The old saw says "If it works, don't fix it".
However, the really correct answer is "It depends." The .019 setting was
called for on the early cam. Your serial number would appear to put the
engine with a later cam as it came from the factory. It is possible,
however, that the cam might have been replace with the earlier cam, but
most often the reverse was the common practice. It's also possible
(likely) that the original cam was reground at some point to a different
profile.
It will not hurt in the least to run with a .019 setting on either the
early or the late cam, but running .012 on the early cam is a recipe for
burning valves, since the early cam profile will not allow the valves to
stay open long enough to avoid burning if set to .012.
So, my advice is unless you're absolutely sure the cam is the late cam,
leave the setting at .019 and continue to run cool.
Regards,
Lew Palmer
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-mg-t@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-mg-t@autox.team.net] On
Behalf Of streepey
Sent: Friday, June 08, 2001 5:12 PM
To: mg-t@autox.team.net
Subject: Tappet adjustment
I acquired "Thw Pumpkin" (1953 MGTD engine # XPAG/TD2/25761) in 1972. I
have no information on the car prior to my purchase. In 1975 I rebuilt
the engine completely - resleeved to standard - it had oversize pistons
so the engine had been rebuilt previously. I did everything correctly,
everything balanced, new pushrods, both engine and head rebuilt. I do
not recall if the camshaft was replaced/polished/reground and
unfortunately my diary and receipts were lost when we moved 10 years
ago.
Now my quandry??? I have been setting the tappets .019 for all these
years, but I just discovered that at engine XPAG/TD2/24116 a different
camshaft was fitted and the tappet adjustment changed to .012.
The car has run perfectly for all these years, many, many miles
(probably about 30,000). There is no excessive valve clatter, power is
satisfactory, road speed at given RPM's exactly correct given my 4.875
rear end.
Many of you on this list are better mechanics than I. Should I stay
with the .019 setting or set to .012 and see what happens?
Thanks
Lee
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