Turning over by hand

Hi all

Checking valve clearance, jacked up back end put in gear turned wheels. But did not turn engine over.
What am I doing wrong gotta be something obvious......

Thanks

Just one wheel perhaps ? If both are off the ground, when you turn one forwards or backwards, the other will turn the opposite way I’m guessing here, what gear is it in?

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,, it is in gear innit Joe???

P.S. keep your keys in your pocket.

Ozziedog,,,,,,,, just for insurance

Why have I not done this ?

Ozziedog,,,,,,,,,

You could just use a spanner on the generator nut to turn the engine over for checking valve clearance? Saves you jacking up the van too.

Thanks for replys

Will try just one wheel off the floor
Did try all gears
Also did have spanner on crank but was struggling to see when valves were rocking as did not seem write when looking at timing marks/rota arm.

Loads of info on the old interweb on how to do this, but basically find top dead centre of no 1 piston by either removing the spark plug and putting a screwdriver or something similar in the hole and rotate the engine with a spanner on the alt/gen or crank nut. Or remove the dizzy cap and rotate the engine until the rotor arm points to no 1 cyl. At this point make a mark on the crank pully for TDC if there isn't one already. Remove the cyl head rocker box, the rockers for no 1 cyl should be able to move slightly. Check the valve to rocker clearance and set to 0.006". Next rotate the crank anti clockwise 180 deg then check cyl 2 valve rockers, then rotate the crank another 180 deg anti clockwise for cyl 3 and again 180 deg for cyl 4.

On the original VW 1600 Type 1 Beetle style air-cooled engine of my 1973 VW "1600" Type 2, I used to turn the engine over using the retro-fitted hand-cranked, starting-handle facility, which was much easier than using a spanner on either the crank-pulley or generator-pulley nuts. The substitute VW 1900 Type 4 style air-cooled engine will also have this facility.

70-CA-Panel said:

You could just use a spanner on the generator nut to turn the engine over for checking valve clearance? Saves you jacking up the van too.

Click to expand...