Checking tappets 1.1 Ford OHV (Noob Advice)

[cjhillman]

Can any one out there with a Ford OVH valencia Engine give me a quick run down of checking the tappets?

I read the Haynes manual and it mentions Jacking up the car and rotating the wheels to get the desired open valve... although i've not seen this on youtube videos and its all i remeber from reading the manual.   
I'm a proper noob at this so thought id ask for some advice before i whip the cover off and go prodding. don't want this to be the kind of job where it was fine before i started messing with it haha!

i'm dong this as the rocker cover gasket is leaking so thought i should check them as a couple of people said it sounds a bit noisy and of late it does at 70 mph

cheers
Chris

[ChasR]

It is as the YouTube videos make out. The best one I've seen is the John Twist video for MGs.

I'll be honest. It will take some trial and error at first, but stick with it. It's well worth giving it a go. As with anything you will become quicker with time.

When done right, it will make a pleasant difference to the running of the car if they've been left for a while. On your car I'd do it annually due to the risk of valve seat recession.

Tips?
-Don't go too crazy on the torque of your rocker cover bolts. 10Nm is more than enough, and is basically a firm tug on the head of a 3/8" ratchet spanner, so fairly little. A torque wrench can help here. This IME is why most rocker covers leak.
-Once the valve opens, there is a bit of time for where the gap stays the same ; this is your maximum gap. It can take trial and error to find this part but it is well worth being patient.
-Sometimes I used to have the issue of the valves becoming looser after I measured them once I tightened the nuts up. There is a knack for not doing this but again, you'll get it.
-Use a ring spanner on the rocker adjustment nuts. It will save you slipping on them.

The wheel turning trick is suggested as for the CVH Escorts anyway for some things as the clearance between the chassis leg and the pulley is tight. Too tight to put a ratchet spanner in and I'd say possibly a breaker bar without dropping the engine. You can do it with a spanner, but of course, it's going to affect your leverage and become a pain.

I've not owned an OHV Escort so I cannot comment about the clearance there. I've worked on them though, both in Kas and the odd Fiesta . If yours is a 4 speed, it may have a little more clearance .

[steveg]

I've been lucky in the past and had a flat driveway. I just used to take the plugs out, put the car in gear and roll it backwards or forwards to get the engine in the right place. With the plugs out you can normally turn the engine over by hand using the fan belt.

It would be well worth just checking them first to see if any are particularly loose as it might be an indication there is another problem. Not sure what age you car is but lack of leaded fuel might still be an issue so you might find the clearances have closed up on some.

[igor]

Jan 4, 2019 11:35:04 GMT ChasR said:

-Don't go too crazy on the torque of your rocker cover bolts. 10Nm is more than enough, and is basically a firm tug on the head of a 3/8" ratchet spanner, so fairly little. A torque wrench can help here. This IME is why most rocker covers leak.

Totally this. My '51 Vanguard had starting issues after a rebuild due to the rocker arms striking the partially crushed rocker cover. It would start and run fine with the rocker cover off though so eventually we figured it out.

[cjhillman]

Cheers for the advice! I was hoping to have had a go at this by now but its taken a back seat. I'll make sure i go easy on the Cover nuts. My dad has a torque wrench that he used to do the same on his Spitfire so i'll get that off him haha.
I'll also make sure to check the gaps before doing anything. My folks have a fairly flat drive so maybe i wouldnt need to jack it up to do this.

With the new gasket going on being a cork one is there any need for a sealer of any kind? if not just to keep it in place? i've done a rocker cover years ago on a 90s Escort but cant remember if i was advised against using anything.

[ChasR]

It depends on the seal you buy.

If it were me, I'd get a very slim layer of sealant on the gasket on the rocker cover side, simple to assist with fitting. If the cork gasket has holes for the bolts to pass through, then I'd leave it.

Otherwise, I'd get a genuine Ford gasket. IME they almost never leak compared to the pattern curse word, and they have studs built to assist with not crushing the gasket. If you can't stand to walk into a Stealer, Burton do them for similar prices to Ford.