adjusting valves

[grumpyvette]

ok how do i adjust them now?

http://www.thedirtforum.com/chevyvalves.htm

http://www.2quicknovas.com/happyvalves.html

https://www.craftsman.com/products/craftsman-mach-series-14-piece-3-8-t-handle-driver-and-bit-set

http://www.centuryperformance.com/valveadjustment.asp


http://www.boostandfuel.com/support/setting_valves.htm

http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles/87998/index2.html

http://www.angelfire.com/fl4/pontiacdude428/valveadj.html

btw if your totally new at this the tappet feeler gauge measures the lash clearance between the valve and rocker on solid lifter cams

I just don,t think adjusting the valves without the oil pressure and the block up to operating temp. is the best way to adjust valves , but yes you can do it just fine with several methods discribed above

how do you adjust valves at idle without the mess of oil getting all over the engine and headers

HIT A FEW YARD SALES, SWAP MEETS UNTILL YOU FIND A DIRT CHEAP SET OF TALL CAST VALVE COVERS LIKE THESE, the CONDITION THEY ARE IN ,WITHIN REASONABLE LIMITS OF COURSE IS NOT THAT IMPORTANT

you simply cut the ribbed center section out of the valve cover, and glue the synthetic valve cover gaskets on them in the normal location,
when you go to adjust the valves you first remove the standard valve covers and install your VALVE ADJUSTMENT COVERS, they retain about 80%-90% of the oil that would normally be lost over the edge of the cylinder head while adjusting a running engine, they also catch much of the splashed oil, just leave a 1/4"-3/8" of the rolled top for strenth around the perimiter of the top surface. I bought my set for $10, they were old and slightly discolored but I could not care less! I took them home and used a drill and saber saw to remove the center ribbed area, theres several brands that are very similar in appearance, all will work! and Ive used them for over 25 years, if I remember correctly they are mickey thompson brand

now if the lifters are hydrolic of course you just back the adjustment nuts off the rocker studs with a wrench, slowly until the rocker JUST starts clicking , then slowly tighten the nut just up to the point that the clicking stops then add 1/4 to 3/8 turn to preload the lifter and move to the next rocker and repeat, the only differance with solid lifters is you use a feeler gauge inserted between the valve tip and rocker after they click slightly,to measure the lash distance recomended on the cam spec. card (normally .016-.028 thousands) and you tighten them just to the point at idle that the clicking stops... then you remove the feeler gauge and move to the next rocker
if your useing jam nuts dont forget to lock the allen key

Valve Adjustment: ENGINE OFF!

with #1 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #6 Intake Valve
with #8 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #5 Intake Valve
with #4 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #7 Intake Valve
with #3 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #2 Intake Valve
with #6 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #1 Intake Valve
with #5 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #8 Intake Valve
with #7 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #4 Intake Valve
with #2 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #3 Intake Valve

Exhaust Valve Adjustment: ENGINE OFF!

If you have noticed, this is the same procedure as the intake valves listed above, just that you are now adjusting the exhaust valves the same way.

with #1 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #6 Exhaust Valve
with #8 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #5 Exhaust Valve
with #4 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #7 Exhaust Valve
with #3 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #2 Exhaust Valve
with #6 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #1 Exhaust Valve
with #5 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #8 Exhaust Valve
with #7 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #4 Exhaust Valve
with #2 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #3 Exhaust Valve

or if your really lazy (you can use this method on hydraulic lifters)install the tall cut valve covers and just turn the engine about 20 degrees or 1/8th turn,(start anywhere )and take the slack out of any loose rockers, repeat for 720 degrees,(twice around) then go back and give each rocker nut one turn OUT(LOOSER) and start the engine,(yeah it will be messy and noisy) and then go back and turn each rocker IN (TIGHTER) until it just quits clicking plus 1/3rd of a turn past that point

BTW many chevy rocker studs use a thread pitch of about .040 thousands per turn so once your very familiar with your solid lifter engines needs and the cam lash clearance you need and once you verify the pitch rate of the threads you can adjust solids surprisingly close to correctly by running them in till they quit clicking, then OUT about 1/3-1/2 a turn to get the correct lash rather than IN like on a hydraulic lifter to add preload,naturally you'll need to verify with a feeler gauge.

NATURALLY you need to know the threads per inch on the rocker studs and a quick check with your calculator will give you the necessary info on the clearance a full turn of the adjustment nut advances or loosens the rocker, and be aware that this is not exact but a fast way to get close at the track


http://www.ratwell.com/technical/HydraulicLifters.html

standard hydraulic lifter

 

[grumpyvette]

one little known bit of engine trivia, the thread pitch on the rocker studs is a known value, and therefore you can use that info to get a close approximate lash clearance.
THAT INFO IS GOOD TO KNOW WITH SOLID LIFTERS

ok, HOW you ask?
if the rocker studs have a comon NF thread theres a pitch or number of threads per inch, now obviously youll need to carefully verify what the thread pitch, and the clearances are with a feeler gauge on your engine, while its not running and take into account the rocker ratio but lets assume
3/8" 24 Threads Per Inch
7/16" 20 Threads Per Inch
from that you can adjust the rockers remarkably close to thier correct lash value in a similar manor to that used for hydraulic lifters , but instead of adding preload by running the rocker nut in slowly just to the point the lifter stops clicking at idle, then adding a 1/2 turn to add preload, you run the rocker in slowly at idle just to the point it stops clicking and BACK IT OUT the approximate lash distance, using the known thread pitch as a guide.
lets say the lash should be .016-.018
youve got a 3/8" stud with 24 threads per inch, with a bit of math we find that each full rotation of the rocker nut advances or reverses the nut .041 time 1.5 (or your rocker ratio),per inch, so youll get the approximate lash with backing the nut off about 2/5ths of a full turn, or a bit less than 1/2 turn but more than 3/4rs of a 1/2 turn
naturally youll have verified exactly what your engine requires before doing this, so youve got the correct math and value
yeah! I know your thinking its not exact! well from YEARS of doing it I can tell you that after awhile youll get a feel for the engines sound and responce and youll find that you can get very good results

this infos very handy with self alighing rockers that make setting lash with a feeler gauge a P.I.T.A.

http://www.prwonlinestore.com/sportsman ... arms7.aspx

 

[grumpyvette]

IF YOUR HAVING trouble with rockers and poly locks coming loose with solid flat tappet lifters.....Ill assume you've verified the rockers and cam & lifters and valve train are in good condition theres no worn cam lobes etc, and you know your clearances are correct before you start,
once adjusted correctly poly locks don,t generally come loose and in most cases solid lifter flat tappet cams only need occasional adjustments, by occasional Id say it depends on the components but several THOUSAND miles between adjustments at the MINIMUM and Ive seen lots of flat tappet engines go 10K between adjustments or even more.

ok , now IM old school but I get excellent results and Im not big on making things complicated, back off the rockers at idle till they click, slip a tappet feeler gauge of about .002-.003 larger than the manufacturers recommended lash,

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?autofilter=1&part=WMR-W130C&N=700+115&autoview=sku
(btw tappet gauges are cheap and expendable and its common to have them bend and need replacement)
between the rocker and valve stem and tighten carefully till the clicking stops with the poly lock then lock the set screw, once your done with all 16 , go back and give each poly lock about a 1/10-1/8 turn tighter, to lock the set screws firmly,(this takes up the slight exta clearance and locks the poly locks firmly) keep in mind the rockers wont move in that far as slack in the threads is being compensated for as the nuts lock to the studs and compress the lock screw

EXAMPLE
if you read carefully , the post above, youll see I said if the ideal lash is .016 you use a .019 tappet gauge and once adjusted with the clicking at idle method, you turn in the center set screw and then turn in the poly lock about 1/10 turn further to lock it firmly thus you have very close to the desired .016 lash as the threads generally move the rocker about .040 per full rotation., and you've remove all slack, preloaded the threads a bit, keep in mind the exact clearance, being a thousandth off or exactly correct is not as critical as being consistent

those look similar to mine but I used some tall cast covers
they are a GREAT ASSET