Rule of nine

[arcturus]

I know that this is the recommended way but I find it quicker and less laborious to adjust both valves when each cylinder is at TDC. Is there any down side to this when as far as I know both valves should be closed then.

[mocambique-amazone]

Hello George, your way is even the better one.
The "rule of nine" is for the stupid people in the Trump-land. The won't understand TDC etc.
Yes I know, SOME people there know how to do, and more than 90% won't ;-)

Good luck, regards Kay

[kenny]

I remember the old bloke next door to me saying come and I'll show you how to set the tappers son.

I thought he was a god until the the thing started up and it rattled like a bag of nails. He went out and bought a new camshaft and set them again. Same thing still rattled. He shot down to partco moaning about the new cam being pants. He returned with a manual for the car. It turns out not all old fords can be set by the rule of 9.

Rather than him teaching me how to set the tappers I learnt to buy the right manual.

[arcturus]

What tappet setting is best for K cam? I have mine at 0.40 but they seem very noisy.

[swedishandgerman]

Fuel injection cams have the smaller valve clearances to match the less steep ramp in comparison to the B and D cams which open and close and close quite "snappily".

The K cam opens the valves up quite a lot - though not as much as the B and D cams - but have a longer duration. In very basic terms, the tappets have to "follow" the cam lobes around well and have the smaller valve clearances.

The B and D cams have a wider gap resulting in the valves springing back into the closed position more definitely, for want of a better description.

I would certainly not recommend making your gaps more narrow and my procedure to adjust gaps properly is on a "go/no-go" basis, where I have 2 gauges - in your case a 0.40 and a 0.45 - where the 0.40 will fit but the 0.45 will not. In order to make absolutely sure that I have the engine in the right position, I adjust them, then turn the engine very slightly in both directions to make sure the thing is definitely at TDC and gap doesn't widen! For this reason, I don't use the rule of nine thing: I adjust the gaps when the gaps are at the widest.

That way, you know your gap is neither too narrow resulting in cam wear nor too wide resulting in valve tip/valve seat wear.

[Volvorama]

The Autobooks manual sets out a method that works unexpectedly well:
Set TDC on cylinder No1 on firing stroke using the marks on the crankshaft pulley. Valves 1 and 2 should be closed so the rockers will have clearance. If not, rotate 1 full turn.
Set valve clearances 1,2,3 and 5
Rotate engine 1 turn until TDC is indicated again (for firing stroke on No4)
Set valve clearances 4,6,7 and 8
I use an old SPQR tappet adjuster tool and I believe a remanufactured version exists. These set actual movement of the rocker and so account for any wear in the rocker/valve interface.

[dcthompson]

In response to Mocambique-Amazone:

Is it my fault that I had the misfortune to be born in a country to later be ruled by a certified madman? Hell, it was 68 years ago! Had my parents been able to see the future, I'm sure they would have foregone sex that night. But no matter, here I am, perfectly capable of adjusting the valves on a B18 (or any other engine for that matter), being lumped in with my moronic countrymen who voted for King the Donald. Yes, that's right, the Donald. That's his name, is it not?

I remember, before I even got into my formative years, my father complaining bitterly about Joe McCarthy. Then later we both complained about that idiot Nixon. And now we have the Donald. As I look back, we had nothing to complain about. We should have saved our breath for someone really worth bitching about. I will not rest until that crooked SOB is impeached and convicted for any one of many impeachable and general criminal offenses.

As for the valve adjustment, I can do it any time. I also think SU carburetors are simply ingenious, and that they are wonderfully simple to tune--as long as the throttle shafts aren't leaking great gulps of air. They certainly have gotten a bad rep here in Trumpland, where most owners are replacing them with those crummy Weber downdrafts.

[arcturus]

Originally Posted by Volvorama

The Autobooks manual sets out a method that works unexpectedly well:
Set TDC on cylinder No1 on firing stroke using the marks on the crankshaft pulley. Valves 1 and 2 should be closed so the rockers will have clearance. If not, rotate 1 full turn.
Set valve clearances 1,2,3 and 5
Rotate engine 1 turn until TDC is indicated again (for firing stroke on No4)
Set valve clearances 4,6,7 and 8
I use an old SPQR tappet adjuster tool and I believe a remanufactured version exists. These set actual movement of the rocker and so account for any wear in the rocker/valve interface.

Interesting, might try it some day. Another trick that I have learned is to mark the pulley at 180* opposite TDC. Cylinder1 at TDC. cylinder two at 1/2 revolution of pulley. Three at another half and then four. Also marking the rim of the dizy at 90* tranches after establishing rotor position at no 1cylinder TDC. Much easier to see than the markings on the pulley.

[blueosprey90]

New to a Volvo pv 444, but I just used the Rule of 9 to set the valve lash on my B16B. Although the valve lift is not that significant, I think the task was quick and easy. If I had any doubt, I just felt for the loose rocker. I invested a few dollars in a remote starter so I could bump the engine from under the hood.

Here's a video of the rule explained.

https://youtu.be/fezXUwVfH7U

[NI_Volvo_Nut]

Ford's had a different firing order so rule of 9 didn't work on them.

From memory it was 1243 where as normal cars where 1342.