Tappets 2LW

[mark99]

Going to check tappets for first time - any tips? where to source spare gasket?

 

Thanks

[Split Pin]

You only need to remove the top cover and there is no gasket between it and the head

 

Steve

[mark99]

Thanks Steve.

 

NB do you know settings? just looking at manual and it has the settings (inlet was 0.005", outlet was 0.010") crossed out and .002" hand written in there for both.

[The Pipe]

Stamped in the rocker box cover on my 3LW is Inlet 0.005" Exhaust 0.012". Must be correct as it has been stamped in at manufacture.

All rocker box covers I've seen have this in them, not to say all have it but worth looking for.

 

Interestingly the book says 0.011" for the exhaust and as stamped on the engine 0.005 for the inlet.

Oh well what's a thou between friends!

Edited December 9, 2013 by Jim Evans

[mark99]

Stamped in the rocker box cover on my 3LW is Inlet 0.005" Exhaust 0.012". Must be correct as it has been stamped in at manufacture.

All rocker box covers I've seen have this in them, not to say all have it but worth looking for.

 

Interestingly the book says 0.011" for the exhaust and as stamped on the engine 0.005 for the inlet.

Oh well what's a thou between friends!

 

Yes mine has too Jim - trouble is it's an hours drive away and I need to buy some feelers! lol.

[by'eck]

 

Yes mine has too Jim - trouble is it's an hours drive away and I need to buy some feelers! lol.

 

Just buy an imperial feeler gauge set (usually .0015, .002, .003, .004, .006, .008, .010, .012, .015 and .025 of an inch) - that will cover most sizes by using two or more.

Edited December 9, 2013 by by'eck

[Split Pin]

Stamped in the rocker box cover on my 3LW is Inlet 0.005" Exhaust 0.012". Must be correct as it has been stamped in at manufacture.

All rocker box covers I've seen have this in them, not to say all have it but worth looking for.

 

Interestingly the book says 0.011" for the exhaust and as stamped on the engine 0.005 for the inlet.

Oh well what's a thou between friends!

My 3LW is marked up the same

 

I have at least 2 books which give the tappet clearance and they are both different

 

Book 56.5 says .005" and .012" this particular book was supplied with engine no LX,137977. Even though is is for LW & HLW.

 

Book 67 says .005" and .011" .I purchased this one from Gardners in 1989.

 

You might find that your rocker cover has been glued on with silicone, depends on who rebuilt it,

 

There is no need for any jointing between the cover and the head on vertical engines which are in good condition

 

Steve

Edited December 9, 2013 by Split Pin

[mark99]

 

 

You might find that your rocker cover has been glued on with silicone, depends on who rebuilt it,

 

 

 

 

Walsh rebuild.

[mark99]

 

Just buy an imperial feeler gauge set (usually .0015, .002, .003, .004, .006, .008, .010, .012, .015 and .025 of an inch) - that will cover most sizes by using two or more.

 

Done - thanks - off ebay.

[Split Pin]

 

 

Walsh rebuild.

Probably glued on then

[mark99]

Probably glued on then

 

I presume will need to reseal with some kind of silicon? any brand name recommended?

 

Thanks

[Timleech]

 

I presume will need to reseal with some kind of silicon? any brand name recommended?

 

Thanks

 

As per Steve's earlier post, they shouldn't need sealing. Maybe a dollop around each injector pipe if you're really keen.

 

Tim

[Split Pin]

 

I presume will need to reseal with some kind of silicon? any brand name recommended?

 

Thanks

I always put them back on dry, never had a problem with leaks.

[matty40s]

I have always had leaks from half way up and under top , so recently sealed the tops with Aldi Hi temp sealant,now the leaks only come from the middle gasket.

[martyn 1]

The rocker covers are not supposed to be glued on in any way on the vertical engines. Even if it was a dustproof build they still only had extra seals around the injector pipes.

 

The correct valve clearances from one of the last editions of the LW manual is .005" intake .011" for the exhaust (1970's manual version). Although many of the earlier versions state .005" (in) and .012"(ex) (1950 ish-1960's) with the very early (Pre 1950) stating .005" (in) and .010"(ex) which incidentally is the same as those stated for an L2(later version manual). Interestingly the very first edition of the L2 manual states .015" for both intake and exhaust.........

[matty40s]

mark, do hope you take piccy's of progress......

[mark99]

Just completed tappet adjustment.

 

The gap size stamped on the valve cover has been polished off so I used 0.005" for inlet and 0.012" for outlet. One inlet was way out. You can incrementally turn the engine over by hand just by moving the fan on the dynamo. There was silicon sealant on the faces.

 

Now the reason I did the tappets is that the engine seems to have developed a loud "tickety tick" noise (which I don't think was there before) which I associated with loud tappet noise. However the noise is still there after tappet adjustment and I'm not sure what it is. The engine pressure is good and oil level is fine (Golden Film SAE 30).

 

The only thing I've done is tee'd into the oil pressure line going to the roof pressure gauge and inserted a new low level gauge and given the engine a good clean and polish. Partially drained / refilled the rngine cooling water. Oh and added a metal cover for the exhaust silencer rather than wrap.

 

Any idea's what this noise can be?

 

After a good run today, the water temp and oil temp were fine too (60 and 35 respectively).

 

How I adjusted each tappet was to observe when the valve was fully pressed down (fully open) and then turned by hand the alternator until the main pulley wheel (which drives the alternator) had rotated 360 degrees. Is this correct? I assume this main pulley is not geared in any way?

Edited December 14, 2013 by mark99

[martyn 1]

Correct procedure for setting the valves is turn the engine by hand until you see the inlet close on the cylinder in question, the exhaust will begin to open at the same time (the valves on the rock) then turn one full turn and adjust that cylinder. then do the same for each cylinder in turn.

 

Do this then if you still have the tappet noise, let us know and we can go from there

[mark99]

Thanks Martyn - your instruction seem different to others on this site (probably my mis-interpretation).

 

Have i got this right...........

 

for each cylinder:

 

1) Rotate pulley until inlet valve is fully open (i.e. the inlet valve spring being fully depressed), chalk pulley position, turn pulley 360 degrees clockwise which should mean inlet valve is now fully closed - now set tappet gap on this inlet valve

 

2) Repeat above for exhaust valve

 

All done when engine cold.

 

Thanks

Edited December 14, 2013 by mark99

[LEO]

Thanks Martyn - your instruction seem different to others on this site (probably my mis-interpretation).

 

Have i got this right...........

 

for each cylinder:

 

1) Rotate pulley until inlet valve is fully open (i.e. the inlet valve spring being fully depressed), chalk pulley position, turn pulley 360 degrees clockwise which should mean inlet valve is now fully closed - now set tappet gap on this inlet valve

 

2) Repeat above for exhaust valve

 

All done when engine cold.

 

Thanks

 

Hi M

 

Not your injection pump is it? tappet noise is a fairly light is usually a fairly light 'chatter' (well it is on mine). Not sure how much of the bio fuel you have used but might this have had an effect.

 

A screw driver between ear and block (or problem area) may help to isolate the problem.

 

Best of luck, have a good Christmas.

 

M

[by'eck]

Thanks Martyn - your instruction seem different to others on this site (probably my mis-interpretation).

 

Have i got this right...........

 

for each cylinder:

 

1) Rotate pulley until inlet valve is fully open (i.e. the inlet valve spring being fully depressed), chalk pulley position, turn pulley 360 degrees clockwise which should mean inlet valve is now fully closed - now set tappet gap on this inlet valve

 

2) Repeat above for exhaust valve

 

All done when engine cold.

 

Thanks

 

The method Martyn describes is the correct and universal method for adjusting valve tappet clearance on four stroke engines subject to turning engine in normal running direction. It ensures the measurement is taken on the back of the cam opposite the cam lobe such that whatever the cam profile, you make the adjustment at the point of greatest clearance. I use a bit of sticky tape on flywheel to ensure the 360° rotation from fully open valve.

 

There are time saving techniques relative to the firing order on multi-cylinder engines, which can speed the process, but above method ensures lesser likelihood of errors.

[bizzard]

Best way of doing it as long as the marked pulley IS on the crankshaft and not the camshaft.

[martyn 1]

Not right Mark,

 

Rotate the crank in normal running direction, until you see the exhaust valve closing( valve end of rocker coming up) and the intake valve begin to open(valve end of rocker beginning to go down), there will be a point when both are moving. when this is happening mark the position and then rotate a full rotation of the crank.

 

Then adjust both inlet and exhaust valve for that cylinder as required.

 

Then do it all over again for next cylinder.

 

By doing this when the valves are rocking you are around TDC on the exhaust to intake stroke. by then rotating 360 degrees you are now at the rough TDC for compression to power. this procedure ensures the valves are fully closed and in the correct position for adjustment(back of the camshaft cams).

 

Oh and the obvious that all these adjustments should be done with the engine cold.

 

Also for your noise, start the engine with the rocker cover missing and see that you have oil coming out of the top of each rocker arm and that you also have it coming from the oil hole at the end of the rocker where the pushrods contact (it is to flow oil onto the rocker/pushrod cups). If you do not then it may be that the cup on the puchrod tops are dry. Might not be the issues but its worth checking while you have the lid off. an easy way to check if this is your oil is give all the cups a squirt of oil with an oil can and start it. if the noise stops then that is your issue.

Edited December 14, 2013 by martyn 1

[bizzard]

Might be safer to concentrate on each individual valve at a time. Get a valve fully open, mark crankshaft, turn crankshaft one full turn, adjust valve, and then do the same procedure with the rest of them.

[martyn 1]

You can do it that way if you want to turn it over by hand twice as many times as you need to. 2LW not so bad, but do that on a big V12 with no decompressors and see which method you end up adopting.