Tappets on my 325

[320stu]

2 questions, Can the tappets on my 88 325i touring be adjusted? as they are bit noisey, and 2nd is there any one on the site local to west sussex that could do them for me??

Thanks Stu

[unmol]

There quite easy to do, jus need the rocker cover off and a feeler gauge. There a thread on it in e30 zone wiki.

[god-father88]

mate if you can't do them yourself! don't even try it! your fook up ur engine!..take it from someone whos tried! haha!

[320stu]

I dont think I'll try it myself then!

Anyone want to earn a bit of cash and do them for me??? Please!!

[craigieeb]

If you follow this guide, you can't really go wrong,
the job sounds bigger than it is

http://www.e30zone.net/e30zonewiki/inde ... M20_engine

[B7]

mate if you can't do them yourself! don't even try it! your fook up ur engine!..take it from someone whos tried! haha!

How can you f*ck up an engine by getting the valve clearances wrong? Is this the same experience that told you that blue smoke on start up was head gasket?

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=171983

Set them too tight and it'll run rough. Set them too loose and it'll sound like a bag of spanners.

To the OP, unless you get stuck in, then you'll never learn. Read the wiki and have a go. Take your time and be methodical. You can do it.

[320stu]

Cheers B7, Like you said if you dont give it a go I'll never learn

[Daddycoo1est]

How can you f*ck up an engine by getting the valve clearances wrong? Is this the same experience that told you that blue smoke on start up was head gasket?

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=171983



Set them too tight and it'll run rough. Set them too loose and it'll sound like a bag of spanners.

To the OP, unless you get stuck in, then you'll never learn. Read the wiki and have a go. Take your time and be methodical. You can do it. [/quote]

Very easily if you tighten the rocker nut too much like a few people I know have in the past, especially the one who's rocker then snapped at 130mph

[b17]

This may sound like a silly question but the wiki talks of turning the crankshaft with a 22mm socket and ratchet until the cam is in the right position. Does this mean I need to expose the cambelt as I need to try the same?

[B7]

This may sound like a silly question but the wiki talks of turning the crankshaft with a 22mm socket and ratchet until the cam is in the right position. Does this mean I need to expose the cambelt as I need to try the same?

No the 22mm is the crank shaft pulley bolt.

[B7]

How can you f*ck up an engine by getting the valve clearances wrong? Is this the same experience that told you that blue smoke on start up was head gasket?

http://www.e30zone.net/modules.php?name ... c&t=171983



Set them too tight and it'll run rough. Set them too loose and it'll sound like a bag of spanners.

To the OP, unless you get stuck in, then you'll never learn. Read the wiki and have a go. Take your time and be methodical. You can do it.

Very easily if you tighten the rocker nut too much like a few people I know have in the past, especially the one who's rocker then snapped at 130mph [/quote]

I've never seen that. The concentric nut only needs to be nipped up. All the snapped rockers I've seen have been cheap after market ones that have gone miles away from the adjuster. I'd say you'd have to go some to overtighter one of these.

[Daddycoo1est]

Some people think they need tightening to the max though lol

[b17]

Cheers B7 - may give mine a try to sort my eternal flat spot!

[Longman325Touring]

This may sound like a silly question but the wiki talks of turning the crankshaft with a 22mm socket and ratchet until the cam is in the right position. Does this mean I need to expose the cambelt as I need to try the same?

Don't feck about trying to turn the crankshaft, the easiest thing to do is jack up one side of the car at the rear and with the car in gear turn the free wheel to rotate the engine. So much easier than jacking the front up, removing the undertray and losing the skin on your knuckles trying to rotate the crank.

Stu, I live in West Sussex and have done this before so if you'd like a bit of help I don't mind popping along to your pub one weekend.

[craigieeb]

Don't feck about trying to turn the crankshaft, the easiest thing to do is jack up one side of the car at the rear and with the car in gear turn the free wheel to rotate the engine. So much easier than jacking the front up, removing the undertray and losing the skin on your knuckles trying to rotate the crank.
.

Unless you have a slipper..
and you can turn the crank from the top side of the car, you don't need to remove the under tray

[Longman325Touring]

Unless you have a slipper..
and you can turn the crank from the top side of the car, you don't need to remove the under tray

Sorry, forgot to mention about the slipper!

[sideshowbob]

Need to adjust tappets on my 325i convertible, it has an air con radiator that reduces the gap between the radiator and crank nut to a point where you can't get a spanner onto the nut. I don't think jacking up a rear wheel and turning the engine over that way with an auto box will work.
Other suggestion was take out spark plugs and jog the engine over on the starter motor, can't see that being easy trying to judge position of cam/valve from sitting in drivers seat and turning ignition key....any other ideas

[320stu]

I have air con as well

[ross_jsy]

Very easily if you tighten the rocker nut too much like a few people I know have in the past, especially the one who's rocker then snapped at 130mph

If you tightened it that much, the engine is going to run like shite and produce almost no power, let alone enough to do 130. Fully tightened the valves will never close....

[Daddycoo1est]

Very easily if you tighten the rocker nut too much like a few people I know have in the past, especially the one who's rocker then snapped at 130mph

If you tightened it that much, the engine is going to run like shite and produce almost no power, let alone enough to do 130. Fully tightened the valves will never close....

They over tightened the securing nut which weakend the rocker causing it to snap, the tightness of the nut wouldn't effect the running of the car

[zinderz]

Need to adjust tappets on my 325i convertible, it has an air con radiator that reduces the gap between the radiator and crank nut to a point where you can't get a spanner onto the nut. I don't think jacking up a rear wheel and turning the engine over that way with an auto box will work.
Other suggestion was take out spark plugs and jog the engine over on the starter motor, can't see that being easy trying to judge position of cam/valve from sitting in drivers seat and turning ignition key....any other ideas

I once did this with the help of Hong Kong Phooey (a fellow zoner). Was fine turning it over with the starter motor sideshowbob. Just turn it a tiny amount on the key at a time.