[TR] To feed or not to feed

[Mark Hooper]

Hi Tim:

I agree, the engine should be stationary; just not the valves...

Seriously, with a bit of practice one can get a surprisingly accurate valve
setup with a 1/2" wrench, flat screwdriver and a stethoscope. No tapping = too
tight, pounding/clacking = too loose. You put the tip of the stethoscope probe
on the drilled hole at the centre of each rocker while adjusting each valve
warm. Tricky with two hands, a cinch with three. I've never had the same
results with a cold engine and feeler gauges.

I recall adjusting something on the the timing on a friend's X-19 engine while
it was driving. That's a mid-engine setup. There is a sort of hatch behind the
right-hand seat. So one could actually stick hands and head into engine
compartment while the car was moving. It wasn't so easy, as he kept revving
the engine and belting around corners and over bumps. At the end the car was
driving great; I wasn't doing so well though.

It's fun to fix things while they work. A little noise and parts whirling
about close to the fingers adds to the sense of the moment.

Cheers,

Mark

________________________________
From: KingsCreekTrees at aol.com [KingsCreekTrees at aol.com]
Sent: July 3, 2010 10:38 PM
To: Mark Hooper; tr3driver at ca.rr.com; triumphs at autox.team.net
Subject: Re: [TR] To feed or not to feed

That's a good one, Mark. Personally, I prefer to adjust the valves with the
engine NOT running. I find it's much easier to get the feeler gauge in, when
the engine is stationary....

All in good humour, of course.

In a message dated 7/3/2010 10:31:10 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time,
mhooper at digiscreen.ca writes:
"I like being able to adjust the valves with the engine
running."
Tim Dyer, Kings Creek Trees and Ornamentals
427 Kings Creek Road, RR3
Ashton, ON K0A 1B0
Canada
Phone/fax: 613 253 4126 Website:
www.kingscreektrees.com<http://www.kingscreektrees.com/>

Proud member of Landscape Ontario (the Ontario association for horticulture
professionals), the Canadian Nursery and Landscape Association, the Ottawa
Botanical Garden Society, the Carleton Place Horticultural Society and the
Christmas Tree Farmers of Ontario