Quick question regarding tappet noise

[Arya2.0S]

The tappets/valves need adjusting in my new 2.0 205 block Pinto that I just recently had installed. It runs great and is much faster than my old worn out engine it just sounds like a sewing machine because of excessive tappet noise.
No reason it should be a serious problem because it's a relatively recently reconditioned engine, so I'm hoping the valve clearances just need adjusting.
My question is will it be ok to use the engine as it is with this excessive tappet noise until I can get it sorted? I'm not doing long trips just hopping around town.
I'm not doing any long term damage to the engine by using it in the meantime am I?
I'd like to sort it ASAP because the sound is a bit embarrassing but just don't have the time right now, and it's my only car so don't have the luxury of using something else in the meantime really.

Also I just replaced the rocker cover gasket when we put the engine in as we replaced all the gaskets and painted the block, since it's still fresh will I still have to replace it when I remove the rocker cover to check the valve clearances or should this one still be ok?

[SmokeEm]

Should be ok but adjusting the clearances only takes an hour. Did you fit a new spray bar? If you didn't get one.

[Paul G]

I wouldn't leave it too long as it could start cam or follower wear. Smoke em is right about fitting a new spray bay as these caused a lot of trouble if they got the smallest of blockage in them.

I guess you have a manual to show you how do adjust the clearances, they can take 2 or 3 goes to get them spot on. You will find that adjusting the adjuster behind (no 3 cylinder exhaust valve) the carb is a bugger to get at and best done using a crowsfoot spanner to loosen the locknut .Picture in the link below. Over my years as a mechanic I've come across loads of pinto engined Fords with noisy top ends and that particular valve is always the one furthest out of adjustment!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SNAP-ON-TOOLS ... Sw32lYphZ8

[Arya2.0S]

Should be ok but adjusting the clearances only takes an hour. Did you fit a new spray bar? If you didn't get one.

That'll mean it'll take me 4 hours then

No we didnt, wish i did now. Thing is its only tappety at idle, when you are on the road and driving you can barely hear it and its lovely and smooth until you slow down and have to stop and idle again, whereas my old engine you could def hear the tappets at higher revs whilst driving, this ones the opposite. So strange.

Wheres the best place to get a good quality spray bar, as i know they arent all created equal and some dont even fit properly. The exhaust gaskets i got from burtons were utter shite and we had to add extra washers onto the studs so we could extra tighten them just to keep the manifold from blowing so im not too impressed with them at the moment.

[Arya2.0S]

I wouldn't leave it too long as it could start cam or follower wear. Smoke em is right about fitting a new spray bay as these caused a lot of trouble if they got the smallest of blockage in them.

I guess you have a manual to show you how do adjust the clearances, they can take 2 or 3 goes to get them spot on. You will find that adjusting the adjuster behind (no 3 cylinder exhaust valve) the carb is a bugger to get at and best done using a crowsfoot spanner to loosen the locknut .Picture in the link below. Over my years as a mechanic I've come across loads of pinto engined Fords with noisy top ends and that particular valve is always the one furthest out of adjustment!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/SNAP-ON-TOOLS ... Sw32lYphZ8

No i dont have a manual, but thats what the internet is for I'll get the clearances i need and print them out. Might have to take the carb off as i dont have one of those spanners.
Only thinking of leaving it for a week or so, just swamped this week as my dad is being thrown out of his workshop with little warning and he has a ton of gear (tools, capri spares, capri shell, 3x engines and gearboxes etc) that we need to move somehow and i still need to finish refurbing my wheels before he gets kicked out.
Now if i could just remember what i did with those feeler gauges...

[Paul G]

Clearances are 8thou or .20mm for inlets and 10thou or .25mm for exhausts. Cold engine.

[pbar]

Might have to take the carb off as i dont have one of those spanners.

You may find this of interest -

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=48382&hilit=valve+ ... rd+spanner

[SmokeEm]

I used to buy mine from Rally Design - Spray Bar that is.

[Arya2.0S]

Might have to take the carb off as i dont have one of those spanners.

You may find this of interest -

viewtopic.php?f=10&t=48382&hilit=valve+ ... rd+spanner

Im assuming you are referring to this link?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Siegen ... 54109a73b0

If so, how do they work? Sorry im not very clued in on tools, i'm a total amateur when it comes to this sort of thing...i just dont understand how they work by looking at the picture (the description isnt exactly informative and only has the bare minimum written in it)...i mean...what do they attach to? They just look like a spanner head and thats it. Are they supposed to attach onto something else like an extension bar or something? No use buying them if i dont have the tool that they attach on to lol.

[fordperv]

To use those in your link arla you will need to insert a 3/8" ratchet extension into the square end then use a ratchet on top of that

Edit

Here you go a picture speaks a thousand words



Make sure you have feeler gauges as well to set the gaps (sorry if this sounds stupid i only thought because you said you were an amateur with tools)

[Arya2.0S]

To use those in your link arla you will need to insert a 3/8" ratchet extension into the square end then use a ratchet on top of that

Edit

Here you go a picture speaks a thousand words



Make sure you have feeler gauges as well to set the gaps (sorry if this sounds stupid i only thought because you said you were an amateur with tools)

I figured it had to be something like that but wanted to make sure incase I was being stupid or something lol.
Yeah total amateur I'm afriad, unless it's a hammer or a screw driver (or you can put paint in it) I'm pretty much useless, but I'm willing and trying my hardest to learn which isn't the easiest thing for me to do unfortunately due to some learning difficulties that I happen to have. (aka thicko lol)
Yep I have some feeler gauges somewhere from where I used to own an old Beetle that always wanted it's points adjusting.
Thanks a bunch for the information!

[Paul G]

Just found this on you tube if it helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJV672Yzflk

[Arya2.0S]

Just found this on you tube if it helps.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RJV672Yzflk

Yes thank you! Everything helps at this point as I'm going in blind pretty much but I want to learn about these things instead of just relying on or paying someone else to always do it for me (which obviously isn't always viable when you're skint and can't afford to pay a professional). I'm tired of feeling useless when things go wrong so I'm trying to better myself so I can fix things on my own in the future if something does go awry so this is all very helpful, thank you!

[Arya2.0S]

Just so i make sure im right, the valve clearances should be:

inlet 0.008" 0.20mm
ex 0.010" 0.25mm

Does that sound right?

Its a standard cam...well, not the original Ford cam, but a replacement made by Camtec but its the standard replacement 2.0 cam if that makes any difference?

[Paul G]

Yes, that's right. The exhaust has a bigger gap as it gets hotter in use and expands more than an inlet . If there wasn't sufficient clearance it would expand so much that it wouldn't close properly leading to a loss of compression.

You say in the previous post that you're "tired of feeling useless when things go wrong!" You are anything but useless - just take a look at that car you have produced and you're work on the wheels. They look to be of top quality and something that many professionals wouldn't achieve.

With doing mechanicals, I learned by teaching myself; do a job, take time over it, if I fucked up I walked away and tried not to lose my rag then went back to it. It is useful having a manual and for the sake of a fiver on ebay it's an investment. The best teacher in the world is experience and I know this after nearly 40 years in the motor trade, 25 as a mechanic/trader/garage owner and the last 15 as a lecturer/instructor.

Arya, don't beat yourself up, I know you have health issues but you are not useless, just take 10 paces back from your car and go "wow"!

Paul.

[stevemarl]

You say in the previous post that you're "tired of feeling useless when things go wrong!" You are anything but useless - just take a look at that car you have produced and you're work on the wheels. They look to be of top quality and something that many professionals wouldn't achieve.

With doing mechanicals, I learned by teaching myself; do a job, take time over it, if I fucked up I walked away and tried not to lose my rag then went back to it. It is useful having a manual and for the sake of a fiver on ebay it's an investment. The best teacher in the world is experience and I know this after nearly 40 years in the motor trade, 25 as a mechanic/trader/garage owner and the last 15 as a lecturer/instructor.

Arya, don't beat yourself up, I know you have health issues but you are not useless, just take 10 paces back from your car and go "wow"!

Paul.

[fordperv]

I figured it had to be something like that but wanted to make sure incase I was being stupid or something lol.
Yeah total amateur I'm afriad, unless it's a hammer or a screw driver (or you can put paint in it) I'm pretty much useless, but I'm willing and trying my hardest to learn which isn't the easiest thing for me to do unfortunately due to some learning difficulties that I happen to have. (aka thicko lol)

Dont beat yourself up mate, we all had to start somewhere, the willingness to learn and attempt do a job rather than take the easy way out and pay someone to do it is a trait i like in people, i only have the knowledge i have by doing the jobs, luckily for me i started working on cars with my dad as a child so learnt from an early age, 32 now where does time go

keep at it bud and dont hesitate to ask questions, its what were all here for, before you know it your car will be perfect

Edit
After looking at your resto thread i think your worries are unfounded, the capri looks awesome great work

[Arya2.0S]

Yes, that's right. The exhaust has a bigger gap as it gets hotter in use and expands more than an inlet . If there wasn't sufficient clearance it would expand so much that it wouldn't close properly leading to a loss of compression.

You say in the previous post that you're "tired of feeling useless when things go wrong!" You are anything but useless - just take a look at that car you have produced and you're work on the wheels. They look to be of top quality and something that many professionals wouldn't achieve.

With doing mechanicals, I learned by teaching myself; do a job, take time over it, if I fucked up I walked away and tried not to lose my rag then went back to it. It is useful having a manual and for the sake of a fiver on ebay it's an investment. The best teacher in the world is experience and I know this after nearly 40 years in the motor trade, 25 as a mechanic/trader/garage owner and the last 15 as a lecturer/instructor.

Arya, don't beat yourself up, I know you have health issues but you are not useless, just take 10 paces back from your car and go "wow"!

Paul.

Ah shucks, thanks man. I really appreciate that. Its very difficult sometimes, and my wife has told me the same thing a 1000 times but i never listen, im unfortunately i very self deprecating person and whenever something goes wrong im the first one to point the blame at myself, or at least try to twist the situation so i somehow end up convincing myself that its my fault or something ya know? Part of this weird, screwed up wiring inside my head, that shits more screwed up than an old wiring loom in a bodged up Capri! lol.

But sometimes when a relatively complete stranger who ive never met before says something like you just did, i have a brief moment of "normality" where my head functions, just for a second, like a normal persons would and can sit back and go "you know maybe they're right?", it usually doesnt last long, and i usually regress back into my vicious cycle quite quickly but fleeting moments are infinitely better than nothing believe me! So a million thanks!

But...unfortunately...it doesn't last long, as i just found yet another problem. This time i think i know what it is but i'll ask your guys advice first just incase, i'll make a separate thread just to keep things tidy. Hopefully it isnt too serious. Still, at least i know how to sort out the tappets now so thats one thing? lol

Thank you buddy.

Dont beat yourself up mate, we all had to start somewhere, the willingness to learn and attempt do a job rather than take the easy way out and pay someone to do it is a trait i like in people, i only have the knowledge i have by doing the jobs, luckily for me i started working on cars with my dad as a child so learnt from an early age, 32 now where does time go

keep at it bud and dont hesitate to ask questions, its what were all here for, before you know it your car will be perfect

Edit
After looking at your resto thread i think your worries are unfounded, the capri looks awesome great work

Heh, you sound like me, ive learned everything i know about bodywork and painting from my dad. He's not very into mechanics though so his knowledge on that subject was limited hence why im trying to learn more about them now as i feel like i have plateaued with the bodywork stuff (at least as far as paint is concerned) and want to learn more about the greasy bits. Dont want to be a "felt tip fairy" after-all lol.

Plus i just LOVE cars, ive been around them literally my whole life (the first car i drove was a mk2 escort estate when i was about 3 or 4 lol) and want to learn more about them and actually make something of myself since theres very little going for me right now, its all about recovery. I wont go into it here but my Capri and wanting to learn about mechanics and ultimately how to get into amateur motor sport (mainly the drift scene) is part of recovering from some very serious...lets just say "issues" (to over simplify things to say the least) that ive had to deal with for nearly 2 decades now.

Wow...sorry didnt mean to turn this thread into a personal therapy session lol, i'll shut up now, but thanks again for all your support it really does mean the world to me.

[fordperv]

I know what you mean about cars and working on them, they are my release, working on them is the one thing that will calm me on a bad day

[Mc Tool]

Fiddling with cars can be quite therapeutic..............it can also push you over the edge.................so if you are predisposed to hurling the odd spanner ( or trolley jack ..........or like me last week a half full oil drain pan ) give yourself plenty of time and set the stage for a smooth run by ........ remove the carb.....without dropping spring washers down the manifold ( I have longer than normal heater hoses so I can remove it without disconnecting the hoses ) this allows better access to the adjusters and makes getting the cam cover off from under said hoses easier . My plug leads are set so the shortest one goes to #1 pot , 2nd shortest to #2 etc , this removes the possibility of fitting them back wrong with out going cross eyed trying to trace them from dizzy to plug . the gasket can be used lots of times by gluing the gasket to the rocker cover ( I used F2 ) and coating the engine side of the gasket with a smear of grease .... it will seal fine but also lift off easier next time .
The adjustment itself is a pain in the arse , and having to lean over stuff to get at them doesn't help . The actual setting the clearance is easy enough but when you tighten the lock nut your measured clearance will start to disappear..........quite a bit, like 3-4 thou .... so there is a fair bit of fucking about . What I do is set the ( say the ) exhaust at 10 thou , do up the lock nut ( whilst holding the ball stud still ) and see how much clearance has gone .... you may only have 7 thou left which means you need 3 or 4 thou more ( 11 thou on the ex is ok ).... so reset the clearance at 13-14 thou and then tighten the lock nut until your clearance reduces to 10 -11 thou .See, As you tighten the lock nut that applies tension to the ball stud which then lifts out of the head and stretches a bit which is why your clearance will close up. This is one of those tasks that initially will have you tearing your hair out ... but when you get the knack you will wonder what the fuss was about . Be methodical ,