The Slant Six Valve Adjustment Tool can be useful for checking valve tappet clearances. An older Plymouth, Dodge, or Chrysler Slant Six having mechanical lifters can use this tool.
The effort in making the specialized cover pays off quickly in reducing the time spent in adjusting the tappets. Specifications require a hot running engine for the adjustment. One obvious benefit to the tool includes containing the oil and oil mist of a running engine. Specifications normally call for a .010 inch gap on the intakes and .020 gap on the exhaust. You may find that increasing to .012 and .022 will provide an extra measure of protection. The goal is avoid early valve failure without any perceptible increase in valve tappet noise
The tappet clearances are initially set cold by jogging the engine starter with the normal valve cover removed for a rebuilt motor. An engine that has been recently operating can skip that step. The normal valve cover is in place while the engine is brought up to operating temperature. Next the specialized valve cover is installed after removing the normal engine valve cover.
Slant Six Valve Adjustment Tool
Note the alignment of the specialized valve cover holes with the valve tappet. Also note that extra holes in the valve cover are plugged. It may be necessary to partially cut any internal baffles.
The engine is restarted and the feeler gauge is inserted into the upper holes to determine which tappets need further adjustment.
Slant Six Valve Adjustment Tool Measuring Location
After determining which tappet needs adjusting, with the engine running, insert the adjusting tool thru the proper lower slot. Tighten or loosen the tappet as required.
Slant Six Valve Adjustment Tool Adjusting Location
Several rounds of measuring and tightening may be needed to get Slant Six Engines running at their best. The Slant Six Valve Adjustment Tool fits most early 60 to mid 70 stock Slant Six Engines.
Colonial Region Plymouth Owners Club members in the New England area can pick up the Slant Six Valve Adjustment Tool by coming to a regularly scheduled meeting. The tool is extremely clean so handling should be of no concern for most.
A regular tappet adjustment can perk up an engine that has tappets too close. It can also quiet down a noisy engine for tappets that are too loose. The Slant Six Valve Adjustment Tool allows more time to attend Colonial Region Plymouth Owners regularly scheduled or spontaneous events.
Detailed information on adjusting Slant Six Valve Tappets can be found at the Slant Six Forum site.