How to adjust and replace solid (mechanical) valve lifters |
Shown on a Peugeot 1.2 EB2 engine

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  • OVERALL DIFFICULTY INDEX: 3/10
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BEFORE YOU START
  • Make sure to wear gloves at all time when working on an open engine to avoid any contact with used motor oil.
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Measuring the valve clearance on solid valve lifters in any engine

Regardless if your cylinder head is still on the engine or if it has been dismantled, the intake and exhaust valves gap measurement on the Peugeot EB2 engine and any engine fitted with solid valves lifters (mechanical lifters) has to be carried out as follows:
  • Cold engine, i.e. engine stopped for not less than 10 hours
  • The engine is rotated by hand using the crankshaft pulley or the camshaft is rotated with a spanner (on a dismantled cylinder head) until the cams of a particular cylinder are pointing upwards as shown in the right picture
  • The gap between these cams and the valves lifters is then measured and the result noted on a piece of paper
  • Engine oil should be there, do not attempt such a measurement on a cleaned cylinder head without lubricating all parts
  • The engine (or camshaft) is rotated again and the measurement repeated on another cylinder and so on.
You have to use a feeler gauge (thickness gauge, thickness blade) that matches the given gap for your engine.
In case of the Peugeot 1.2 VTi engine, the valves clearances are as follows:
  • Intake, 0.21 mm
  • Exhaust, 0.38 mm
In this case, two thickness gauges have been purchased, one of them providing directly the 0.38mm blade and the other one allowing to measure 0.21mm by combining the 0.15mm and 0.06mm blades.;
Insert the feeler gauge blade in between the cam and the valve lifter and observe the following:
  • Feeler gauge blade can be inserted with little pressure then slides with some light friction. Gap is of the correct value
  • Feeler gauge blade can be inserted by pushing strongly or cannot be inserted at all. Gap is lesser than the correct value, use a thinner gauge blade and repeat the measurement until obtaining a smooth blade sliding with little friction.
  • Feeler gauge blade can be inserted very easily, gap is wider than the correct value, use a thicker blade and repeat the measurement until obtaining a smooth blade sliding with little friction.
Repeat the measurement twice for each cylinder after rotating the camshafts to confirm the result which should be noted as per the below example where "left" means the valve to the timing belt side.
The non-conforming gaps have been marked in red in the below schedule:
Cylinder
1
1
2
2
3
3
Valve 
Left
Right
Left
Right
Left
Right
Intake
0.20
0.12
0.21
0.20
0.20
0.21
Exhaust
0.38
0.35
0.38
0.35
0.42
0.42
And the same has been marked on the cylinder head itself with a permanent marker.

Measuring and ordering solid valve lifters on the Peugeot EB2 engine

You need to use a micrometer with either range of 25-50 mm or 50-75 mm supplied with the right extension that zeroes the gap so you can measure 2 to 4 mm. 
Measure the thickness of each non-conforming valve lifter and note it well.
Repeat the measurement twice to make sure of the value you found.
Again, note the measured thickness of the non conforming mechanical valve lifters:
Lifter
1, intake right
1, exhaust right
2, exhaust right
3, exhaust left
3, exhaust right
Measured Thickness
3.155
3.26
3.28
3.19
3.175
Now calculate the thickness of the mechanical lifter to be ordered based on the below formula:
INTAKE: New thickness = Measured thickness + (Measured valve clearance - 0.21)
EXHAUST: New thickness = Measured thickness + (Measured valve clearance - 0.38)
Lifter
1, intake right
1, exhaust right
2, exhaust right
3, exhaust left
3, exhaust right
Calculated Thickness
3.065
3.23
3.25
3.23
3.215
Compare the calculated value with the available parts from Peugeot and place your order.
See further below for the part ordering chart:
Lifter
1, intake right
1, exhaust right
2, exhaust right
3, exhaust left
3, exhaust right
Required part thickness (refer to below table)
3.08
3.24
3.24
3.24
3.2 or 3.24
As a result, the new mechanical valve lifters to order are as follows:
Valve lifter thickness
Valve lifter part #
Qty to order
3.08
96 757 561 80
1
3.24
96 757 569 80
4
3.2
96 757 567 80
1
Fit the ordered parts to the cylinder head and measure again the valves clearance to make sure of the result.
Note how two parts have been ordered for the mechanical lifter of cylinder 3 exhaust right, so both can be tried since the calculated solid valve lifter thickness falls in between two ranges.
That's it!

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