Hydraulic Lifters, Bus - Adjusting - newbie T4 engine

Just got a new T4, 2L longblock and put it in my 74 Bus. WHen I started it,
the valves were tapping so loud. THe workshop manual says to bring the
screws so the just touch the valves (zero clearance) then 2 full turns and
tighten nut.

I noticed on some that after one turn of the tappet screw, the valve started
to compress (open). Is this normal and will the lifter adjust?

On the1 and 2 cylinder, I did 2 turns. the 2 cylinder valves compressed a
bit. I did not touch 3 but on4, i adjusted about 1 to 1.5 turns, just when
the valve started to move.

I think the 1 & 2 are much quieter than the 3 & 4 side. There is still valve
tap, especially ahenb driving.

Suggestions?

Can I do when warm/hot?

I used to have the solid lifters in an 1800 engine. I have adjust then
often. .006 and .008 inches.

--Thanks

STeve
74 Westie, NJ (almost ready for its first festival of the summer)

driver wrote:
> Just got a new T4, 2L longblock and put it in my 74 Bus. WHen I started it,
> the valves were tapping so loud. THe workshop manual says to bring the
> screws so the just touch the valves (zero clearance) then 2 full turns and
> tighten nut.
>
> I noticed on some that after one turn of the tappet screw, the valve started
> to compress (open). Is this normal and will the lifter adjust?
>
> On the1 and 2 cylinder, I did 2 turns. the 2 cylinder valves compressed a
> bit. I did not touch 3 but on4, i adjusted about 1 to 1.5 turns, just when
> the valve started to move.
>
> I think the 1 & 2 are much quieter than the 3 & 4 side. There is still valve
> tap, especially ahenb driving.
>
> Suggestions?
>
> Can I do when warm/hot?
>
> I used to have the solid lifters in an 1800 engine. I have adjust then
> often. .006 and .008 inches.
>
> --Thanks
>
> STeve
> 74 Westie, NJ (almost ready for its first festival of the summer)
>
>


The workshop manual is wrong!! It has been corrected in the later
Bentleys. The adjustment should be 3/4 of a turn in from 0 lash on a
cold engine.

J.

"driver" > wrote in message
...
> Just got a new T4, 2L longblock and put it in my 74 Bus. WHen I started
it,
> the valves were tapping so loud. THe workshop manual says to bring the
> screws so the just touch the valves (zero clearance) then 2 full turns and
> tighten nut.
>
> I noticed on some that after one turn of the tappet screw, the valve
started
> to compress (open). Is this normal and will the lifter adjust?
>
> On the1 and 2 cylinder, I did 2 turns. the 2 cylinder valves compressed a
> bit. I did not touch 3 but on4, i adjusted about 1 to 1.5 turns, just when
> the valve started to move.
>
> I think the 1 & 2 are much quieter than the 3 & 4 side. There is still
valve
> tap, especially ahenb driving.
>
> Suggestions?
>
> Can I do when warm/hot?
>
> I used to have the solid lifters in an 1800 engine. I have adjust then
> often. .006 and .008 inches.
>
> --Thanks
>
> STeve
> 74 Westie, NJ (almost ready for its first festival of the summer)
>
>
I prefer to do as little as necessary. When first starting, some engine
builders recommend initial run-in at 3,000rpm for 20 minutes. On my most
recent engines I followed that advice and all the (new) lifters pumped up
during that time. It was scary...(!) When I have had to tighten any up, I
choose to go as little as necessary, but the 1-2 turns will not damage
anything; they will adjust. (three-quarter turn would be better than 2
turns, in my opinion.) I suspect that if you ran the engine at a reasonable
rpm that is high enough to provide good oil pressure, that eventually your
lifters would have pumped up. If it's a used engine or assembled by someone
who doesn't know what they're doing, 3000rpm no load for 20 minutes may be
unwise! -BaH

"Busahaulic" > wrote in message
...
>
> When I have had to tighten any up, I
> choose to go as little as necessary, but the 1-2 turns will not damage
> anything; they will adjust. (three-quarter turn would be better than 2
> turns, in my opinion.)
>
>

FWIW..............I used the two turns in method on a new set of lifters in
a waterboxer several years ago without knowing about the updated information
to use only 3/4 of a turn. They pumped right up and stayed quiet for about
40,000 miles. I don't understand why they changed their hydraulic lifter
adjustment recommendation. Any ideas Dave?

"Tim Rogers" > wrote in message
...
> "Busahaulic" > wrote in message
> ...
> >
> > When I have had to tighten any up, I
> > choose to go as little as necessary, but the 1-2 turns will not damage
> > anything; they will adjust. (three-quarter turn would be better than 2
> > turns, in my opinion.)
> >
> >
>
> FWIW..............I used the two turns in method on a new set of lifters
in
> a waterboxer several years ago without knowing about the updated
information
> to use only 3/4 of a turn. They pumped right up and stayed quiet for about
> 40,000 miles. I don't understand why they changed their hydraulic lifter
> adjustment recommendation. Any ideas Dave?
>
I don't know, but as I said, it should not be necessary. The original
information I got was from Mark Stephens High Performance (R.I.P.) and later
the let 'er run at 3000rpm for 20 minutes came from my local high
performance machinist, NW Connecting Rod, as I recall. It seems to me that
when I cranked 'em in way back when, it took forever for them to settle in
whereas going to touch and just a tad more when new, then running, they came
right up. Because some are very soft before run-in it is sometimes difficult
to know where you are exactly, so after a few days I backed them off and
went for zero plus a quarter turn and had excellent results.
Have played a lot with oil viscosity. Some engines have preferred thick,
some thin. It makes little sense. -BaH

driver wrote:

> Just got a new T4, 2L longblock and put it in my 74 Bus. WHen I started
> it, the valves were tapping so loud. THe workshop manual says to bring the
> screws so the just touch the valves (zero clearance) then 2 full turns and
> tighten nut.
>
> I noticed on some that after one turn of the tappet screw, the valve
> started to compress (open). Is this normal and will the lifter adjust?
>
> On the1 and 2 cylinder, I did 2 turns. the 2 cylinder valves compressed a
> bit. I did not touch 3 but on4, i adjusted about 1 to 1.5 turns, just when
> the valve started to move.
>
> I think the 1 & 2 are much quieter than the 3 & 4 side. There is still
> valve tap, especially ahenb driving.
>
> Suggestions?
>
> Can I do when warm/hot?
>
> I used to have the solid lifters in an 1800 engine. I have adjust then
> often. .006 and .008 inches.
>
> --Thanks
>
> STeve
> 74 Westie, NJ (almost ready for its first festival of the summer)and

3/4 turn is plenty--2 and it will rattle like a tin can.

Prime the lifters in oil--via Bently Manual

Its been a while and about 500 miles out to PA and Back.

I will back them off. The shop that I got the engine from said 1 turn. He
also said to add the blue STP oil treatment. He said the valve train in
these engines love it.

They have quieted down some. But tommoro I will abck them all off to one
turn.

THanks everyone

"Henderson" > wrote in message
news:ummue.13475$tG.11267@trnddc05...
> driver wrote:
>
> > Just got a new T4, 2L longblock and put it in my 74 Bus. WHen I started
> > it, the valves were tapping so loud. THe workshop manual says to bring
the
> > screws so the just touch the valves (zero clearance) then 2 full turns
and
> > tighten nut.
> >
> > I noticed on some that after one turn of the tappet screw, the valve
> > started to compress (open). Is this normal and will the lifter adjust?
> >
> > On the1 and 2 cylinder, I did 2 turns. the 2 cylinder valves compressed
a
> > bit. I did not touch 3 but on4, i adjusted about 1 to 1.5 turns, just
when
> > the valve started to move.
> >
> > I think the 1 & 2 are much quieter than the 3 & 4 side. There is still
> > valve tap, especially ahenb driving.
> >
> > Suggestions?
> >
> > Can I do when warm/hot?
> >
> > I used to have the solid lifters in an 1800 engine. I have adjust then
> > often. .006 and .008 inches.
> >
> > --Thanks
> >
> > STeve
> > 74 Westie, NJ (almost ready for its first festival of the summer)and
>
> 3/4 turn is plenty--2 and it will rattle like a tin can.
>
> Prime the lifters in oil--via Bently Manual