Below is a practical, no-nonsense technician’s procedure for checking and adjusting valves on a Massey‑Ferguson MF3600‑series tractor. Read everything before starting. Get the exact clearance and torque specs for your specific MF3600 model from the factory/service manual and follow them — below I give typical ranges only as a guide.

Tools and supplies
- Service manual (exact valve clearance & torque specs, firing order)
- Feeler gauge set (metric, down to 0.05 mm)
- Metric socket set, wrenches, screwdrivers
- Long 1/2" breaker bar or ratchet to rotate crank
- Torque wrench (for locknuts/fasteners)
- Magnetic pickup / parts tray
- Valve spring compressor (for shim‑type heads)
- Micrometer or digital calipers (0.01 mm resolution)
- Flat feeler gauge holder or thin screwdriver if needed
- Small hammer & punch (only if removing rocker studs)
- Clean rags, degreaser, anti‑seize
- Replacement shims (assorted sizes) or replacement adjuster screws/locknuts if required
- New valve stem seals (if you remove springs)
- Gloves, safety glasses

Safety precautions
- Work on a cold engine (do not adjust when hot).
- Park on level ground, apply parking brake, chock wheels.
- Disconnect battery negative.
- Keep hands/loose clothing away from rotating parts. Use proper lighting.
- Support hood/bonnet safely.
- When compressing springs, wear eye protection; keep springs/retainers contained.
- Keep organized: don’t mix up shims, pushrods, rockers.

Two common valve train types and brief diagnosis
1) Screw‑and‑locknut adjustable rocker (older/simple design): adjustment is done with a feeler gauge between rocker pad and valve stem/pushrod top; you turn adjusting screw and locknut.
2) Shim‑under‑bucket (or shim‑over‑bucket) (common on modern diesels): there is no external screw; you must measure clearance and replace shims of proper thickness. Shim‑under‑bucket often requires removing the cam or using a spring compressor to remove retainers.

Procedure A — Screw‑and‑locknut rocker (step‑by‑step)
1. Prepare:
- Gather specs: intake and exhaust clearances (cold).
- Remove valve cover(s) and clean area to prevent debris falling into head.
2. Bring cylinder 1 to TDC compression:
- Remove glow plug/injector access cover (if needed) for easier confirmation.
- Rotate the crank by breaking the crank bolt with a breaker bar in normal rotation direction until timing mark aligns with TDC and both valves of cylinder 1 are closed. Confirm on compression stroke by watching injector rocker or by feeling compression (or use a helper to crank slowly with starter disconnected).
3. Adjustment sequence:
- Follow firing order from manual. For typical 4‑cyl diesel the sequence is 1–3–4–2, but confirm.
- At each cylinder’s TDC compression, check intake and exhaust clearances with a feeler gauge between rocker pad and valve stem/pushrod top or bucket top as appropriate.
4. Adjust:
- Slide the correct feeler blade between the rocker and valve and loosen the locknut.
- Turn the adjusting screw until you can just slide the feeler with a slight drag (feeler should move with slight resistance).
- Hold the adjusting screw (with screwdriver or small spanner) and tighten the locknut to spec while keeping the screw from turning. Recheck clearance after tightening; repeat until correct.
- Typical common diesel cold clearances (only as guide): intake 0.10–0.20 mm, exhaust 0.20–0.30 mm. Use official spec.
5. Repeat for each cylinder in the adjustment sequence.
6. Final:
- Reinstall valve cover with new gasket or RTV if required, torque bolts to spec.
- Reconnect battery, run engine and listen for normal operation.
- Recheck after 50–100 hours; retorque valve cover if needed.

How the tool is used (screw‑and‑locknut):
- Feeler gauge: slide between rocker pad and valve stem; choose blade matching spec.
- Screwdriver/spanner: turn screw while holding gauge; tighten locknut with wrench while holding screw so clearance doesn’t change.
- Torque wrench: tighten locknuts to manufacturer torque.

Procedure B — Shim‑type (under‑bucket or over‑bucket) (step‑by‑step)
1. Prepare:
- Get service manual shim thickness table, shim part numbers, or a set of shims.
- Remove valve cover(s) and clean thoroughly.
2. Bring cylinder to TDC compression for the cylinder you will measure:
- Same as Procedure A.
3. Measuring clearances:
- On shim‑under‑bucket: insert feeler gauge between cam lobe (base circle) and bucket? Wait — correct method: rotate until cam lobe for that valve faces away (base circle). Clearances are measured between shim (under bucket) and valve tip via feeler placed between bucket and cam lobe base circle; some designs require removing the rocker to access bucket — follow manual.
- For shim‑over‑bucket, you may need to remove the rocker or use a special tool to hold the shim.
- Use feeler gauge to measure clearance while cam is on base circle.
4. Determine new shim thickness:
- If measured clearance ≠ spec, calculate new shim thickness:
New shim = Old shim + (measured clearance − spec clearance)
- Example: Old shim = 2.20 mm, measured clearance = 0.40 mm, spec = 0.25 mm → New = 2.20 + (0.40 − 0.25) = 2.35 mm → fit closest available shim (2.35 or next standard size).
- Measure old shim with micrometer to confirm thickness before removing.
5. Replace shim:
- Compress valve spring and remove keepers, spring retainer, then remove old shim (shim‑over may pop off when retainer removed).
- Install new shim and reassemble retainer/keepers, slowly release compressor.
- If shim‑under‑bucket and design requires cam removal, follow manual to remove camshaft, then change shims from top/bottom as directed.
6. Recheck clearance with feeler gauge with cam on base circle. If not correct, repeat shim change.
7. Reassemble valve cover, torque bolts to spec.
8. Run engine and recheck after short run.

How the tools are used (shim method):
- Valve spring compressor: compresses spring to remove keepers safely.
- Micrometer: measures shim thickness to 0.01 mm to calculate replacement.
- Feeler gauge: used when cam lobe is on base circle; check clearance with gauge between cam base circle and bucket or between rocker and valve tip as design dictates.

Replacement parts commonly required
- Shims (various thicknesses) — most common replacement item for shim systems.
- Adjuster screws/locknuts (if stripped),
- Valve stem seals (if springs removed),
- Pushrods, rockers, or studs if worn.
- Valve cover gasket.
- Valves/springs/guides if valve face/guides are worn (if excessive wear found).
Always use OEM or approved equivalents.

Common pitfalls and how to avoid them
- Adjusting on a hot engine — clearances will be wrong. Always cold.
- Incorrect TDC/compression stroke identification — verify with injector/valve movement or compression check.
- Over‑tightening locknuts or mis‑torquing — use torque wrench and spec values.
- Losing or mixing shims — mark and bag parts per cylinder and position.
- Not using a micrometer before swapping shims — leads to trial‑and‑error.
- Changing shim without measuring old shim thickness — you must measure old shim before removal when possible.
- Reusing weak/warped shims or damaged keepers — replace damaged parts.
- Not cleaning area before removing components — contamination causes engine damage.
- Failing to recheck clearances after tightening locknuts or after initial run (retighten or reselect shim if necessary).

Final checks and break‑in
- After adjustments, run engine at idle and moderate rpm; listen for tappet noise that’s abnormal.
- Recheck clearances after 50–100 operating hours.
- If noisy or if oil pressure issues appear, inspect valve train components for wear.

Summary checklist (quick)
- Get correct specs from MF service manual.
- Work cold, disconnect battery, chock wheels.
- Remove valve cover, rotate to TDC compression for each cylinder in sequence.
- For screw‑type: adjust screw with feeler gauge, tighten locknut to torque, recheck.
- For shim‑type: measure clearance on cam base circle, calculate new shim thickness, swap shim, recheck.
- Reassemble, torque covers, run and recheck.

That’s the complete technician procedure. If you need the exact cold valve clearances and locknut torques for a specific MF3600 model, consult the factory service manual for that model.
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MF 3600 tractor | Walkaround | FIMA | 2012 | Record We join Emily Padfield, Massey Ferguson Creative Services Manager to take a look at the low to mid hp range MF 3600 series ...

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