Guide to silencing those noisey HCS tappets of yours
126 posts • Page 1 of 4 • 1, 2, 3, 4
Guide to silencing those noisey HCS tappets of yours
done this today, n it really has worked
so here goes
tools required
ratchet
strong arm
10mm socket
11mm socket
13/14mm socket (cant remmeber which)
19mm spanner
feeler gauges
grinder and a steady hand or a grinding stone
- MAKE SURE CAR IS COLD
Remove air box from top of carb, (3 screws)
Un clip the breather pipes from the air box
take off the plug leads (remember where these go thought - might be wise to check that they are in order - Left to right on the clip that mounts on the rocker cover
Undo the rocker cover (4 10mm bolts)
remove the rocker cover - being careful not to damage the gasket if there is one on yours
you will now see 8 rockers, 4 14mm bolts, 8 valves and 8 11mm bolts
undo the 4 14mm bolts with the ratchet or use the strong arm if they are too tight
lift out the bolts, and lift up the rocker shaft - being careful to leave all 8 pushrods behind (the long black giant golf ball style things) at the back.
you now hold the rocker shaft
if you look at the faces of the rockers (the tappet parts) you will notice an indentation on each one, this is due to the valves wearing away at the face and hence why even when you set the tappets they are still loud (because of the indentation that you dont read)
you are now faced with two options
struggle to grind them flat whilst in situe on the shaft
or
remove the split pin from either end and slide off all the springs and the rockers (being careful to remmber where they go cos afair they are numbered differnetly )
then using either a grinding stone, or a steady hand and an angle grinder grind the surface off the face to remove the indentation (dont go daft) just literally skim across the surface so its flat or as best you can get it (be sure to use saftey s**t for this i dont want any complaints
when done put em back on the shaft in order that you removed them
place the shaft back onto the head, line the bolt holes up and make sure that all of the push rods are sat nicely under the rockers (usually they will spin pretty easily if they are) (its important to make sure that they are seated propperly cos you could bend em if they aint)
when your confident that they are all sat in nicely tighten the middle two 14mm bolts, then the outer two and then check em all for tightness (probs best doin this with a torque wrench but im lazy)
then refer to the haynes to set the tappets (cos i cant be bothered explaining it)
might be an idea to do the valve stem seals in situe while your at it
stick it back together
start it up, voila, silence
rawli
- i dont accept resonsibility for anything going funlumps up
so here goes
tools required
ratchet
strong arm
10mm socket
11mm socket
13/14mm socket (cant remmeber which)
19mm spanner
feeler gauges
grinder and a steady hand or a grinding stone
- MAKE SURE CAR IS COLD
Remove air box from top of carb, (3 screws)
Un clip the breather pipes from the air box
take off the plug leads (remember where these go thought - might be wise to check that they are in order - Left to right on the clip that mounts on the rocker cover
Undo the rocker cover (4 10mm bolts)
remove the rocker cover - being careful not to damage the gasket if there is one on yours
you will now see 8 rockers, 4 14mm bolts, 8 valves and 8 11mm bolts
undo the 4 14mm bolts with the ratchet or use the strong arm if they are too tight
lift out the bolts, and lift up the rocker shaft - being careful to leave all 8 pushrods behind (the long black giant golf ball style things) at the back.
you now hold the rocker shaft
if you look at the faces of the rockers (the tappet parts) you will notice an indentation on each one, this is due to the valves wearing away at the face and hence why even when you set the tappets they are still loud (because of the indentation that you dont read)
you are now faced with two options
struggle to grind them flat whilst in situe on the shaft
or
remove the split pin from either end and slide off all the springs and the rockers (being careful to remmber where they go cos afair they are numbered differnetly )
then using either a grinding stone, or a steady hand and an angle grinder grind the surface off the face to remove the indentation (dont go daft) just literally skim across the surface so its flat or as best you can get it (be sure to use saftey s**t for this i dont want any complaints
when done put em back on the shaft in order that you removed them
place the shaft back onto the head, line the bolt holes up and make sure that all of the push rods are sat nicely under the rockers (usually they will spin pretty easily if they are) (its important to make sure that they are seated propperly cos you could bend em if they aint)
when your confident that they are all sat in nicely tighten the middle two 14mm bolts, then the outer two and then check em all for tightness (probs best doin this with a torque wrench but im lazy)
then refer to the haynes to set the tappets (cos i cant be bothered explaining it)
might be an idea to do the valve stem seals in situe while your at it
stick it back together
start it up, voila, silence
rawli
- i dont accept resonsibility for anything going funlumps up
- RS_Rawli
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 10019
- Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2002 12:00 am
Just got back from Mr Rawli's... car runnin quiet as... thought he had stuck a Zetec in there on the sly... Nice 1...
- AndyRS1800
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 5239
- Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2001 1:00 am
- Location: Bolton.... Drives: Golf GTi Turbo for now
- AndyRS1800
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 5239
- Joined: Sun Aug 19, 2001 1:00 am
- Location: Bolton.... Drives: Golf GTi Turbo for now
Rebuilt a head on a HCS escort a few weeks back, and set the tappets. Didnt bother taking the rocker shaft off, just reset them and its as quiet as a new engine.
One thing to watch out for is the inlet/exhausts swap half way, the middle valves (4 + 4) are both exhaust.
Also, HCS valves cant be done in situ I dont think, CVH can, but I wouldnt suggest it unless you want to start snapping studs in the head like I did on mine
One thing to watch out for is the inlet/exhausts swap half way, the middle valves (4 + 4) are both exhaust.
Also, HCS valves cant be done in situ I dont think, CVH can, but I wouldnt suggest it unless you want to start snapping studs in the head like I did on mine
- PaulC
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 4573
- Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2002 12:00 am
- Location: Manchester, Lancashire
PaulC wrote:Rebuilt a head on a HCS escort a few weeks back, and set the tappets. Didnt bother taking the rocker shaft off, just reset them and its as quiet as a new engine.
One thing to watch out for is the inlet/exhausts swap half way, the middle valves (4 + 4) are both exhaust.
Also, HCS valves cant be done in situ I dont think, CVH can, but I wouldnt suggest it unless you want to start snapping studs in the head like I did on mine
usually when just setting the tappets the noise comes back within a few hundred miles
its due to the fact that the valves wear a nice dome shape into the rocker face resulting in accurate clearance being unmeasurable using feeler gauges
- RS_Rawli
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 10019
- Joined: Wed Mar 13, 2002 12:00 am
Liebo wrote:I was told having smaller than standard was better for performance.
Smaller gap = larger valve opening.
The rod still pushes the same, so a smaller gap will mean the valves will open further. It affects performance, but thats it I think. If the gaps are too big then thats when you start damaging things because the valves arent open enough.
- PaulC
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 4573
- Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2002 12:00 am
- Location: Manchester, Lancashire
Liebo wrote:Also, instead of grinding them flat, why dont you just buy new ones from Ford that will be flat if they are spose to be flat new anyway?
I'd hate to think what just one would cost! Was getting a speedo cable the other week and a women wanting a wheel trim for a mondeo had a heart attack.. £25 each!
- PaulC
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 4573
- Joined: Sat Jan 12, 2002 12:00 am
- Location: Manchester, Lancashire
Hi Guys
Reason for not over tightening the valves is basically you are supposed to adjust the valves from cold. The gap is there so that there is room for expansion as the metal gets hot. If they are too tight the valves will not shut properly causing a loss in compression. Result.... Flat, slow engine
Hope this helps
Reason for not over tightening the valves is basically you are supposed to adjust the valves from cold. The gap is there so that there is room for expansion as the metal gets hot. If they are too tight the valves will not shut properly causing a loss in compression. Result.... Flat, slow engine
Hope this helps
- dan_turner
- Poster
- Posts: 60
- Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2003 11:15 am
- Location: Bristol
cheers rawli, just found this, im gon have a go tommoro
The ends should be totally flat not rounded off or dome shaped as you put it?
cheers
The ends should be totally flat not rounded off or dome shaped as you put it?
cheers
- bluefiestamk3
- BANNED MEMBER
- Posts: 2831
- Joined: Mon Sep 29, 2003 10:25 pm
- Location: Rugby, Warwickshire
Liebo wrote:Also, instead of grinding them flat, why dont you just buy new ones from Ford that will be flat if they are spose to be flat new anyway?
Asked while I was in the parts shop this afternoon....
£9 each (£72 per set of 8 ).
EDIT: Smilie instead of 8 !
- Meths
- Newbie Poster
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 10:28 pm
- Location: Bromley, Kent
dun this, with a minor setback of forgetting to align the pushrods *dont forget* lol.
runs alot quieter, [ERRR] go even quieter wen i adjust the tappets properly
got pics tho! -
Before - Worn tappets
Ater - Smooth tappet
runs alot quieter, [ERRR] go even quieter wen i adjust the tappets properly
got pics tho! -
Before - Worn tappets
Ater - Smooth tappet
Last edited by badj on Sun Apr 25, 2004 11:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
- badj
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 219
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 9:25 am
- Location: N/Wales
Liebo wrote:I was told having smaller than standard was better for performance.
RS_Rawli wrote:this will result in loss of power though
PaulC wrote:Smaller gap = larger valve opening.
The rod still pushes the same, so a smaller gap will mean the valves will open further. It affects performance, but thats it I think. If the gaps are too big then thats when you start damaging things because the valves arent open enough.
So I was right? small gap better performance?
anyone know the optimal setting? I believe Fiesta_Steve does?
- Liebo
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 1723
- Joined: Tue Jan 14, 2003 12:43 am
- Location: Chesterfield Drives: Ford Focus 1.6 LX Auto
ok its a bit noisey today but thats prolly cos i havnt got a feeler guage to set the rockers... spent all today sorting out sum rust n fitting my backbox properly, then cleaning and polishing the focka.
any otha ideas on how to silence the bugger down a bit?
oh an has any1 else got a manual choke?? how annoying
any otha ideas on how to silence the bugger down a bit?
oh an has any1 else got a manual choke?? how annoying
- badj
- Senior Poster
- Posts: 219
- Joined: Tue Apr 20, 2004 9:25 am
- Location: N/Wales
I did this yesterday, and while I was at it cleaned everything up nicely and gave it a glaze of engine oil putting it back together.
After grinding the rockers down, I reassembled everything, and set the tappets correctly. Turned the engine over and...
Well, rather disapointed to be fair. Its a little quieter but still sounds like a HCS bag of nails. (Like new then!) I was under the impression from the above posts that it would be noticable difference.
Meh, the engines only got to last 6 more months hopfully, and then we go turbo!
After grinding the rockers down, I reassembled everything, and set the tappets correctly. Turned the engine over and...
Well, rather disapointed to be fair. Its a little quieter but still sounds like a HCS bag of nails. (Like new then!) I was under the impression from the above posts that it would be noticable difference.
Meh, the engines only got to last 6 more months hopfully, and then we go turbo!
- Badgerboy
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 2469
- Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2003 1:02 am
- Location: Newport, South Wales
- Max M4X WW
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 18161
- Joined: Sun Jun 22, 2003 9:52 pm
- Location: Hampshire
- Your car: Merc CL500
Car: 2014 BMW M135i
Max M4X WW wrote:Did you adjust valve clearances after smoothing them?
After grinding the rockers down, I reassembled everything, and set the tappets correctly . Turned the engine over and...
Yes, did them properly. Done them a few times over the years now.
- Badgerboy
- Elite Post Master
- Posts: 2469
- Joined: Sun Jul 27, 2003 1:02 am
- Location: Newport, South Wales
126 posts • Page 1 of 4 • 1, 2, 3, 4
Twitter
The second 20th Anniversary article, a dive into the history of how the site came about is available here: https://t.co/kbCfZ4sf0R
17:44, 4th December 2021 Twitter Web App
To celebrate https://t.co/wXVkvJipaS being 20 years old this year, I've written a series of articles detailing the… https://t.co/B0vE0Y3KvP
17:42, 4th December 2021 Twitter Web App
Follow fiestaturbo.com on Twitter:
http://twitter.com/fiestaturbo/
Facebook
New article! fiestaturbo.com is 20 years old this year and I'm writing a series delving into the history of it. …
Saturday, 4th December 2021 12:49
Some awesome Escorts from the Fair - FORD FAIR 2021: ESCORT EXHIBITION - …
Sunday, 31st October 2021 17:05
All the best Focuses from Ford Fair - FORD FAIR 2021: FOCUS PEEKING - Which was your …
Thursday, 7th October 2021 23:21
Become a fan:
http://www.facebook.com/fiestaturbo/
RSS Feeds
Subscribe to the RSS feed
What is RSS?
RSS is a technology that lets you use special applications or modern browsers to notify you you when a site is updated. You can then read the updated content in that application or your browser.
To subscribe to these RSS feeds you need to copy the links above. For instructions on how to add it to the feeds you keep track of, consult the documentation of your RSS reader.