Tappet adustment

For those of us that have never done a tappet adjustment...


How do you turn these engines over by hand?

If you take the glow plugs out to make it easier to turn you will be able to turn it accurately by putting a spanner on the alternator pulley nut or a long extention and a large socket (41mm?) onto the crank pulley nut through the access hole in the radiator support panel.
Phil.

I find I can turn it by the fan blades, provided that you are patient and wait for the compression to bleed off.

Checked my tappets a month or so ago - only a couple needed even the slightest adjustment, and none was more than about 1/8 turn. Made no perceptible difference to running.

John

You can jack up 1 wheel and turn that wheel by hand. (Put it in 5th gear). Using a front wheel means you can see the tappets while doing it.

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Originally Posted by Judo

You can jack up 1 wheel and turn that wheel by hand. (Put it in 5th gear). Using a front wheel means you can see the tappets while doing it.

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I searched for ages for 5th gear :p, but ended up just putting a socket on the crank nut and turning it that way. Turns easy enough with a short ratchet as long as you let the compression bleed off as John suggested earlier.

Steve

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Originally Posted by circlework

for new 4bd1 owners that havent got the manuals or found out yet.

set them to 16 thou



Maybe I'm a dumbass, or I need to get myself a set of the magic feeler gauges that will fit under the rockers that are pushing the valves open?
Am I reading that right that we are adjusting the rockers that aren't rocking / loose? I thought it'd be 7/8 rock adjust 4,5,7 and 8. etc'.

Gotta love syntax!!


Cheers.

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If the valves are rocking you don't touch them, you touch the ones that are loose.

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Originally Posted by cammac91

For those of us that have never done a tappet adjustment...


How do you turn these engines over by hand?

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Or there is the lazy mans way.


A short piece of automotive wire does the trick. Connect it to the positive the big red cable to goes to the starter solenoid, then just tap it on the signal terminal of the solenoid. Make sure you do not have the key in the ignition, otherwise you may start the engine. Sounds a bit dodgy, but that's the way we used to turn over Volvo prime mover engines when doing a tappet adjustment.


If you want to get all fancy, you can attach an alligator clip to each end the wire, then put a little push button switch in the middle. Makes it look far less dodgy, and easier to control.


Sam.

I know what you mean-tried turning it over by hand even with the glowplugs out and no joy-the belt just slips in the pulley under that much pressure-thought about a socket on the crank/pulley nut but didn't have one that big-what size is that nut?

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Originally Posted by cammac91

For those of us that have never done a tappet adjustment...


How do you turn these engines over by hand?

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Just adjusted my tappets, was nice and easy. I used the jack a front wheel up method to turn the motor over, in top gear, turned easily, and can watch the tappets rock to find TDC. Like blknight said, watch 7&8 rock, adjust 1,2,3,6 (all others should be tight) then turn a lap and watch 1&2 rock, adjust 4,5,7,8 (all others should be tight). Simple, no mucking around trying to see timing marks or having trouble turning over. Thanks people for the tips.
Cheers, Andrew.

Andrew,

Did it make any difference?