TAPPET COVER

Evening Star, Issue 22722, 9 August 1937, Page 15

TAPPET COVER

In many cars the valve tappet cover consists of a pressing of steel made concave in tho centre in order to stiffen tho plate. Nine motorists out of ten, however, always draw the retaining nuts down too tight, so that tho plate is buckled and oil is free to leak from the bottom, where the plate should make a good joint with the cylinder Mock.

Careful tightening of tho nuts so as not to buckle the plate should overcorn o tho trouble, hut if it still persists, and tho packing consists of one largo rectangular piece of cork, it is possible that oil collects between the cork and the plate, finding its way there via tho stud holes in the cork. In order to allow tho oil to drain back to the crankcase two or three holes may be cut in the cork near the bottom, or, better still, cut away the entire unused inside portion of the cork, leaving only a continuous narrow strip round tho edge of the plate to make the joint. The packing should be secured to the plate with shellac, while the tendency to allow oil to leak will be minimised if the joint between cork and cylinder block is made with hard grease.