Engine rattle

[NickandNeil]

I have a Ford Pinto 1993cc engine in my Exmo.  The engine smoked when first starting, and after reading the forums I thought the valve seals had gone.  With my IVA less than two weeks away I thought I would change them as I was running out iof time.  I thought I would repalce the seals without removing the head.  I bought the tool esecially for it, and after watching u tube video's Proceded to remove the spark plugs and insert rope into the cylinder.  After turning the engine by hand to compress the rope against the valves, I changed all the seals and felt very pleased with myself.

When I came to start the engine, it rattled like hell.  Double checked the valve clearances. Eight thou for inlet, ten for exhaust.  They were all correct. Fired it up again and the rattle was the same.

( There was no rattle before)  I am at a loss what I could have done wrong.  The oil seems to be plentyfull coming over the cams.  When I turn the engine over by hand it sometimes jams solid.

Is it possiblr to put the collets in wrong?

Other than something being in the cylinder is all I can think of that would cause it, but I can't see how that could possibly have happend.

Any thoughts please.

 

[MarkBzero]

Collets will only lock into place when used in the proper direction due to shoulders on the tappet.

Have you done a quick visual check to see they are all there i.e. one part has not fallen into cylinder. 

I would firstly check that all collets are visible. Then take out spark plugs look into each combustion chamber, ideally with led camera probe to see if anything is in the chamber.

Make sure none of the springs have snapped whilst compressing them.

Failing that is anyone near you, two heads better than one to help out.

[NickandNeil]

I am as sure as I can be that the collets were in the correct way.  But I will double check tomorow.  The chance of a collet going down the plug hole seems remote.  The led camera is a good idea but I have not got one, or know anyone with one.

Thanks,

Neil.

[richyb66]

Are all the rocker arm springs fitted correctly to keep the arm in contact with the top of the valve stem?

[NickandNeil]

Just watched a u tube video.  This is the first time I have set the gaps on an overhead cam engine.  I set the gap between the valve stem and the follower.  It looks like I should have set it between the follower and the cam.  Will reset now and see if I have done any damage.

[MarkBzero]

18 minutes ago, NickandNeil said:

Just watched a u tube video.  This is the first time I have set the gaps on an overhead cam engine.  I set the gap between the valve stem and the follower.  It looks like I should have set it between the follower and the cam.  Will reset now and see if I have done any damage.

That would create a rattle!

[phaeton]

Oh Dear how stupid do I now feel, I even watched a Youtube showing me how to do it & then did it completely different, TBF the last time I did the tappets on a Pinto would be late 70's. I had to buy a new set of feeler gauges as I couldn't locate the 2 sets I know I should have 'somewhere' but they wouldn't fit under the tappets so I even got the angry grinder out to make them.

Not sure I will ever live this one down, however I'm sure as my dementia gets worse I'll forget about it so won't care when you point your fingers at me & snigger

Alan..

[NickandNeil]

It's nice to know I am not the only one that has done this.  However, I seem to have damaged something as the engine will not turn over.  Taking the head off today.  I really did not want this as I am so close to the IVA.