tappet spanner

[ian.mcdougall]

Does anyone know what size spanner for sidevalve tappet adjustment, in the workshop manual the top spanner has 1/4 stamped on it. Do you need slim ones as specified in the workshop manual, if so how slim.

[alanworland]

All 3 spanners used are 1/4 Whit and the one that holds the tappet flats is the thin one and I think needs to be about 5/32 thick (grind one down)
I once broke the top of the radiator leaning over to adjust the tappets! Cant think of a better way of having fun with 3 spanners and a feeler gauge!

[mike.perry]

Adjusting tappets on a Series MM is not my idea of fun. Thankfully they don't go out of adjustment very often if the lock nuts are tightened right down when the engine is out of the car. So unless they become noisy then they are usually OK. Having removed the carb and manifold and other bits and pieces to get to the tappet chest the checking with a feeler gauge is fairly easy. The fun starts when you have to fiddle about with the three spanners and feeler gauge at the same time whilst hanging upside down and trying to keep your glasses on. Actually with a little practice you can manage with two spanners. I will check the thickness of my spanners tomorrow but anyway they need to be the same as the hex on the lock nuts.

[mike.perry]

Measured my tappet spanners this morning. They are 1/8in thick with 1/4whit. jaws

[ian.mcdougall]

hi everyone
can someone give me the measurement between the jaws of the tappet spanners in imperial and metric to see whether i can source spanners locally to do the clearances on my tappets and do you need a set of gaskets for manifolds and covers to do the job

[mike.perry]

1/4 whitworth is fractionally wider than 1/2 in A/F so if you have a suitable narrow spanner it is just a case of filing out the jaws until it fits. But surely you have a 1/4 whit spanner, it is the basic tool for half the bolts on a Series MM!
You will need a cork tappet chest gasket which normally comes as part of a sump gasket set and a manifold gasket which is part of the head set, so you will have plenty of gaskets left over but no water pump or thermostat housing gasket.
When you remove the tappet chest cover be careful not to dislodge the distributor drive locating pin. It is a push fit and can sometimes be loose.

[ian.mcdougall]

the 1/4 whit spanners i have are slightly worn and at least 1/4 inch thick they came with the ark

[mike.perry]

Before I aquired a set of tappet spanners I used Brooks cycle spanners which were thin enough to fit the tappet nuts and had 1/4 whit jaws