Top end rattle

[Knockdolian]

Hi all. This is a question my brother has asked me. He has a zephyr MK3 engine. He says it has a top end rattle like lose tappets. It gets worse as the engine gets hotter so not tappets. He has also reduced tappet clearance with no change. I do not know this engine or heard it running. Hoping someone here knows what I’m talking about and recognise the symptoms. I’m thinking oil pump or cam chain but he says the noise is top end. Hopping it’s not small ends. Any ideas ?
Thanks

[kapri]

Notorious for it as the rocker arms get undercut with age and you can't get a correct feeer gap in there. I use an oil stone to flatten the tips and reset to correct clearances.

[mygasser]

yep, they get noisier as the oil gets thinner and yep it's tappets. as kev says the rocker arms wear so you can't get a feeler gauge in there. i've done them by feel but if you're not confident then as kev says remove them and file/sand them flat so you can set the clearances right.
neil.

[Knockdolian]

Thanks to both of you. Exelent news it’s nothing serious.

[roscobb]

Perhaps use a dial gauge indicator with magnetic base (instead of feeler gauges)?

[brading]

As above is how I have done it before on worn tappets.

[mygasser]

i've done them with the engine running before, by ear. that's fun, especially with locknut and screw types.
neil.

[chaley]

Neil, that’s the way my old MOT bloke did mine on my last mini, I took it in for its test knowing I still had to set them and when I went round the back to pick it up he had the bonnet off, engine running and was happily going back and forth doing it it for me. He wouldn’t take the drink offered either as he said he enjoyed doing it, because it brought back memories of his days as a works mini rally mechanic.

Chaley

[4potHemi]

My dad used to adjust them by ear, then provided the pushrods span, job done.