Ka Tappets Help??

What age and mileage is the Ka?

Hi DervMan

It`s a 97 R plate, 45.000mls on clock

HTH

Tony

In message , Tony & Debs writes

The tappets are easy to check so that should be your first action.

Worst case scenario is that the camshaft and followers are knackered. This was a problem on engines produced up to Nov 96. I know you said yours was a 97 but it is possible that yours was built in 96 and registered in 97.

One way to find when your car was actually built is to check the VIN number and look at this site to decipher the information:-

Info about the camshaft problem and other Ka stuff can be found here:-

Make sure the oil & filter are changed..... EFL500 Oil Filter and 5/30 Oil...... set tappets to : Inlet = .20mm Exhaust = .30mm or .50mm if a yellow sticker in R/C states that. Endura E is a rattly piece of crap anyway.... virtually the same engine they used in the 1960's Anglia's and Prefect's It is now replaced by a SOHC engine and only time will tell.

JK

Whats RC???

Rocker cover. It's a silver sticker in my Ka, there's a diagram of the valves on it too, goes inlet exhuast on 1 and 2, then exhaust inlet IIRC.

Please don't top post.

In message , Tony & Debs writes

Rocker Cover.

Date of production is February 1997.

Hope this helps

In message , Tony & Debs writes

Well it helps you. The camshafts on engines prior to 11/96 were not hardened properly. After this date they were. Hopefully you have not got an engine that was built before 11/96 and was sitting around until

Judging by the sudden onset of the noise, it is likely that a tappet has just worked loose.

Thank you everyone.

Another quick question, got an old feeler gauge, with the mesurements written very faintly on each blade. i.e .020 .508 mm

is this the .20 that you refer

or this one .008 .203 mm

Thanks again

Debs

No... that's .508 of a mm, you need .2 of a mm.

The other one below...

Will do well enough.

Although I would suggest that you at least got another set of metric feeler gauges. Have you checked valve clearances before?

Yes About 18 years ago on an old mk1 escort, getting a haynes manual tomorrow, so should be able to get that job done.

Thanks again for all your help, i`ll let you know how i get on

Tony

Aye, you beat me to it, darned that Charlie's insisting I have a life away from t'internet! :)

Tony/Debs... use the "RULE OF 8" when setting tappets on ANY 4 cyl engine.... Simple...... when #1 valve is fully depressed.........(Subtract 1 from 8) and set #7 when #2 valve is fully depressed........(Subtract 2 from 8) and set #6 when #3 valve is fully depressed.....(subtract 3 from 8) and set #5 and so on and so on......

JK

so if the above is correct, when do you set tappet 8?????

Debs

It isn't correct - it's rule of nine, not rule of eight. You don't set #4 when #4 is depressed either!

LOL - but I can't be arsed.

Dave Baker - Puma Race Engines

when #1 valve is fully depressed.........(Subtract 1 from 9) and set #8

so is this the rule of 9???

Come on guys

Debs