Tappets Adjusted, Fuel Filter, and Calipers

[mcgon1979]

Well I did the work on the FTO yesterday...
Did the calipers first. When I took them off I discovered that one of my back ones was seized. No wonder my handbrake was not so good on very steep hills. Worked it loose with WD40 in the rust seized pin that joins the 2 sections of the caliper together. Decided to go for a black gloss high temp paint. I had considered yellow and blue, and although 99% of people though blue was best, I decided to go low key with my small discs and rims and of course, defeat the brake dust! prepared them using a grinder with a steel brush wheel to remove any surface dust/dirt/rust/ etc.



very happy with them, nice and glossy finish.

The tappets was the next job. I don't know how people can do them without the tool. I think you'd need to remove cams without it. Very tight in there and no chance of a normal socket and screwdriver working.
The hollowed socket with cut-away worked sweet. 4 of the required adjustment. The exhaust side tappets were quite loose in some cases.
I didn't consider my car sounded tappety really but was meaning to do this just to "check up" etc. It sounds very quiet now. Can definitely hear the difference at idle. sounds silky smooth with no rattle at all. My mechanic tells me that you really need to adjust them every 6 months if you were serious about it, as they do work themselves out again quite soon. Sure I'll see how they go. Used new gaskets on inlet manifold and two rocker covers.
Thats the tool on the exhaust side of Cylinder1


The last job was the fuel filter. What an absolute nightmare. I will never change it again. I thought I was making a pigs ear of it so got help but even my mate found it a total b*tch to change. took about 30 or 40 minutes. Not easy to get at really at all. job done anyway.

I put in red stuff pads when I painted the calipers and bled the brakes. Im not sure if my original pads are crap (loads left on them) or if the brakes needed bleeding, but the difference is remarkable. The car stops so well it feels about 500kg lighter. stops like a go kart with ancors in the road. and they have not even bedded in properly yet. some difference. Highly recommend those red stuff pads if your changing pads soon.

[Muad_dib77]

Nice 1 - sounds like you were very active there - on it's own how long would you say the tappets took you - and is it difficult?

[mcgon1979]

Tappets on their own took about 2 - 3 hours. 30 mins to strip inlet manifold, TB, air pipe, rocker covers, plugs on both banks etc. about 30 mins for the adjustments (x2 banks = 2 hours minimum). You need too people also. One to check for top dead centre while the other manually turns the drive wheel when the car is in 5th gear etc. It's the most accurate way to set it up as the marks on the cams for each cylinder can be off. I have an LSD in my yoke and think thats why I needed to lower the ramp to press one of the front wheels on a block to hold it still while I rotated the other free wheel wheel. Anyway, its not a difficult job as such. just takes time to strip the rocker covers off. Then you need some help to find TDC or fully closed cylinder. then measure the intake and exhaust of the chosen cylinder, make adjustments if neccessary, tighten it up. Rotate drive wheel and move onto next cylinder. rotate wheel until cylinder is totally closed. measure adjust. same for all 6. I'd say with 2 people its a couple of hour job. on your own I think it would be harder.

[Myfeckin FTO]

Excellent post - Some good work there - Hope you didn't leave a spanner/nut behind while doing the tappets.

[gt94]

Is there a certain tourqe for the tappets

[mcgon1979]

I think there is probably a torque for everything that can be turned on a car, bar the wind machine. I didn't look it up though, I just tightened them reasonably tight. sump bung tight. I could tell how much torque it took to loosen them and used similar to tighten them. I'm sure you could damage them by over tightening them with a bar etc.

@ MFfto yep, I was extra paranoid looking for something I missed or left out, or failed to reconnect. Have driven 100km since yesterday evening and nothing smoking, rattling, shuddernig yet hehe

[misterbishi]

I wanted to have a go at the tappets myself but chickened out! after doing the plugs, trackrods + TR ends and ba%$£ard fuel filter!!!!

I have the tool so I still may give it a shot.. Is it hard to turn over the engine to get the right position on each tappet??

[steelroe]

Best way if you are on you own doing the tappets is to put a long arm screwdriver down each of the plug holes in turn and turn the crank pulley using an extension and ratchet. The crank pulley bolt has a square hole in the top for an extension. Keep turning the pulley until the screwdriver stops moving up in the cylinder you are adjusting, this is TDC.

Remove all plugs before starting the adjustment and the pulley will turn very easily (no compression).

[Dragonheart]

Calipers look sweet. The red and black goes savage together with the white.

[Sebastian]

congrats for the work done

[mcgon1979]

Calipers look sweet. The red and black goes savage together with the white.

Thanks mate! yeah Im happy the way they look. I didn't even consider that the red stuff pads would stand out like that with the black. delighted hehe.

cheers seb. delighted to get it done. especially the fuel filter. thats me done for a month or two anyways. changed the oild filter and put in some Duckhams 5/40 fully synth too. gave the engine bay I good hour polish also withthe reliable dash wipes. came up show room. hehe. when is the next meet?