Diesel engine: tappets - anyone adjusted theirs?

[Simon Jones]

Anyone adjusted their tappets & did it make any difference to the general 'clatter' or performance? I probably should have taken the opportunity last year after replacing the head gasket when I had everything accessible, but I was in too much of a hurry to get it back on the road again

[missfixit70]

Something I keep thinking about to add to the round tuit list, get yours done Simon & knock a quick factsheet up I think Dandy's done one or two as well.

[dandywarhol]

Worth doing - quieter and peppier engine IMO - the air/gas goes in and out more efficiently

Easy to do too - the crank is only turned once - you adjust 6 valves at a time.

[Simon Jones]

You're all making it sound quite tempting . Dandy, did you remove the glowplugs to make it easier to turn? Also did you put the van on ramps to allow the crankshaft to be turned from below? It's a bit of a pain to get to from above.

[mikeonb4c]

Amazing - just been sitting in the garden wondering that exact same thing. I'm not sure my back would welcome a long session bent over the engine bay though

What about rocker cover gaskets / oil seepage. What advice on getting that bit right? Also, is it a simple feeler gauge, screw head and lock nut job like on my old BMC engines? Also, can't remember its been so long but do you adjust them with engine cold and what are the clearances? Make a good factsheet this one would

[dandywarhol]

Rubber gasket, shouldn't need replaced if it doesn't leak, locknut and screw/feeler gauge like the good ol' days, easier with plugs out but not essential, a BIG shifter on the crank nut does it.

About a conservative and hour and a half inc, taking the middle engine cover off.

[mikeonb4c]

Rubber gasket, shouldn't need replaced if it doesn't leak, locknut and screw/feeler gauge like the good ol' days, easier with plugs out but not essential, a BIG shifter on the crank nut does it.

About a conservative and hour and a half inc, taking the middle engine cover off.

Thanks Dandy. Do you do them cold? I'll check my workshop manual for clearances, buy some feeler gauges and see if I can beg steal or borrow a big nut shifter

Thats if my back says I can give it a go! I presume the whole centre console stuff has to come off to remove the rocker cover?

[dandywarhol]

Rubber gasket, shouldn't need replaced if it doesn't leak, locknut and screw/feeler gauge like the good ol' days, easier with plugs out but not essential, a BIG shifter on the crank nut does it.

About a conservative and hour and a half inc, taking the middle engine cover off.

Thanks Dandy. Do you do them cold? I'll check my workshop manual for clearances, buy some feeler gauges and see if I can beg steal or borrow a big nut shifter

Thats if my back says I can give it a go! I presume the whole centre console stuff has to come off to remove the rocker cover?

Yep and yep

[Simon Jones]

According to the manual: adjusted cold

Inlet 0.1mm +- 0.05mm
Exhaust 0.2mm +- 0.05mm

[radrob]

I`ve just installed a new head and cam and am suffering from rattling tappets having set them to those gaps stated above. The head manufacturer reckons I should use 0.2 to 0.3 mm for both. Can anyone shed any light on where i may have gone wrong and it seemed simple enough to set them. The rattling only happens under load.
Cheers y`all
Rob

[dandywarhol]

Rattling tappets would happen all the time if they were out - don't see why the manufacturer says to set them wide unless its a Chinese copy head and they expect the valves to hammer into soft seats

I hope it isn't a Chinese copy - I've seen one and far from impressed - they couldn't even get the head bolt holes to correctly line up so god knows how they're going to get the squish clearance between the pistons and valves right

[radrob]

Well wherever it's from it's fitted and seems ok but time and miles will tell.everything seemed to align ok apart from the wonky camshaft pulley mating face!