Setting Tappets

[Maudesmaster]

I’ve had my 3LW Cylinder head overhauled by Gardner Marine 

when the cam sharp end is pointing down is the time to set the gap on the valve top 

if I use a dial test indicator on the rocker adjusting screw and turn engine over by hand when the pointer stops moving and just before pointer starts to move would be spot on I guess Yes 

I’m not back on boat for 4 weeks after hip replacement 

[Tracy D'arth]

13 minutes ago, Maudesmaster said:

I’ve had my 3LW Cylinder head overhauled by Gardner Marine 

when the cam sharp end is pointing down is the time to set the gap on the valve top 

if I use a dial test indicator on the rocker adjusting screw and turn engine over by hand when the pointer stops moving and just before pointer starts to move would be spot on I guess Yes 

I’m not back on boat for 4 weeks after hip replacement 

The base circle of a cam lobe is usually wide and not critical radially. The reverse applies to the cam peak of course. One turn of the engine crank away from the fully open position of the relevant valve will always be the correct point to set the tappet gap.

[jonesthenuke]

You seem to have a complicated way of doing this. I follow the Gardner manual:- 

valve clearances.pdf

Or this. 

 

[Tony Brooks]

12 minutes ago, jonesthenuke said:

You seem to have a complicated way of doing this. I follow the Gardner manual:- 

valve clearances.pdf 1.08 MB · 1 download

Or this. 

 

And you think the manual way is simpler that valve fully open, one revolution of the engine, adjust clearance?

[jonesthenuke]

34 minutes ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

And you think the manual way is simpler that valve fully open, one revolution of the engine, adjust clearance?

Less complicated than a DTI !

[Tony Brooks]

8 minutes ago, jonesthenuke said:

Less complicated than a DTI !

 

I agree, except if the rocker ends were pitted (which they won't be after an overhaul) a DTI would probably be needed and thus mounted, but otherwise no point in using one.

[Tracy D'arth]

15 hours ago, Tony Brooks said:

 

I agree, except if the rocker ends were pitted (which they won't be after an overhaul) a DTI would probably be needed and thus mounted, but otherwise no point in using one.

To set tappets when there is wear pitting I used the rotational method. That is close the gap completely and unwind the adjuster by a known degree of rotation depending on the thread pitch to equate to the required gap.

For example on a BMC engine with 5/16" UNF thread adjuster a quarter turn gives almost 16 thou inch gap, close enough to the required 15 thou inch.

[Maudesmaster]

16 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

The base circle of a cam lobe is usually wide and not critical radially. The reverse applies to the cam peak of course. One turn of the engine crank away from the fully open position of the relevant valve will always be the correct point to set the tappet gap.

Great thanks 

[Maudesmaster]

After turning engine over and over checking and rechecking jobs a good un 

took a day but mind is at rest 

cant take video but sounds lovely 

Thank you every one much appreciated 

[XLD]

How often do members check tappets?

[agg221]

2 hours ago, XLD said:

How often do members check tappets?

Roughly every 250 operating hours or so.

 

Alec

[Tonka]

1 hour ago, agg221 said:

Roughly every 250 operating hours or so.

 

Alec

every 500 hours according to the Beta BD3 manual