How to stop knocking headset

Howdy chaps.

OK I have a problem with me nana

Yesterday I came to it and the headset was knocking, so I undid the pinch bolts on the stem, top cap nut thing and I tightened it up, still knocking

So I went back tightened it again to the max, that much so the forks wouldn't turn smoothly, guess what, still knocking

Clearly there is another issue going on here that I am missing and I am wondering if it's to do with either the way I am assembling it or the components that I have used?

My headset is the Tange Seiki Falcon FL250C 1 Inch Threaded mated to a PZ Racing Quill to Ahead Stem Adapter (28.6mm).

I am wondering if I need to drop the quill adapter like deeper into the stem or something, I dunno, I don't know what to try next, what do you do when you tighten it up tight and it still knocks?

Image here if anyone can see what's going on. I went and put a small spacer under the top cap thinking that would leave room for any compression but it's still happening.

What would you guys try next?

Many thanks

You have a threaded headset with a quill/aheadset adaptor.

You've not yet actually adjusted the headset with all your tightening and loosening.
Need to get a pair of proper headset spanners on there.

No idea why tightening everything up too much would jam the headset though.
But anyway, adjust the headset first, then go from there.

Hi Matt.

Ahhh lovely, I feel such an idiot haha, so the spanners is what's going to adjust the headset not the quill thing lol.

Hate being new sometimes, it makes total sense now.

Cheers for that mate, now, where did I put those spanners, hmm..

Happy now