Idiots guide to setting valve clearances.

[HBG]

Is there one?

I want to check the torque of my head bolts which I can see the torque and order in the manual. After that I want to check the valve clearances.

It's getting the engine at the right position to know that the  gap is ready to be checked that I'm unsure about.

Thanks

[lancianut666]

Rule of 9 or for a V4 the rule of 5.
Clarkey

[lancialulu]

With Fulvia adjust the tappet whn the heel of the rocker is opposite the lobe (ie max gap). It is relatively easy to see each cam lobe.

[HBG]

Seems to be within my capability.  Turning the engine which way at the crank?

[Wangler]

Clockwise according to my manual. Also remove the spark plugs.

[waterman42]

Rule of 9 or for a V4 the rule of 5.
Clarkey

I'm intrigued about the 5. My thinking was that the number rule isn't so much a function of the configuration of the cylinders but the firing order (on mine is 1,3,4,2). But if I'm wrong I'd like to know why. And perhaps not all V4s have the same camshaft and valve arrangement as the Fulvia so... Got to sit down with paper and pencil and set of 4 stroke cycle first principles!

[lancianut666]

I use the rules in the way that if number one valve is fully open number four will be fully shut. This will depend on the valve timing and a sight of a camshaft is always essential before following this rule. With a straight 4 it works easier as you can number the valves 1-8 from cylinder number 1. I have not owned a Fulvia for over 30 years and never set the valve clearances when I had the car but I guess the camshafts are more easily observed with the covers of than an Appia V4.
Clarkey

[Richard Fridd]

Regardless of anything else,  isn't the method simply to set the valve clearance at the point of being fully closed?

  Richard

[Wangler]

Regardless of anything else,  isn't the method simply to set the valve clearance at the point of being fully closed?

  Richard

Indeed. It seems to be getting unnecessarily complicated!

[lancianut666]

See lancialulu's post above

[fay66]

See lancialulu's post above

By slowing the engine tick over really low on some OHV's, I used to set the valve clearances with the engine running, is it possible on a fulvia engine?

[lancialulu]

See lancialulu's post above

By slowing the engine tick over really low on some OHV's, I used to set the valve clearances with the engine running, is it possible on a fulvia engine?

No!

[Spider2]

I did my valve clearances yesterday and it is a very simple task with the Omicron adjusting tool. Annoyingly the crank pully nut it obscured by the radiator but you can just get a large spanner on it allowing about 1/10 of a turn a time. Take the plugs out t0 make turning easier. I took the distributer cap off and positioned the rotor arm to #1 so it was at TDC and started with that one. One is spoilt for choice. One can either use the feeler gauge in the gap below the tappet or between the tappet and the little push rod or even the gap at the cam heel. Just make sure the cam lobe is the opposite side.
The omicron tool is only a few quid and brilliantly simple, although for the easiest solution is to have 3 hands, for me a bottle of my wife's favorite sauvignon blanc was a good investment. All my clearances were .05mm tight, I should check them more often.

[lancialulu]

I did my valve clearances yesterday and it is a very simple task with the Omicron adjusting tool. Annoyingly the crank pully nut it obscured by the radiator but you can just get a large spanner on it allowing about 1/10 of a turn a time. Take the plugs out t0 make turning easier. I took the distributer cap off and positioned the rotor arm to #1 so it was at TDC and started with that one. One is spoilt for choice. One can either use the feeler gauge in the gap below the tappet or between the tappet and the little push rod or even the gap at the cam heel. Just make sure the cam lobe is the opposite side.
The omicron tool is only a few quid and brilliantly simple, although for the easiest solution is to have 3 hands, for me a bottle of my wife's favorite sauvignon blanc was a good investment. All my clearances were .05mm tight, I should check them more often.

I should caution that some valves "mushroom" over time giving false readings with feeler gauges. A lancia tool (or Omicron) can I believe take out this wear. Note the silver steel push rods do similarly were at the tappet end.

[Spider2]

Thanks for that. It probably explains why I have one noisy tappet, even when they were tight. Hopefully its a tappet which is easy to change.