• Hey Guest!
    British Car Forum has been supporting enthusiasts for over 25 years by providing a great place to share our love for British cars. You can support our efforts by upgrading your membership for less than the dues of most car clubs. There are some perks with a member upgrade!
    **Upgrade Now**
    (PS: Upgraded members don't see this banner, nor will you see the Google ads that appear on the site.)
Tips
Tips

Valves

Share this page

TR674

TR674

Jedi Warrior
Offline
Gents
have a look at this pic. Last week I noticed a tappet noise getting worse by the day. Yesterday I took the rocker cover off to investigate, this is what I found......The shiny hue around valve no.1 is fine metallic powder that was once the top of the valve stem.
What do you reckon is going on here???????
Luckily (or unluckily) I have a spare set of valves and springs to replace this one. But before I put the head back on I want to find out what would have caused this. The valve is not stuck as I can push it open with my hand. Any help would be appreciated.
Regards
Craig

IMG_0106.jpg
 
If the valve is OEM I suspect it did not get enough oil. Overly loose settings (not for me anyway) would not create the apparent disintergration you have. If my bet is correct, you will need a good rocker too. If the rocker is not damaged, I loose my bet.
 
Vet
fortunately the rocker is fine, there is no sign of excessive wear. It is in identical shape to it's neighbour valve no.2.
I suspected not enough oil too. I checked the tappet clearance 2 weeks ago and had to adjust a couple and there was no sign of wear at no.1 at the time. This all happened over less than 50Km.
My oil pressure is good at +60lbs. It's puzzling me......
Regards
Craig
 
Hi Craig,

Have you run over a black cat ?.

When you adjust the valves, the feeler guage usually removes the oil from the top of the valve stem.

Being the end valve, perhaps gunk has found it's way to the end of the rocker shaft and blocked the oil flow to the that rocker, in which case the valve stem gets no oil either.

It looks like yours has run dry, and then of course it gets really hot, causing the disintegration, which is very bad luck indeed over such a short distance travelled.

When adjusting valves, it pays to re lube them with an oil can to get them past the danger time until they get their natural lubrication back again from the engine.

Sorry you can't get a good run in the last week of our summer.

Viv
 
TR674,
There is a guy called Ray Abbott in bayswater is good at all lbc's, did my healey, is in Rio St, and just up round the corner is a Triumph specialist, Rays No is 089 272 4566, you will prob get the answereing machine, leave a number and message, tell him a guy with a 100 in Gero gave you the contact
 
Thanks Viv & Z.
I took the head off over the weekend and dropped it off at the mechanics this morning. Viv you were right, rocker shaft oil hole was blocked at the end.
He will fit stainless steel caps on all the valves as 2 & 3 are showing premature wear. The modified cam is partially to blame, putting extra load/wear on the valve stems.
This should permanently solve this problem.
And yes when I check tappet clearance I generally wipe off the oil from the feeler gauge. I will be replenishing it from now on........
Z, I will keep Ray's details for future use.
Regards
Craig
 
Glad to hear the problem is solved Craig.

While you have the head off, it might be good insurance to pull and inspect the cam followers if you are running the stock items, as a hotter camshaft sometimes ups the wear rate. If there is any roughness, also check that same lobe. Hope it's all AOK.

Then you can set off across the Nullabor for our fabulous Historic Phillip Island weekend on March 8 & 9, with at least 6 x TR's entered.

Ciao,

Viv.
 
TR674 said:
Thanks Viv & Z.
I took the head off over the weekend and dropped it off at the mechanics this morning. Viv you were right, rocker shaft oil hole was blocked at the end.
He will fit stainless steel caps on all the valves as 2 & 3 are showing premature wear. The modified cam is partially to blame, putting extra load/wear on the valve stems.
This should permanently solve this problem.
And yes when I check tappet clearance I generally wipe off the oil from the feeler gauge. I will be replenishing it from now on........
Z, I will keep Ray's details for future use.
Regards
Craig
Click to expand...


We'uns on the other posts don't like to hear all that malarkey about oil starvation to the front valves and high-lift cams causing wear on valve stems.

Having you considered that because you are constantly running your car in the upside-down position (down under) that this may be causing oil starvation. Or does that joke get old....


I may have to install my reworked head with Velcro at this rate.
 
Oh, well, Bill, now that could explain everything.
You been cruising 'round Australia, now, haven't you?

TR6: Great picture. Helpful. Thanks for sharing.
 
Which is exactly why, after setting the valves, I like to start the engine with the cover off and watch to be sure all the rockers get oil. Without the bypass, the oil flows through there pretty slow, so if your oil sludges at all, the rocker shaft is the first place to fill up with gunk.
 
Bill
being 'upside down' I assumed the oil would settle in the rocker cover rather than the sump?????? That's probably why my cover leaks so much..........
Regards
Craig
 
Viv
I would love to get my 6 over to Phillip Island. I've been to a few of the Super Bike series on the island (my brother lives in Ringwood and races his bike on the island in club events).
I wouldn't drive it across, as a general rule I only drive a distance from home that I can afford to tow it.......
Regards
Craig
 
Back
Top