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Tappet Settings for Ford Crossflow


Benno

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I want to check my tappet clearances, but am not sure exactly what I should be setting them too.

 

I have a Ford 1600 crossflow  motor with an unknown cam in there. The car has a fairly lumpy idle, but I don't have a clue what the cam is. Not overly keen on taking too much apart to figure out what the cam is if I can avoid it.

 

The haynes manual says to set the clearances to intake: 0.25 mm, exhaust: 0.55 mm. Kent Cams specifies 0.36 mm Inlet/ 0.46mm Exhaust for a BCF2 cam.

 

Suggestions what I should be setting them to?? What is worse, too tight or too loose?

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I'd start off with something like 0.36mm/0.46mm (14/18 thou) and see how it goes. If its too noisy you can close em up a bit but I wouldn't go under 0.25mm / 10thou. 

 

Both too tight and too loose can be bad - too tight and you risk not fully closing an exhaust valve due to thermal expansion, too loose and you will pound your valvetrain to bits as the seating/take up velocity increases fast once you are off the lash ramp of the cam. 

 

Also generally the engine will run a bit more crisp with tighter clearances as the seat to seat duration is less. 

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