Need help setting valves??

[thetester]

Hey guys I have a little two cylinder diesel Tractor With solid lifters. It’s been years since I’ve had to set valves and my memory is rusty.

This thing has no manual but but I know the gap tolerance.

Can anyone help refresh me?

 

[denchen]

If its a basic two cylinder and the pistons go up and down side by side, if you turn the engine so the exhaust is just closing, and the inlet has just started to open, then the opposite piston will be at top dead centre and on compression so in the right place to check the valve gap. when done, simply turn again until the other cylinder valves are on the rock.

 

[thetester]

If its a basic two cylinder and the pistons go up and down side by side, if you turn the engine so the exhaust is just closing, and the inlet has just started to open, then the opposite piston will be at top dead centre and on compression so in the right place to check the valve gap. when done, simply turn again until the other cylinder valves are on the rock.

Okay my memory was close. What I was doing is pulling up the front number one cylinder just after the exhaust closes and just before the intake opens.

On the flywheel the indicator shows 0° tdc. I was setting both intake and exhaust lash on that number one piston at that point.

What you are saying is to set the opposite piston at TDC after the exhaust closes and the intake just starts to rock open??

 

[Roadworthy]

The big trick when setting valve lash is to set it when the rocker arm is at the maximum distance from the valve stem in question. That way the valve can close fully at the proper time. If you can get both valves during compression that can be a real time saver. You can also rotate the engine as required to set one valve at a time. They just need to be fully closed when you set the gap.

 

[denchen]

Okay my memory was close. What I was doing is pulling up the front number one cylinder just after the exhaust closes and just before the intake opens.

On the flywheel the indicator shows 0° tdc. I was setting both intake and exhaust lash on that number one piston at that point.

What you are saying is to set the opposite piston at TDC after the exhaust closes and the intake just starts to rock open??

When the exhaust has just closed and the inlet is just about to open, you set the valves on the opposite cylinder. If you look it will be at TDC on the flywheel mark. After that if you turn the crank one complete turn, the other valves will be `on the rock`, and the timing mark will again be on TDC, so you again check the other cylinder.