Any tips for Fiesta valve clearance checks/adjustments?

Some motorcycle dealers will let you buy enough to cover most possibilities, then return the unused ones for a refund. Enquire if Ford dealers might do something similar.

Can't help with removal part of the question, as I'm not familiar with the engine.

Also, the general overall strategy given I will presumably have

There's only one general rule IMO, and that is, before you do anything else, measure and record all the clearances individually for each valve. Then remove all the shims, making sure you note which shim belongs to which valve. Then measure each shim. This is best done with a micrometer. If you're lucky you might find you can swap some shims to get the right clearance on some valves. With those that are left, a simple calculation will tell you exactly what new shims you need to buy. That is, to the existing thickness of a shim, add the the measured clearance. From that total, subtract the desired clearance to give you thickness of shim you need to buy. All the above assumes the existing shims are not badly worn or pocketed. If they are it's another ball game, as accurately measuring the shims becomes more difficult, which is one reason why using a micrometer is preferable. HTH. Mike.

Can't help with removal part of the question, as I'm not familiar with the engine.

Also, the general overall strategy given I will presumably have

There's only one general rule IMO, and that is, before you do anything else, measure and record all the clearances individually for each valve. Then remove all the shims, making sure you note which shim belongs to which valve. Then measure each shim. This is best done with a micrometer. If you're lucky you might find you can swap some shims to get the right clearance on some valves. With those that are left, a simple calculation will tell you exactly what new shims you need to buy. That is, to the existing thickness of a shim, add the the measured clearance. From that total, subtract the desired clearance to give you thickness of shim you need to buy. All the above assumes the existing shims are not badly worn or pocketed. If they are it's another ball game, as accurately measuring the shims becomes more difficult, which is one reason why using a micrometer is preferable. HTH. Mike.

The 1.25 is an OHC engine IIRC. I wouldn't bother unless it's rattling - it's not like the 1.3 heap of s**te that went out of adjustment as soon as you look at it.

I ran a Fester with the pushrod lump; I had it from new, kept it for six years, did about 75K. The valve clearances needed doing once...

The secret was oil changes done to the book.

Chris

Barely anyone ever manages that. I do, generally much more often than the book, but most people and therefore more previous owners don't. IMO a good engine isn't just one that can run for miles with mollycoddling, your truly good stuff can also run for miles on peruvian goat pee and crisp and dry for oil...

Its more the opposite to be honest- the Zetec lumps (all types) are known for valve recession after a bit of mileage, and if left you soon end up with burnt out exhaust valves.

The clearances will go tight, not slack.

Tim.

That's interesting - when I read in Haynes about the clearances potential being too small I did wonder how this could be figuring that the issue here is one of wear. Given what you (and the book) have said can you explain to this duffer why they might close up? Always useful to understand the hows and whys when doing this sort of work...

Speaking of which, Harry suggested the possibility of a 'use or return' principle on shims so I called in to my Ford dealer on the way home and asked if they could do that. The guy on the parts desk didn't even know what shims were and kept asking if I was after new valves. Finger's crossed someone else is in when I turn up covered in oil and grease wanting some to get back on the road.

Mathew

Tim did tell you, sort of :-)

As the valves and seats wear, the valve recedes into the head. This effectively reduces the distance between the base of the cam and tip of the valve.

Someone else may well be there; whether they are any more clued up is pretty unlikely I would think...

Chris

There are so many different size shims, that your chances of 'borrowing' a suitable selection, is not good IMO. I've shimmed several heads, and IME even main dealers often don't carry the complete range. They order them in as required. I still think you'd do better to measure, and buy the correct size. Mike.

IME main dealers don't carry that much stuff. Certainly they've got oil and filters and disks and pads etc. but that's stuff that's common across 20 years worth of cars IME - brakes that were on the GTIs 20 years ago are fitted to yer polos and suchlike now.

Prexactly. They tend to stock parts that will shift fairly quickly. Service items or repair parts that are regularly fitted in their w/shop, like suspension parts, belts, brakes etc. Not that you can really criticise them for that. Parts sitting on the shelf and not moving for months, is just dead money, and with most main dealers able to get almost any part required on a next day delivery, why should they tie money up by keeping slow movng parts in stock themselves?

Going back to tappet shims, I've seen the 'selections' that even some main dealers, and non-franchised garages use in their w/shops. Often just a box containing miscellaneous shims. Used ones, new ones, different sizes, all lumped together. You have to go through them with a micrometer to find the sizes you need. Mike.

Of course - it's obvious now. I didn't pick up on the valve recession bit.

Thanks everyone for the discussion, it was most helpful.

Mathew

Just to follow-up on this I checked the clearances this morning and they were all within range - just about (upper end) so I guess the valve seats are wearing, as expected. Perhaps I'll take another look next service.

Thanks for all the advice.

Mathew