I'd stick to the cold adjustment as hot varies more and there is more
likelihood of oil running down the head and block. Paul's comment about
adjusters 'hanging-up' has me confused. I've never used one but I thought
the clicks came as you turned the handle on the top to adjust the clearance,
which is nothing to do with the clicks that you get from a torque wrench,
which is what Paul's comment seems to imply. The click-adjust *should* be
better than the feeler gauges, which can give excessive gaps if the rocker
pads are dished. Rather than .015 I use a .014 go and .016 no go (or
combinations) and the correct clearance is then very obvious - rocker pad
flatness permitting. However the click-adjust will only give the correct
results if you have the correct pitch threads on the adjusters, and use the
correct number of clicks for that pitch.
It *does* sound like they are too loose now, especially if they didn't
clatter before, although MGB engines will always be 'tappety' anyway.
However if both click-adjust and feeler gauge agreed, what sequence did you
use to adjust them? You *should* be using the 'rule of nine', which means
that when 1 is fully down you adjust 8, when 3 is down you adjust 7, when 6
is down you adjust 3, etc. If you turn the engine each time and look to see
which valve goes down (opens) and adjust its 'partner', rather than trying
to adjust 1, 2, 3 etc. you will do it much quicker. If you adjusted them at
some other point in the valve timing you may not be adjusting at the widest
gap point.
To be honest you are likely to do more damage in the short journeys, nothing
to do with the valves. You should find a longer journey to work,
irrespective of your laudable aims in fuel usage and pollution :o)
PaulH.
----- Original Message -----
> The books all say to adjust to .015 cold, so that's what I tried to do. I
used a clik-adjust, which I think is a good tool, and a feeler gauge. All
the valves were too tight when I started.
>
> This morning, I drove it to work, and the valves chattered like that the
whole way there.
>
> Did I adjust things to be too loose? I'll do it again, but didn't want to
have to for awhile. My commute's about four miles each way. Will driving it
that distance do damage?
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