A mechanical valve tappet for timing the valves of an internal combustion engine comprising a cup-shaped housing (1), consisting of a hollow cylindrical wall (2) closed at one end by a bottom (3) which is exteriorly contacted by a control cam (6), while on the inner surface of the bottom (3), there is arranged an elevation (4) which cooperates with the end of a valve stem of a gas exchange valve (5) and while the other dimensions of the valve tappet remain unchanged, the elevation is made in each case with a different axial extent whereby the valve clearance can be adjusted without the adjusting elements hitherto required by the prior art by inserting the entire cup-shaped housing (1) having the appropriate elevation (4) into the cylinder head.