Valve clearance (again)

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Major_Tom
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Valve clearance (again)

Post by Major_Tom »

...so I whipped off the rocker cover again to check I had done the locking nuts up as I am a scatterbrain... and decided I might as well check the inlet valve clearances too. Good job I did as they had all closed up too. But I cant work out how that has happened. Any thoughts? It's running bloody good now!
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Bug
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Bug »

Cam or followers wearing out?
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Major_Tom »

Yeah but strangely three out of four exhaust valves were perfect. It's possible I set them wrong to begin with I suppose...... possible..
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by D366Y »

Sounds like you might some of that head work Paul kindly offered last week.... :lol:
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Paul G »

D366Y wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 4:20 pm Sounds like you might some of that head work Paul kindly offered last week.... :lol:
I've got a second hand cylinder head I would let him have cheap but certainly no other type of head would be on offer!
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Major_Tom »

Damn I was just near you in the Aldershot area on saturday... exploring the remains of the old jet engine testing facility at Pyestock and then an old barracks at Beaconsfield. I'm going to the barracks again on saturday if all goes to plan - how much were you wanting for the head? Is it standard?
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Mc Tool »

I have found that if you lean on the lock nuts ( just to make sure ) the clearance will close up as you tighten them ......by quite a bit .....like if you nip them up , measure the gap and then give them a good tweek you can loose 3-4 thou. I dunno what is "giving" , any how I bought the special locknut spanner that takes a 1/2" drive ( no more taking the carb off ) and torque them up all the same this way I can see how much clearance I loose and thusly can allow for that when setting clearance. If I dont use some lead substitute my ex clearance dissapears at about 1 thou per thousand miles but the intakes dont seem to move much at all.
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Major_Tom »

Mc Tool wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 8:43 pm I have found that if you lean on the lock nuts ( just to make sure ) the clearance will close up as you tighten them ......by quite a bit .....like if you nip them up , measure the gap and then give them a good tweek you can loose 3-4 thou.
Yeah I noticed that when I was doing them the other day.. maybe I didn't double check them 9 years ago.
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Major_Tom »

Bug wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 2:43 pm Cam or followers wearing out?
What are the wear points up there? Lobes and the upper surface of the follower.. anywhere else? I have been getting a very, very fine swarf of metal on the magnetic sump plug, like the most expensive silver eyeshadow
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Mc Tool »

The fact that the magnet picks up the swarf sounds like cam and lifter ,but that would cause clearance to increase not close up.
One would reasonably expect the clearances would change uniformaly but ,like you I find one or two significantly different to the others , and not always the same ones each time clearances are checked.......dunno why .
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Major_Tom »

Mc Tool wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 10:31 pm The fact that the magnet picks up the swarf sounds like cam and lifter ,but that would cause clearance to increase not close up.
What about wear on the lower surfaces of the followers? Like on their underside. Is that even possible?
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Mc Tool »

I dont think so. Pretty much the only thing that would cause clearances to close up is wear on either the valve or the valve seat and with standard head its usually the valve seat .....well they dont actually have a seat as such , valve contacts the cast iron head and thats why they wear down , unleaded heads have a hardened insert to resist wear.
I recall , mid 80's, we had issues with 750cc Kawasaki motors where the valve stems were stretching enough to close clearances and cause issues.....mind you these engines had only had a couple of thou clearance , not 8 & 10 like the pinto or around 20 thou for a Xflow.
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by sierra3dr »

Major_Tom wrote: Tue Jul 28, 2020 2:27 pm ...so I whipped off the rocker cover again to check I had done the locking nuts up as I am a scatterbrain...
aaah,but the question is,were the locking nuts locked up from your last adjustment? :D I thought I was the only scatterbrain :mrgreen:
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Major_Tom »

sierra3dr wrote: Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:11 am aaah,but the question is,were the locking nuts locked up from your last adjustment? :D I thought I was the only scatterbrain :mrgreen:
Well the forum has to have a couple of scatterbrains in order to fulfil its diversity quotient.
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by sierra3dr »

Major_Tom wrote: Wed Jul 29, 2020 12:23 pm
sierra3dr wrote: Wed Jul 29, 2020 10:11 am aaah,but the question is,were the locking nuts locked up from your last adjustment? :D I thought I was the only scatterbrain :mrgreen:
Well the forum has to have a couple of scatterbrains in order to fulfil its diversity quotient.
:mrgreen: :mrgreen:
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Mc Tool »

Mmmm every web site needs an obnoxious Kiwi......or two :cheese:
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Re: Valve clearance (again)

Post by Bug »

Mc Tool wrote: Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:25 am Mmmm every web site needs an obnoxious Kiwi......or two :cheese:
And here's another.
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