Adjusting tappets

Do the tappets need to be adjusted when the engine is cold?
How does one do it it on their own? Last time I had the father in law turning the engine from below whilst I viewed and adjusted from above, but he's getting too old to help now. I was thinking of using the starter motor but I don't think one could get it to stop in the right spot.
Cheers
Peter

From the manual, I used to turn it with a socket on the nut holding the harmonic balancer on.

If it does not have a LSD, then I would be inclined to lift a rear wheel and turn one of the wheels.

It will require ~2-1/2 more torque required than just using the harmonic damper - assuming you whack it in top gear.

Holmz wrote: If it does not have a LSD, then I would be inclined to lift a rear wheel and turn one of the wheels.

It will require ~2-1/2 more torque required than just using the harmonic damper - assuming you whack it in top gear.[/quot


? Holmz how are you going to see wich piston is on the rock when you are turning the wheel !!

outyonda wrote:

Holmz wrote: If it does not have a LSD, then I would be inclined to lift a rear wheel and turn one of the wheels.

It will require ~2-1/2 more torque required than just using the harmonic damper - assuming you whack it in top gear.

? Holmz how are you going to see wich piston is on the rock when you are turning the wheel !!

I would use chalk marks on the tyre.

The maths:
- The tail-shaft turns at 4.88 times the pair of axels turns.
- The tail-shaft turns at 2.44 time for a single axel turning.
- Factor in the top gear ratio as required... if it is less than 1:1 then the ~half of a wheel turn makes a complete crank turn.
if it is 0.61 then ~2/3 of a tyre rotation is a complete crank rotation.

It is likely easier to turn the crank directly, but I chucked it out as an idea... or if the wheel brace and jack is handier than the harmonic damper socket.
(Not all my ideas are good)

Holmz wrote:
I would use chalk marks on the tyre.

The maths:
- The tail-shaft turns at 4.88 times the pair of axels turns.
- The tail-shaft turns at 2.44 time for a single axel turning.
- Factor in the top gear ratio as required... if it is less than 1:1 then the ~half of a wheel turn makes a complete crank turn.
if it is 0.61 then ~2/3 of a tyre rotation is a complete crank rotation.

It is likely easier to turn the crank directly, but I chucked it out as an idea... or if the wheel brace and jack is handier than the harmonic damper socket.
(Not all my ideas are good)

Well... no prize winners?
Someone should have caught the error of dividing 4.88 by 2 rather than multiplying it by 2...

So I take it that no one has adjusted the valve tip clearances on their own. A 2 man job.

Confusing. The work shop manual (see Peter and Sandra's earlier post) says engine cold. The Perkins glovebox guide says hot or cold. Has anybody found out which it is?

I'd reckon cold would be much easier, less sweat on the rocker gear from the bloke doing the job, better for the missus turning the crank underneath ))

Hi Peter,
Yes you have read it correctly hot or cold is the same unlike other engines where there is different measurements for hot and cold but I would do cold as it is more comfortable.
I have done my tapperts myself by installing longish bolts into the harmonic balancer x 3 and used a long leaver to turn the engine it worked fine and I also cant see Hilda getting under and turning for me and I wouldnt ask her.
Martyn

I've got a 6 1/2 tonne 4 post hoist in the shed so she can stand underneath ))

Peter Davis wrote: So I take it that no one has adjusted the valve tip clearances on their own. A 2 man job.

Or could mean that I have nevef bothered to do it.

I'll add it to the list

I adjust tappets all the time using a remote starter button. A length of twin core with one alligator clip to the positive terminal of the starter and one to the start terminal on the solenoid. Occasionally you may go over compression but you just go around again. This way you can see the rockers on the rock.

Peter, We would all like a 6 1/2 tonne hoist and even better is a shed tall enough to have an oka on top of the hoist, all I can say is thanks for letting me know what I am lacking... 1 power Ball.
Martyn

Mort our first house actually came with a large shed and one side had a pit in it so I was spoilt from the start. Twenty years later when we decided to leave the big smoke the criteria for the next place was to either already have a suitable shed or the room to build one. The house we bought had the room so I started the exercise to build the shed, as you can imagine councils were created to give as much grief as possible and a pit was the first to go, which then meant high enough for the hoist which was another stumbling block which we eventually overcame. Hoists are actually not that expensive and $6 grand for a 6.5 tonne single phase with two 3 tonne rolling beams/scissor lifts was pretty good I thought, never mentioned to the council anything about the hoist though!

Peter and Sandra OKA 374 wrote: I've got a 6 1/2 tonne 4 post hoist in the shed

Well, that's one way of getting people to drop in;)

Pete, the best way to adjust Perkins tappets on your own is hot. Start at the engine mounts with a new cutting tip & full bottles preferably.

That's not luvin we all don't wish to live on the dark side