The great debate....

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FastFred

FastFred

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Just spent an hour checking the tappets which hadn't changed. Should I feel happy or less peed off than I do?
 
How long since you last did it?

Be pleased nothing has changed, go ride, then check then at nex prescribed interval.
 
FastFred said:
Just spent an hour checking the tappets which hadn't changed. Should I feel happy or less peed off than I do?
Click to expand...
You should feel happy knowing that your rocker geometry is good and that your lubrication is doing a good job with no noticeable wear of the cam, tappets, valve tips, adjusters and valve seats.
 
Fast Fred wrote;
Just spent an hour checking the tappets
Click to expand...

An hour :shock: If it took me that long to check tappets........I'd be pissed. At least all was well and you have no worries.
 
It's when they continue to get tighter that you should worry. Indicator of valve seats sinking into the head.
Looser is when the push rod tips are compacting into the push rods.
Valves are adjusted on the bottom of the cam lobe and shouldn't change.
But an hour to check them? I think your fine.
 
I once rebuilt a race engine between seasons. I was always fastidious about always putting parts back where they came from, not mixing n matching. Which must have helped that when I'd finished re-assembling it, the tappets were all spot on, without being adjusted.
I wasn't pissed... I was chuffed!
 
Reggie wrote;
An hour :shock: If it took me that long to check tappets........I'd be pissed.
Click to expand...

Fast Fred wrote;
It took an hour because I polished the covers but nice attempt points scoring....
Click to expand...

AAhhh, that explains it :lol: :lol: :lol:
 
Fast Eddie said:
I once rebuilt a race engine between seasons. I was always fastidious about always putting parts back where they came from, not mixing n matching. Which must have helped that when I'd finished re-assembling it, the tappets were all spot on, without being adjusted.
I wasn't pissed... I was chuffed!
Click to expand...

That's what I was taught to do as a mechanic. never had problems doing that. Now when I check my tappets I know they are going to be right for a long time. I may check them every 2-4 years, but I don't adjust them unless I can hear them. If they are slightly loose I leave them alone. Looser tappets are more efficient than tighter tappets.
 
Ohhh mercy! New to the Norton and have a new engine. How often does this need to be done?
I am at about 200 miles at this time.
Damn, I havent even changed the oil yet.
 
When I rebuilt my motor nearly 5 years ago, I set the tappets, then 700 miles later I rechecked them after retensioning the head, I haven't checked them since and have done well over 25,000 miles on this rebuild, I can tell when my tappets need adjusting by the sound of my tappets or when it harder to start, but so far I have had no problems and I have been doing this for over 39 years now on this bike, it will let you know when something is wrong, but not everone can tell what is happening to their motor by listening to it, I just know how my Norton runs and how the motor sounds, but it gets new oil every 2,500 miles without failure.

Ashley
 
MikeM said:
Ohhh mercy! New to the Norton and have a new engine. How often does this need to be done?
Click to expand...

Routine maintenance tasks are covered in section K of the factory manual.
 
MikeM said:
Ohhh mercy! New to the Norton and have a new engine. How often does this need to be done?
I am at about 200 miles at this time.
Damn, I havent even changed the oil yet.
Click to expand...

Modern oils don't need to be changed that often. Don't be concerned. Once year is good enough unless you are doing more that 5,000 miles per year. most modern cars have 10,000 km intervals and they are extending them out to 15,000 kms.
 
I'll let someone else respond to that one as this chain thread inevitably morphs into another oil thread...
 
MikeM said:
How often does this need to be done?
I am at about 200 miles at this time.
Click to expand...
I checked mine showing 9500 on the clock after it sat for 25 years. After another 500 miles, they hadn't moved one iota. It they get looser, you have valve train issues. If they get tighter, it's sinking/eroding seats/valve faces. Assuming you run good oil and not running lean, they should hold their clearance between required intervals.

I always fall back on the axiom "Valves are like children; if you can't hear them, they're probably doing damage."

Nathan
 
kerinorton said:
Fast Eddie said:
I once rebuilt a race engine between seasons. I was always fastidious about always putting parts back where they came from, not mixing n matching. Which must have helped that when I'd finished re-assembling it, the tappets were all spot on, without being adjusted.
I wasn't pissed... I was chuffed!
Click to expand...

That's what I was taught to do as a mechanic. never had problems doing that. Now when I check my tappets I know they are going to be right for a long time. I may check them every 2-4 years, but I don't adjust them unless I can hear them. If they are slightly loose I leave them alone. Looser tappets are more efficient than tighter tappets.
Click to expand...

With loose tappets, the timing changes, whether it is important depends on the lift rate.
 
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