TR6 Setting TR6 valve clearances

[Gliderman8]

Doing some work on my 6 before I get it on the road for the season. Yesterday I removed the plugs and valve cover in order to check/set the valve clearances. To set the valves, I grabbed the fan blade and rotated the engine. Even with the plugs removed, it took a fair amount of force to turn the engine.
I kept worrying about breaking a fan-blade.
Is there a better way to do it? Seems like one day that fan will snap and I don't want to do that.
There has to be a better way... Suggestions?

 

[Marvin Gruber]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

Pull the coil wire and use the starter to bump the engine over

 

[Gliderman8]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

Pull the coil wire and use the starter to bump the engine over

That thought crossed my mind Marvin but I was concerned that getting the "right spot" for the two valves to open would be hit or miss.

 

[poolboy]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

With all the plugs removed, I adjust the alternator so the fan belt tensions is at it's tightest. Then I put a socket wrench on the alternator's fan/pulley nut and turn clockwise. Very little effort is required.
And when I'm "through" I recheck the lash a second time after spinning the engine with the starter for a few seconds.I always seem to find one or two that I could have done a better job setting the lash.

BTW..if you do the second part....be sure to get that socket wrench off the alternator before you hit the starter...

 

[DNK]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

I put a socket wrench on the crank bolt Elliot

 

[Gliderman8]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

There just is no room to get a socket on the crank bolt Don... the radiator is too close to it.

Ken- A better way!! Thanks, I intend to give that a try next time. You da man!

 

[DNK]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

Dang, sorry Elliot. I have an electric fan and I tilted the fan forwards to allow room to get in there

 

[Guest]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

Put it in 4th and bump the car w/ you legs or butt or you can try to roll the front tire by hand. You can do like Ken said but don't have to tighten the belt all the way. Push the belt in (down) in the middle as you turn and that'll tighten it where it won't slip.

 

[JC1]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

I use the "box end wrench on the alternator drive bolt" technique. No need to re-adjust belt tension, just "pinch" the belt against the pulley with one hand and use the wrench with the other hand.

 

[poolboy]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

Pinching or manually increasing the tension on the fan belt may work just fine for some,but it requires 2 hands. I use my left hand to turn the alternator with a socket wrench and simultaneously with the fingers of my right hand on the rocker arms, FEEL when the 2, such as 1 and 3, tilt down as far as they go, indicating fully open valves. Only then do I feel good about adjusting 10 and 12...
Eyeballing the opening valve just isn't as sensitive as having your fingers piggy back on the rocker arms..
That's just my technique...

 

[Gliderman8]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

Thanks again Ken... that is good information.

 

[Guest]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

Only then do I feel good about adjusting 10 and 12...
Eyeballing the opening valve just isn't as sensitive as having your fingers piggy back on the rocker arms..
That's just my technique...

Oh, you do it the hard way. There isn't any good reason other than over complication of the English to do it like that .

I've found the best, easiest and fastest way is to set them like an American.

Start @ #1 TCD compression, set both intake and exhaust for #1

Turn to the next cylinder in the firing order to TDC compression stroke and set those, the same w/ all the rest.

Not sure where the piston is? I flat blade screwdriver down the plug hole and you can follow it up and down. Some folks mark their balances w/ each cylinder's TDC to make it simpler.

I've tried it the other way and it's too easy to get lost. I know they suggest doing it that way to be 100% certain the lifter is on the lobe base but it's also 100% on the lobe base when @TDC compression stroke.

All four stroke engine that use valves (non rotary0 operate off the same principles. The rules that apply to a Triumph apply to a Toro.

Setting valves on a 6 is no different than a VW.

(Although, on a VW, a 1/4 turn of the lash screw off of zero gives the required .006 lash. Great for worn rockers and valve tips the a feeler gauge can't measure.)

Just recently there was a guy on another site w/ a Spit who thought his pushrods were too long because he couldn't get the valves set with the "correct" method. I told him the above and he was done in no time.

 

[poolboy]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

You do it your way, pal, I'll do it mine...

 

[Gliderman8]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

I've found the best, easiest and fastest way is to set them like an American....

You can't be serious.

 

[Guest]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

You do it your way, pal, I'll do it mine...

No problem, no need to get upset. Next time you do, go back and check them my way and see if there is any difference in clearance. I just hate to see folks go through all that extra trouble and not gain anything.

While I can't speak for others, I know our friend Peter B well enough to say I wouldn't be the least bit surprised if he set 'em like I do. We bounce things off each other all the time and we think a lot alike. He may have been born there, but he's definatly one of us. I think we may have already talked about it at some point but my memory is horrible. I'll ask him Saturday.


Bottom line is, the BL manual is NOT to be trusted. I have found several severe mistakes that if I had not known any better, my car would be in big trouble.

It lists ring gap at .062" when it should be .012". The shot rings that came out the motor was .062". It also lists Midget pinion bearing preload at 11-13 FOOT pounds, not inch pounds.

That's around seventeen times greater pinion preload than spec for not only a Midget but almost EVERYTHING else on the road too. Not only would that throw pinion depth off, it would burn the pinion bearings up pretty quick.

Had I not known better I'da cranked her down...

I understand folk's reluctance to do things other than the manual says; it just that then manual isn't always right.

 

[Guest]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

I've found the best, easiest and fastest way is to set them like an American....

You can't be serious.

Absolutly, everything else American is set that way.

It's not meant to be offensive. Since it's an English car, and the English manual says to set it it that way; then that would tell me that's the English way.

Nothing that I, nor those who came before me; have ever encountered anything set in relation to other rockers. I set mine just like an American (or German, Japanese etc...)engine would be set. TCD compression: set both for that cylinder.

I have found time and time again things on these cars are overcomplicated...like the dash being part of the windshield seal.

While German cars are overcomplicated too, however; with those you get dependable bullet proof performance.

Lots of things I see on thse cars don't make any sense. That includes instructions in the manual.

 

[poolboy]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

I see this means a lot to you. :tired:

 

[TR3driver]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

There is an even easier way (my opinion), which works very similar to kellysguy's method.

Just turn the engine (either direction) until one cylinder has both valves open. That cylinder is now at TDC between intake and exhaust (close enough for this process); which means the opposite cylinder in the firing order will be at TDC between compression and power (meaning ready to have its valves set). Follow the firing order (either forward or backward depending on which way you are turning the engine) to the next pair of cylinders.

To turn the engine without risking a fan blade (or with an electric fan), put the gearbox in 4th and roll the car a bit. Push on the top of the front tire if you need a bit more leverage.

It is possible to get different results this way : if you do, it means the camshaft is cut wrong. In that case, I would argue that towards the beginning/end of the base circle is where the lash should be measured, rather than in the center of it. But .001" or even .002" isn't going to make enough difference to argue about.

 

[Guest]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

I see this means a lot to you. :tired:

Actually yes, I can't stand "experts" ( the guy that wrote the manual) overcomplicating things soley based on ego. bad information is a pet peeve of mine.

I ran into this a lot on the race team. The high dollar fabulous pundits spewing crap about how ~they~ are the only ones in the country that can do something correctly at an outrageous price.

Lil' ol' me would come up with a solution and they would say, " Yeah, you can do it that way, call me and I'll give you some pointers on how to do it."

Yeah....give me pointers on my own idea...sure.

 

[martx-5]

Re: TR6 valve clearances

I do it like kellysguy. It's much easier then any other method I've done. I also have my crank pulley marked for the other cylinders. On a four banger, you just need another mark 180° opposite of the original TDC mark. On a six cylinder, you'll need two additional marks. One 120° from the original TDC, and the second 240° from the original TDC. In other words, three marks at 120° intervals.

TDC pops up on two cylinders...for a four banger it'll be 1&4, six cylinder it'll be 1&6. Start at either one, and continue around turning the engine CW until the next mark pops up, and you'll be on the next cylinder in the firing order.