Hey everybody, on my Oldsmobile 215 would I set the valves hot or cold? They should be set at zero I do believe. Sorry if this is kind of a silly question.
The internet is your friend..! One quick look produced this. http://www.centuryperformance.com/valve-adjustment-procedure.html While we could describe it to you...simply, the above seems to explain the process nicely so that you actually understand "why" you are doing what you are doing. Mike
In '66 or '67 I worked on an Olds 215 w/turbo one time for a neighbor of the shop I rented at the time, mostly for a hangout and to build and maintain a dirt track '55 Chevy and hot rods belonging to friends. Note this was almost 50 years ago, so I don't remember all the details. For instance I don't remember exactly what brought on the problem, but the engine was spinning with no compression, and it was obvious due to "popping back thru carb" that valves were off the seats when they should have been closed. I think the guy had done an oil and filter change, just not sure about that after all the years gone by. I was puzzled for sure, and the car owner talked to someone he knew that said to pull off the oil filter and replace with a new one IIRC, and when I did this the engine did start, skipped and popped a bit, then leveled out and smoothed out to a normal idle. I definitely remember that whatever brought it on, resulted in pumped up lifters and valves off the seat. Never understood what caused it or why, and also didn't understand what there was about what I did fixed it!!!
I worked at Buick dealers for a few years and every once in a awhile and engine would not start after an oil change. The lifters would collapsed and there would be no oil pressure as the oil pump would get an air pocket. 2X, fill the filter and crank it would usually get it started. Once I had to pull the pump cover and fill it with Vaseline to get the pump to pull oil.......
Maybe That's what I had happen, just don't remember anything except that the fix involved the oil filter. Had a '56 Chev. lose the pump prime on an oil change once back in about '61, and I eventually used a squirt can to prime the pump thru the oil passage up front in old chev. blocks just forward of in5take manifold. From that day on I waited till all other service work was done before I drained oil, lowered lift and put in fresh oil.
It's true that the 215, and a lot of old Buick engines in general can lose prime in the oil pump ( because it is a long way from the oil pan ) - the shop manual covers the Vaseline procedure . But I don't think that was the question. Hot vs cold setting- since they are hydraulic lifters, either way will work- the hydraulic lifter will take up the difference between the methods. Hot is the more accurate method. Can be set on a running engine - but is very messy [emoji33]
From the factory the valvetrain was not adjustable. The rockers are shaft mounted, with no provision for adjustment. I believe even the Jetfire turbo version was this way. Changing the pushrod length would be the only way to adjust them. You can buy adjustable pushrods for these motors.
Oh,yeah- that's right..... My 215 had an Isky cam and kit -with adjustable rockers....I forget stock is not adjustable ...[emoji5]️
My Uncle ran a 215 Olds in his midget and ran a hydraulic cam because the heat expansion, or what ever you want to call it, change the setting by 0.070 and you couldnt get an accurate setting for solid lifters. And as I recall on my 215 the rocker arms are on a shaft and I dont recall there being any adjustment.
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