VP MD22 valve clearance

[FlyingDutchman]

Has anybody here checked the valve clearance on a Volvo Penta MD22 series engine?
The overhead camshaft is held in place by the rocker cover, the cover is the upper part of the bearings, so this looks like a difficult job. The manual says to check this after 2000 hours. Although mine has done only 1150 hours it is 18 years old.

The engine runs good, a bit smokey on start up but this only proves that it is a Volvo?

My initial feeling is to leave it alone?

 

[spannerman]

Actually its not a Volvo its Perkins 'O' series based engine which started life in Austin Princess's and some Allegros and Maxi's and also used in taxies. No never done the valve clearances as never had one do 2000 hrs in a boat yet! You need some special tools to check the clearances as there is a bridge you fit over the bearings to hold the camshaft in place once you have removed the cover.

 

[Bobc]

Leave it alone. It's bitch of a job.

You need to take the camshaft pulley off and the waterpump pulley off to show both ends of the camshaft.

You then need to clamp the camshaft down (with special tools) before removing the rocker cover.

You then need 2 other special clamps to hold the camshaft in-place at the mid-sections. You need to clamp-up carefully so that you get just the right pressure on the cam that the rocker cover gives, otherwise you get the wrong clearance readings.

Then you can CHECK the clearances.

If any need adjusting, it's a shim job (and the shims are hard to get now), which is a whole extra world of pain.

Unless the head needs to come off, leave it well alone.

 

[FlyingDutchman]

Thanks guys,

As I imagined (I have the workshop manual) it is pig of a job so I will leave it well alone.
I do around 50 hours per year so I have another 17 years to go before this is due...

Many thanks for your reassuring answers!