Tecumseh Questions

[Doubletrouble 10]

ok, I have a '71 work horse 800 3-speed. I was hearing a ticking noise from the engine. Awhile back i posted this finding and someone said to pull the head off and check for carbon in the head and cylinder. I did that today and there was some carbon built up so I cleaned up the head and piston top. I had everything nice and clean. I reassembled the engine and started her up and she still ticks. Could this be valve noise? I checked the tecumseh manual and I didn't see that the valves are adjustable. This engine is a hh-80 motor, I thought these were all cast iron. I noticed that the cyl. head is aluminum, is that correct? Any help on the ticking and insight on this aluminum cyl head will be appreciated....Thanks.

[Indy w h 5]

Doubletrouble, what you are hearing is the valves "ticking" which means you need some new valves. After so long of time the valves and lifters working together they wear on each other

causing the valves to get sloppy.The HH80 is a cast iron block and most of the small engines

have an aluminum head. Hope this helped you out.

Indy

[pfrederi 18,696]

Indy is most likely correct about the valves....They weren't adjustable in most Tecumsehs. But I wouldn't be in a rush to replace them. Worn valve stems keep the valve head in contact with the block longer and the valves are less likely to burn. Trade off is reduced power but if you can live with that you can probably wait a while before you replace the valves. When you do it would be a good idea to replace the lifters at the same time as they are probably worn also.

While you were cleaning the carbon did you inspect the valve seats to see there were any burned spots ??

[Doubletrouble 10]

I did look at the valve seats the best I could. they didn't look to bad, had carbon deposits down in the throat of the runners but thats normal on any engine. I'm gonna run some fuel additive (in small amounts) to try to clean it up a little over time. And thanks Indy WH. I was thinking tha the old cast iron engines had a cast iron head to. thanks for the help guys!

[Indy w h 5]

Not a problem Doubletrouble, that's why this forum is here

for everybody to help eachother out!!!!!And keep the horses

alive for another 50 years

Indy :banghead:

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

Why not just check the valve clearances to be sure.

Excess valve clearance in engines with non-adjustable lifters can be corrected by cutting or grinding the valve seats and refacing the valves.

[Doubletrouble 10]

TT : I will check the clearance soon. I'll probably wait til it warms up a bit though and I hate the thought of having my horse down for any length of time. HUM, another reason to have more than one!!

[Horse Rancher 0]

if you grind or lap the valves and seats it will

close up the gap between lifters and the valves

to readjust valve lash you grind off the valve stem

until your lash is right :thumbs:

[TT-(Moderator) 1,162]

Excess valve clearance in engines with non-adjustable lifters can be corrected by cutting or grinding the valve seats and refacing the valves.

Yeah. :thumbs: