Installing fresh rockers, how do I set them before adjusting?

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I'm feeling so basic and unable to mentally figure this out

On a 300TDi I replaced the rocker arms because the face on all of them were all toast. So will all new rocker parts I am starting from square one. How do I go about setting each valve to be closed/open in the right way? I have looked for so long on instructions for this but haven't found anything. I have found plenty of adjusting videos and guides and the rule of 9 in many of them. They all have the rocker arms untouched and in order mostly for reinstall.

My idea (Not sure if its stupid wrong or not) is for each valve/rocker arm: When each push rod is all the way down this is when the spring valve should be closed (zero spring compression) and this would be where I screw the tappet into contact with the push rod while the rocker face is touching the valve cap. Repeat this for every valve.

Then go through it all again doing the rule of 9 adjustment procedure to set the clearances correctly.

I'd love assistance soon whether its a video link, explanation, or being told that my idea is correct.
 
Unfortunately the old ones are not a help for reference as the only part I reused from the rocker assembly was the tappet screw. If I kept one of them undone I probably would be alright. Mistake made in my greasy frustrations putting the new rocker set together.


wind them all up so you have the most thread above the rocker then set them rule of 9 ie if 6 fully down adjust 3, 5 fully down adjust 4 etc etc

I had seen the thread from years ago about a guy in my same situation and you explained to him what to do. The problem is I don't understand it still. Maybe I am not right in my english in this.

All the tappet screws are wound all the way up meaning zero to little contact with any push rods. All valves at same time are completely closed. How am I suppose to get any valve ''fully open'' when none are being acted upon in the first place when turning the crank? This is where my thinking of if the push rod is all the way down, then the valve should be closed (no longer compressed) where at this point I screw down the tappet screw into contact with the push and the rocker face is just touching valve cap. Do this for every valve while spinning the crank, then do rule of 9.

I kinda feel like the man from a comedy video I saw. He can't seem to understand that 1 pound of feathers and 1 pound of steel are the same weight because he's continuing arguing that steel is heavier than feathers to those telling him they are the same weight :oops:

I think I'm mostly looking for reassurance also
 
your not watching the valve you watch the rocker arm you watch one arm lifting at the push rod end and falling at the valve end as you slowly turn the crank.when the push rod has reached the top of the cam lobe arm will pause momentarily and then start to lift go the other way its that point on a particular valve/rocker arm that you count from front its number, the first one is number 1 the last one nearest the bulkhead no 8 etc so when 1 is fully down valve en so fuully up push rod end take its number from 9 so for no1 it would leave you with no 8 which is the one you then set with feeler gauge, 2 fully down so pushrod end fully up 2 from 9 = 7 so you would set no7 etc
you dont have to fully wind them up just dont have them fully wound down, its just i full wind adjuster screw up then fit the rocker shaft then adjust the screws as i set the tappets
 
your not watching the valve you watch the rocker arm you watch one arm lifting at the push rod end and falling at the valve end as you slowly turn the crank.when the push rod has reached the top of the cam lobe arm will pause momentarily and then start to lift go the other way its that point on a particular valve/rocker arm that you count from front its number, the first one is number 1 the last one nearest the bulkhead no 8 etc so when 1 is fully down valve en so fuully up push rod end take its number from 9 so for no1 it would leave you with no 8 which is the one you then set with feeler gauge, 2 fully down so pushrod end fully up 2 from 9 = 7 so you would set no7 etc
you dont have to fully wind them up just dont have them fully wound down, its just i full wind adjuster screw up then fit the rocker shaft then adjust the screws as i set the tappets

Really appreciate the input and help. However theres some jumbled words making that explanation confusing in some area

When the push rod is all the way down, the tappet screw should be in contact with it, while the other end of the rocker on the valve would be all the way up. This seems to be the obvious starting point to get the rocker arms to move. They don't move when turning crank because the tappet screws are not in far enough to touch the pushrods at any point. I can't do the rule of nine unless the rocker arms move. You get what I mean? Having a starting point for each rocker is the dilema. Not the rule of 9 stuff.
 
Really appreciate the input and help. However theres some jumbled words making that explanation confusing in some area

When the push rod is all the way down, the tappet screw should be in contact with it, while the other end of the rocker on the valve would be all the way up. This seems to be the obvious starting point to get the rocker arms to move. They don't move when turning crank because the tappet screws are not in far enough to touch the pushrods at any point. I can't do the rule of nine unless the rocker arms move. You get what I mean? Having a starting point for each rocker is the dilema. Not the rule of 9 stuff.
leave them wound half way if it helps you to see when the cam lobe is at max ie pushrod fully up valve end fully down, either way a valve will be seen to be pushed down then stop then rise if you go too far, it the point when it stops been pushed down and begins to rise again your looking for
your looking for the cam lobe to be at it highest ,so you could see that without the rocker shaft fitted ie push rod would rise then stop rising pause then descend
 
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leave them wound half way if it helps you to see when the cam lobe is at max ie pushrod fully up valve end fully down, either way a valve will be seen to be pushed down then stop then rise if you go too far, it the point when it stops been pushed down and begins to rise again your looking for
your looking for the cam lobe to be at it highest ,so you could see that without the rocker shaft fitted ie push rod would rise then stop rising pause then descend

I think I got it figured out. I ended up going with my thoughts:

While rotating the crank I watched each push rod rise and fall. When the rod is at its lowest point, wind down the screw tappet in the rocker arm until the ball end is in the rod cup and valve cap face of rocker arm is touching the valve cap.
Then ran through the rule of 9. #8 all the way down (valve open) check and adjust clearance on #1. Repeat for all of them and do again to be sure.

All seems well when turning the crank and rechecking. I'll know for sure when I turn it on but that wont be until tomorrow or Sunday When motor is put back in
 
I think I got it figured out. I ended up going with my thoughts:

While rotating the crank I watched each push rod rise and fall. When the rod is at its lowest point, wind down the screw tappet in the rocker arm until the ball end is in the rod cup and valve cap face of rocker arm is touching the valve cap.
Then ran through the rule of 9. #8 all the way down (valve open) check and adjust clearance on #1. Repeat for all of them and do again to be sure.

All seems well when turning the crank and rechecking. I'll know for sure when I turn it on but that wont be until tomorrow or Sunday When motor is put back in
, i think your getting too involved with the meaning "valve fully open"you could have just set the tappets when push rod was fully up or its highest then use rule of 9 but youve got it at least
 
, i think your getting too involved with the meaning "valve fully open"you could have just set the tappets when push rod was fully up or its highest then use rule of 9 but youve got it at least

You could be right but even when ignoring the valve opening amount and focusing on the push rod and rocker, my starting point isn't there. In my mind as I visualize what you're saying with the rod at its highest point and then set the tappet, the valve doesn't move. They are all closed. The tappet screw isn't extended in to the push rod enough

The basic premise as we know it: Push rod down, rocker moves with it, valve is closed. If rod is up,valve is open.

Like if you were given a whole new rocker set, all in new bags/boxes, and then had to assemble it and install it but you did not have any of the old rocker assembly what do you do?
Setting the tappet with valve closed and push rod down seems most logical to me.

I still feel like a dumb ass in this but seems I might have gotten by. We will see this weekend
 
You could be right but even when ignoring the valve opening amount and focusing on the push rod and rocker, my starting point isn't there. In my mind as I visualize what you're saying with the rod at its highest point and then set the tappet, the valve doesn't move. They are all closed. The tappet screw isn't extended in to the push rod enough

The basic premise as we know it: Push rod down, rocker moves with it, valve is closed. If rod is up,valve is open.

Like if you were given a whole new rocker set, all in new bags/boxes, and then had to assemble it and install it but you did not have any of the old rocker assembly what do you do?
Setting the tappet with valve closed and push rod down seems most logical to me.

I still feel like a dumb ass in this but seems I might have gotten by. We will see this weekend
your probably thinking too much about it,there are a few means of finding when cam position for a valve is fully shut and so gap determined with a feel gauge ,land rovers use the rule of 9 which means that you position a cam lobe to its highest which is (valve fully open), this means that that number valve thats fully open cam lobe pointing up is taken from 9 and you set that valve with the gauge, that cam lobe will be at that point at the correct setting point
having any adjusters adjusted previous is irrelevant as you only have to see the push rod rise then stop before falling or watch the other end of arm and watch the valve open and the stop before rising again, i fitted hundreds of new/reconditioned rocker assemblies and you dont need the old one or anything else just as i describe above
 
I ended up doing it the way I was thinking and then adjusted everything by rule of 9. Went perfect. My engine runs better than ever. Literally. Definitely better than when I had first bought it.
 
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