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        General >> Give/Need advice to/from others >> 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
        
(Message started by: Allen on Sep 4^th, 2005, 10:06pm)

Title: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Allen on Sep 4^th, 2005, 10:06pm

I recently purchased a 96, 2.9 12 valve and all is well and good except for the annoying sound from one of the tappets.
It isnt bad by any means but its audible and i was wondering if what i have heard regarding the 2.9 12 valve tappets being manually adjustable was correct.
If so, does anybody know the specified clearances for inlet and exhaust and a basic explanation of the procedure / cam positioning.

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Eric_R on Sep 5^th, 2005, 11:36am

Allen,
The tappets on your 12V engine are hydraulic, and should not be adjusted because any wear should be taken up by the oil pressure inside the tappet - the Cologne engine went to hydraulic tappets in 1992.

If you have a noisy tappet it is not filling with oil properly. This could be due to wear, gunge in the oil passages, low oil pressure, the wrong grade of engine oil used, or a mixture of all those.

Have you changed the oil recently? Consider changing it. Use an oil treatment first to help clear all the oil galleries, then change the oil for a good quality semi-synthetic like Magnatec, (ie 5W-30 as the original grade, later revised to 10W-30 in semi-synthetic) and use a good quality oil filter. You may still get a tap while the semi-synth is working its way into the tappet chambers, but because it has a better 'cling' the semi-synths usually let the engine run quieter.

This should quieten it nicely. If it doesn't, what is the mileage of the engine? it may be that the only really effective remedy is an engine rebuild.

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Pursche on Sep 5^th, 2005, 12:46pm

Didn't the Cologne engine went to hydraulic tappets in 1989 when they got the 'new' 2.9 litre?

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by howiedintheplace on Sep 5^th, 2005, 6:58pm

No it was much later. About 1992 when they started fitting CATS to the engine, If I remember correctly they had to do it to get the emissions down.
I have forgotten the engine number now but the last few 2.9 Sierra's had them etc.

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Allen on Sep 5^th, 2005, 11:04pm

Thanks for the advice, i'll give the oil additive and then the oil change a try and see what happens.
The motor has done 98000 but has lengthy history with Ford main dealership.
Power seems fine. (for a 12 valve that is!) and it runs lovely and smooth.
How long will i be looking at running the motor with the oil additive in before its time to change it?

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Eric_R on Sep 5^th, 2005, 11:19pm

Allen,
Follow the advice on the tin - normally ten to twenty minutes or five miles, IIRC. The oil treatment is basically paraffin and this acts as a solvent to remove gunge, oxidisation, tar and other obstructions from the oil galleries. For best results use a new cheap oil to replace the old oil, then run that for ten miles or so, then replace to the good oil and new filter.

The 12V engines are notorious for this if the oil changes are neglected, or when used in frequent short journeys.
I do strongly recommend at least a semi-synth. The tappets might be a little noisy at first until all the new oil gets into the tappet chambers but after a few miles they should quieten down. Here's hoping for you. :D

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Ultima_Stu on Sep 6^th, 2005, 7:02pm

Late I know but they are hydraulic. I had a main dealer who adjusted them and set about making a complete mess of things (since corrected by them and subject to a post somewhere on here!) as they still retain the adjustable rocker arms in the rocker covers as the hydraulic bits are on the cam end.

I would try the oil changes as above otherwise it's an engine out job.

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Pier on Nov 4^th, 2005, 5:04pm

Hello Allen.I have had the same problem with the 2,9 -90 i have.I was realy anoyed with the nois from the valve tappets.A litle nois is normal,to much and something is wrong.Yes the tappets is controlled by oil hydraulic but i tried to change the valves myself from the tappet screw with a disaster when the engine after this was realy quiet but working realy bad ha ha ... So i left it to the Ford workshop and they was reinstalling the right measure to the valves and belive it or not.After that the engine was more quiet and working more properly!.The dude in the workshop i talked to told me that they adjusted the valves working area to the state my engine was in.Dont know how but i do know that it worked.Have a great day !. :D

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Eric_R on Nov 4^th, 2005, 11:28pm

Pier,
Strong smell of BS here.

There is wear on the cams and followers, the push rods and the rockers, but if the oil pressure is adequate then any slack is taken up by the oil inside the tappet. The whole point of having hydraulic tappets is precisely because they do not need adjusting in normal service - hence emissions remain within the stricter limits imposed in 1992. They are even stricter now. ;)

If oil pressure or flow is not sufficient, then if you are very careful you might ease down each tappet slightly onto the rod, but you have to very careful not to overdo it. My guess is that the techy listened for the noisy tappet(s) and wound them down slightly until the tapping stopped but it is not recommended procedure AFAIK and I would hesitate to offer any such advice. This would have to be at the owner's risk :P

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Lee on Nov 6^th, 2005, 7:30pm

i'm having the same problem but have been advised not to flush the engine because it could dislodge bits that could get stuck in the oil pipes and cause even more damage what are you thoughts on this please.
at the moment i've changed to cheap oil and this week i'm going to give it the full change and filter and put some additive in which claims to quiten down the tappets the stuff is unipart and the fittter i use swears by the stuff
Lee

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Snoopy on Nov 6^th, 2005, 8:01pm

Not advisable to use oil additives read the main site with regards that. Oil companies spend £millions developing oils and if there was real need for these " additional" things then I am sure that they would produce an oil with them in.

Flush the whole system by all means and then change filter and oil for good ones
the tappets should quieten down themselves unless they are very badlt worn.

http://www.fordscorpio.co.uk/snakeoil.htm

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Lee on Nov 6^th, 2005, 9:11pm

thanks just so confusing what to do for the best so many people say one think and the others another think,

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Snoopy on Nov 7^th, 2005, 9:31am

I have the 12v and use semi sythetic oil 10/40 (Comma) and change the filter and oil every 3K but 6K would be fine really . and my engine is as quiet as it could be really for the mileage.(Over 110K) NO tappet noise except perhaps very occasionally if left standing for a couple of weeks and then only for a second or two.

I do not advise using oil additives myself but its your car and you have to make your own decisions with regards its upkeep. All we ALL try to do on here is give the benefit of our own experience (S)

Title: Re: 2.9 tappets, 12 valve, Adjustable?
Post by Lee on Nov 7^th, 2005, 4:37pm

i know what you mean it's my car i'm going to go with the second oil change using the semi and see how i go from there
this one has only 90,000 miles on it and my other one had 132,000 and that was as quiet as anything don't make sense, thanks for the advise
Lee