Oh no not again...
Moderators: User administrators, Moderators
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12425
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Oh no not again...
no
it is a bit easier to turn but then you are not concentrating on the job in hand, imagine if something goes wrong, best leave them alone, one thing at a time.
You need a stubby flat screwdriver to turn tappet adjusters and a ring spanner (15mm maybe can't remember), for locknuts, TDC is when rotor arm points at no 1 spark plug HT lead, adjust no 1 cylinder first ( right front of van as you view from rear) turn engine clockwise 1 4 3 2 or anti clockwise 1 2 3 4 half a crank turn for each cylinder adjust.
it is a bit easier to turn but then you are not concentrating on the job in hand, imagine if something goes wrong, best leave them alone, one thing at a time.
You need a stubby flat screwdriver to turn tappet adjusters and a ring spanner (15mm maybe can't remember), for locknuts, TDC is when rotor arm points at no 1 spark plug HT lead, adjust no 1 cylinder first ( right front of van as you view from rear) turn engine clockwise 1 4 3 2 or anti clockwise 1 2 3 4 half a crank turn for each cylinder adjust.
1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
itchylinks
itchylinks
-
- Registered user
- Posts: 4570
- Joined: 15 Oct 2010, 21:55
- 80-90 Mem No: 8927
- Location: London
- mrhutch
- Registered user
- Posts: 1117
- Joined: 09 Jun 2006, 09:27
- 80-90 Mem No: 2698
- Location: Herefordshire & all over
Re: Oh no not again...
itchyfeet wrote:STEP AWAY FROM THE SPARK PLUGS, one thing at a time.
Concentrate on the problem....
chap, listen to this advice

1981 Vanagon Westy Burning oil as fuel...
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12425
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Oh no not again...
all WBX should have hydraulics u less somebody buggered about with it.
After adjustment you van won't start for a few hours minimum, best leave it over night, haynes neglect to memtion this but they are doing a rebuild and so if following that you would be unlikely to get the engine back in in quick.
reason is when you release tappets they suck in oil from the gallery, when you preload tappets again valves open, no compression.
Over night they will bleed down a bit and you should be fine, compression again.
Imagine if you had changed spark plugs as well and it didn't start, then you would have no idea why and would probably assume spark plug problems, thats why you should do one job at a time.
After adjustment you van won't start for a few hours minimum, best leave it over night, haynes neglect to memtion this but they are doing a rebuild and so if following that you would be unlikely to get the engine back in in quick.
reason is when you release tappets they suck in oil from the gallery, when you preload tappets again valves open, no compression.
Over night they will bleed down a bit and you should be fine, compression again.
Imagine if you had changed spark plugs as well and it didn't start, then you would have no idea why and would probably assume spark plug problems, thats why you should do one job at a time.
1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
itchylinks
itchylinks
- bigbadbob76
- Registered user
- Posts: 1733
- Joined: 07 Nov 2016, 14:41
- 80-90 Mem No: 15707
- Location: Isle of Skye
Re: Oh no not again...
itchyfeet wrote: After adjustment you van won't start for a few hours minimum,
reason is when you release tappets they suck in oil from the gallery, when you preload tappets again valves open, no compression.
Over night they will bleed down a bit and you should be fine, compression again.
Great info Itchy. cheers for the heads up.

'86 1.9 DG, 4 spd, tintop, camper conversion.
Split case club member.
Split case club member.
-
- Registered user
- Posts: 2853
- Joined: 05 Oct 2012, 08:55
- 80-90 Mem No: 11974
- Location: Salisbury
Re: Oh no not again...
bigbadbob76 wrote:itchyfeet wrote: After adjustment you van won't start for a few hours minimum,
reason is when you release tappets they suck in oil from the gallery, when you preload tappets again valves open, no compression.
Over night they will bleed down a bit and you should be fine, compression again.
Great info Itchy. cheers for the heads up.
Yeah, he can be nice - at times



Why would the glass be anything other than half full?
'89 panel van, 1.9 DG.
'89 panel van, 1.9 DG.
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12425
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Oh no not again...
Saying nice things about me, must need some help on his van again 

1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
itchylinks
itchylinks
-
- Registered user
- Posts: 4570
- Joined: 15 Oct 2010, 21:55
- 80-90 Mem No: 8927
- Location: London
Re: Oh no not again...
I'm sadly lacking in that. Had a 30mm socket but the ratchet doesnt lock so I need to go and get the right spanner which will be easier to establish half a turn. None of the tappets are loose to the touch and there are no gaps unfortunately but I'll adjust them and see what happens
On number 3 the first valve was much easier to turn in two revolutions than the others. Is that significant?
On number 3 the first valve was much easier to turn in two revolutions than the others. Is that significant?
Last edited by Sir Brixalot on 03 Feb 2017, 12:40, edited 2 times in total.
Honorary "Dave"
-
- Registered user
- Posts: 2853
- Joined: 05 Oct 2012, 08:55
- 80-90 Mem No: 11974
- Location: Salisbury
Re: Oh no not again...
itchyfeet wrote:Saying nice things about me, must need some help on his van again
Shhhhh, all going well at the moment especially now it has programmable intermittent wipers - don't know how I ever lived without them.
Why would the glass be anything other than half full?
'89 panel van, 1.9 DG.
'89 panel van, 1.9 DG.
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12425
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Oh no not again...
Sir Brixalot wrote:I'm sadly lacking in that. Had a 30mm socket but the ratchet doesnt lock so I need to go and get the right spanner which will be easier to establish half a turn. None of the tappets are loose to the touch and there are no gaps unfortunately but I'll adjust them and see what happens
On number 3 the once I've adjusted the screw to touch, I can only tighten less than quarter of a turn not two turns.
put a tippex mark on tdc mark on fan belt pulley and another directly opposite to make life easy
don't understand your comment on no3
no3 cylinded has two adjusters?
adjusting the screw opens the valve so it will be tight but it should turn?
1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
itchylinks
itchylinks
-
- Registered user
- Posts: 4570
- Joined: 15 Oct 2010, 21:55
- 80-90 Mem No: 8927
- Location: London
Re: Oh no not again...
I've got a feeling I've misunderstood Haynes. I turned the engine half a turn to move to each cylinder. On each pair of valves I loosened the nuts holding the screw in place. Unwound the screws on each valve, turned them back in until they were just touching then screwed them down two full 360 degree turns and then tightened the nut. I did this four times on the LH cylinder head.
Last edited by Sir Brixalot on 03 Feb 2017, 13:18, edited 1 time in total.
Honorary "Dave"
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12425
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Oh no not again...
At TDC for cylinder no1 is where you start, adjust both valves on cylinder 1
then turn crank 1/2 turn clock wise and adjust both valves on cylinder 4,
then 1/2 turn cylinder 3, then 1/2 turn cylinder 2
then turn crank 1/2 turn clock wise and adjust both valves on cylinder 4,
then 1/2 turn cylinder 3, then 1/2 turn cylinder 2
1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
itchylinks
itchylinks
-
- Registered user
- Posts: 4570
- Joined: 15 Oct 2010, 21:55
- 80-90 Mem No: 8927
- Location: London
Re: Oh no not again...
Phew. Just sit and wait now for oil to drain back in. I noticed the cover had some scraping inside by valves on cylinder 3
Honorary "Dave"
- itchyfeet
- Registered user
- Posts: 12425
- Joined: 23 Jul 2007, 17:24
- 80-90 Mem No: 12733
- Location: South Hampshire
Re: Oh no not again...
valves should be no where near cover unless cover has been bashed.
did you manage to adjust all with 1.5 or 2 turns from touching?
did you manage to adjust all with 1.5 or 2 turns from touching?
1988 DG WBX LPG Tin Top
itchylinks
itchylinks