Triumph Repair: TR^ Valve adjustment, straight blade screwdriver, lock nut

Question
I have a 1976 TR 6 with about 69K miles. It runs great, but my mechanic said that I need to adjust my valves because they are starting to knock slightly. he said he can do it, but he said it's fairly easy and that I could do it. So is it easy and can I do it. What do I do. Thanks.

Answer
Hi Ed,
Adjusting valves is not difficult, but you must follow procedures. A standard set of tools are all you need.

Remove all 6 spark plugs and the valve cover. (Engine cold)
Rotate the engine until #10 & #12 valves (counting from the front of the engine) are open (valve springs compressed)
At that time you can set #1 & #3 valve. Loosen the lock nut on the adjusting screw on the rocker arm and adjust the screw with a straight blade screwdriver with a .010" feeler gauge in between the rocker arm and the valve stem.

If you have never done this, the amount of "Drag" of the feeler gauge is all you need to learn. Loosen the adjusting screw and feel how easily the feeler gauges slides in and out between the rocker and the valve. Then tighten the screw until it locks up the feeler gauge. Then slowly loosen the screw until it just releases the feeler gauge. The correct "Feel" of the gauge is a slight drag. Now, hold the screwdriver and tighten the lock nut. You will notice that when you tighten the lock nut the feel of the gauge loosen a little. This is due to the slight clearance in the threads of the adjusting screw. So, loosen the lock nut again and this time make the drag feel a little stiffer when you tighten the lock nut. If you did it correctly it will free it just a little to the correct amount of drag. By the time you get all 12 valves adjusted you will start to get better at it.

You can only adjust 1&3 with the crank in this position so you have to rotate the crank a little to adjust the next two. Some mechanics prefer to turn the crank with a large wrench but I prefer to put the car in 4th gear (hand brake off) and I use the front tire as leverage to move the car and the crank to get the next pair of valves in position.

The next pair is 2 & 5 compressed so you can set 8 & 11.
7 & 9 compressed, set 4 & 6
1 & 3 compressed, set 10 & 12
8 & 11 compressed, set 2 & 5
4 & 6 compressed, set 7 & 9

Some mechanics use a little different method. You can only use this method if the base of the cam is perfectly round. After you get all of your valves adjusted correctly you can check your engine to see if this method can be used by turning the engine until #11 and #12 valve are both open just a little and the SAME amount. Now you can set #1 & #2 valve. The #11 & #12 are in "overlap" and # 1 cylinder is on TDC of the compression stroke. Now put your feeler gauge in 1 and 3 to see if they are at .010" as you had set them. If they are, then the base of your cam is round and this method can be used. If you were to place a mirror in the center of the head, each pair of valves in "Overlap" will allow you to adjust the intake and exhaust valves on the opposing cylinder. # 1 cylinder in "Overlap" set # 6 cylinder and when # 6 is in overlap set #1, when # 2 is in overlap set #5 etc, etc.

You should adjust your valves every 6000 mi. or sooner if they are noisy.
Let me know how you do.
Howard