all tap about the same (after the engine is warmed up).

Congratulations! You are now one with your valves.   8-)

BTW - There are different gap settings for different years of the R65 but the procedure is the same.