[TR] Valve Lash Adjustment Method

[Alex & Janet Thomson]

In the big picture, you always want to adjust a valve when its lifter or
tappet is completely "off the cam". It's true that an exhaust valve would be
fully closed when the intake is fully open and vice-versa. Your system
should be fine. Alternatively, you will never have a problem if you adjust
valves for a given cylinder when it is at TDC - Compression. By using
distributor rotor position as a guide, you only have to turn the engine over
twice to adjust all valves in this manner. Some engine manufacturers, Deere
as an example, will tell you all of the valves that can be adjusted when #1
cylinder is at TDC - Compression and will then direct you to turn the
crankshaft one revolution and adjust all of the remaining valves. On small
air-cooled engines that may be equipped with a compression release device
via the exhaust valve, the manufacturers usually direct you to adjust the
valves when the piston is approximately 0.5" below and after TDC -
Compression. I'm not quite sure what the term "point-of-balance" refers to.
Depending on your automotive dialect, I suppose it could refer to what some
of us call "valve rock" at TDC - Exhaust or full clearance at TDC -
Compression.

Alex Thomson

-----Original Message-----
From: triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net
[mailto:triumphs-bounces at autox.team.net] On Behalf Of terryrs at comcast.net
Sent: Saturday, June 02, 2012 8:25 AM
To: triumphs at autox.team.net
Subject: [TR] Valve Lash Adjustment Method

The book I'm using describes adjusting valves when the intake and exhaust
are at the point of balance, at which moment you can set both valve lashes
to .010.  

I hadn't noticed that before.  I had always set the valves on the exhaust
when the intake was completely down, and vice versa.  

Question:  Does it make any difference?  

Terry Smith, '59 TR3A  TS 58667
New Hampshire

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