The simple trick is called The Rule of Nine. Here's how
I do my valves (and I've got to do that soon as I will
shortly be retorquing the head after the rebuild).
The Rule of Nine:
Count valves from the front of the engine, with #1 being
the exhaust valve for the #1 cylinder and #8 being the
exhaust valve for the #4 cylinder.
It works most easily if you pull all four spark plugs so
you don't have compression on any of the cylinders for
what is to follow.
What I do: Put the car in third gear and roll it either
forwards or backwards depending on the garage. What
you want to look for is the pushrod end of the rocker at
the very top of its travel -- that is, roll the car till you
see one of the rockers just change from moving up to
moving down. Figure out that rocker's number by the
algorithm I previously mentioned.
Now, subtract that number from nine.
Then, check the valve clearance on the result of your
subtraction.
So for instance, let's say you see the #7 rocker all the
way open. This means that #2 -- the intake valve of
the #1 cylinder -- is ready to be adjusted.
To adjust, you need a 1/2" wrench and a fair sized flat-
bladed screwdriver. Slide your 0.015" feeler gauge
between the valve and the end of the rocker shaft that
pushes down on it. If the gauge doesn't fit, loosen the
locknut and adjust the screw post till the gauge just
drags on top and bottom. Then tighten the locknut,
checking to make sure that this doesn't change the
clearance by tightening the adjuster screw.
Now, with the car in gear, roll it a little farther and see
which rocker goes all the way open. Subtract that from
nine and adjust the resulting number. Repeat till all eight
valves are adjusted.
Some notes:
- If you can stand the noise and you're running hot
combustion temperatures, running the valves a
little *loose* will allow more time for the valves
to be in contact with the seat (and therefore the
coolant), at a cost in clatter.
- If you are running a non-stock cam, that 0.015" figure
may be way off. My Piper Blueprint 285 cam requires
different settings for intake and exhaust valves (which
I think are 0.018" and 0.021" respectively).
- For the record -- though it makes no difference in the
adjustment settings for a stock camshaft -- the pattern
of valves on the MGB is EIIEEIIE (E = exhaust, I = intake).
Now. TeriAnn, what are the particulars of your GT6 coolant
bottle installation? I'm tired of adding liquid every few
days in our 90-degree weather, not to mention of the shock
I get when I look under the car and see a few ounces of
green puke on the pavement after I park it from a hot run.
It Seems To Me (the four most frightening words on the
Internet!) that you'd want the bottle to be pressurized,
with the inlet at the bottom, so that when the engine
cooled the pressure would force the coolant back past the
radiator cap. Yes? Are there any modifications you need to
make to the radiator cap to keep the coolant from getting
spewed past the plunger instead of into the radiator?
--Scott "C'mon, you *knew* I couldn't stay away long" Fisher
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