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[Tony H]

Tunnie. Hydraulic self adjusting shims are simply the metal plates that are used to adjust the gap between the cams and the valves.

Hence tappety sound on a Senator = bad!

Older cars had tappets which needed manual adjustment periodically to do the same job. When the gap became too large you would get an engine sounding very rattly (old Talbot engines though sounded like this pretty much all the damn time!)

For a more technical (and better written) description, please await Marks post!

Many moons ago I owned a 6 pot Princess (don't laugh ) that had this set up for ajusting valve clearences you had to measure the gaps remove the camshaft and followers work out the size shims required to obtain the right gaps by either adding or subtracting from the shims that were in place toddle of to the main stealer buy the shims usually a vaste assortment of different sizes put them back in the correct positions and replace the camshaft what a pain in the ass it was far easier adjusting pushrod type setups  

[Martin_1962]

Tunnie. Hydraulic self adjusting shims are simply the metal plates that are used to adjust the gap between the cams and the valves.

Hence tappety sound on a Senator = bad!

Older cars had tappets which needed manual adjustment periodically to do the same job. When the gap became too large you would get an engine sounding very rattly (old Talbot engines though sounded like this pretty much all the damn time!)

For a more technical (and better written) description, please await Marks post!

French Talbot engines - yes a very noisy item, whenever they get old they get noisy, why I don't know - think it is poor lubrication, as they are only a push rod lump. The UK push rod engines were however quiet in comparison and a lot more reliable, however accusing a Sunbeam owner of having a Horriblison is very risky to your wellbeing (OK I made two prats get out of a pub and listen and look carefully "See 3 doors not 5, no rattles and the engine is the correct way round!")

I can still hear Horribleison clatter in my head now!

Yes, agreed.  The UK push rod engines were, of course, the Rootes item - far better all round!  Our Hillman Minx (Arrow Shape) went round the clock twice which was quite an event in those days.

The Rootes 1600 Avenger lump was excellent

[Martin_1962]

When the gap became too large you would get an engine sounding very rattly (old Talbot engines though sounded like this pretty much all the damn time!)

Having owned a Talbot Horizon, I can vouch for this!  Those engines were, of course, from the Simca days.

My comiserations - what made them rattle then?

That car met it's end when the rear suspension collapsed when going round a roundabout.

I don't know why the engine rattled so much - I suppose the valve gear was not that well put together, plus not a good oil feed.  It was not a refined unit............

I never liked them - sounds like a good end