Not sure about using a gauge, but I only adjusted my lifters with a warmed up engine and running. I've a few sets of curled feeler gauges to prove it I always figured (and how I was taught) that if you tried to adjust them with a warm engine, as you progressed, the engine would be cooler and the gap would not be the same. Made sense to me. On my 218 I rebuilt and similar engines where I couldn't adjust them while running, I set them loose by .003 cold. Seemed to work fine. Now, disregard if you're dealing with a performance engine, no experience with that.
My slant six and flatheads are all solids. I love the sound! Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
All ford y-block have them stock. I had a windsor with them. Adjusted annually. All was good. Sent from my SM-T805Y using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hey HRP, Since it was hard to compete against the big stock 335 hp/4 speed Impalas in late 1959, early 1960, we stopped competing in A/Stock. We had a distinct 55 HP disadvantage and that was hard to make up as a stock car. So, we were finished with the A/Stock car class at Lions Dragstrip. We installed a Racer Brown Cam and solid lifters in our 348/280 HP motor of our 58 black Impala. It was worth it for the extra horsepower. If we were to leave a little late off of the starting line, it certainly had enough extra power to catch up and pass before the 1/8th mile marker for the win in the 1/4 mile races. It was my job to get out the thin, tuning gap strips, the ratchet and make sure those lifters were absolutely quiet and running well. It took some time adjusting all of those rocker arms. But, when it was all done, the motor was as quiet as the stock hydraulic lifters. Since no one knew we changed cams, the drive-in crowd only heard the fine quiet tune of the solid lifters acting as hydraulic lifters. But, the performance was like night and day. The Cherry Avenue drags did not have a chance. If the solid lifters got used a lot, they started making some noise. Then we knew it was time to adjust all of those rocker arms again for silent running. The Racer Brown Cam instructions told us that would provide top tuning and run well. So, raise the hood and get all of the paraphernalia ready for the late night tuning in the backyard concrete pad. Jnaki I distinctly remember a hook drop light and removal of one of the chrome valve covers to do the adjusting on the concrete driveway. A bedspread on the black fender and a canvas cloth was under the car to keep my mom satisfied that it was clean work. Then the whole operation went to the other chrome valve cover, etc. In our neighborhood, the air was silent. The motor chattered before and during the tuning periods. But by the time I finished late at night, it was quiet running for the top tune. It gave us lots of extra power we did not have in the stock configuration. By 1961, I decided to put on a small Racer Brown Cam sticker on the lower rear window. That was the view our opponents always saw... that and the 6 red tail lights flashing for the win.
If your running anything but an LS engine Solid lifters are a must. Hydraulic lifters pump down and you lose the cam profile after the engine gets heat in it. If we do any sort of hot rod engine it gets solid flat tappet or solid roller in it. The whole you have to set valves all the time is a myth. If you run a good stainless steel roller rocker or shaft rockers you set them once a season and they will stay put, run good ARP studs and Poly locks with a stud girdle. Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hell's fire, men. How you call yourselves Hot Rodders if you haven't set valve lash on your favorite hot rod motor ! Like a right of passage, or at least it was for us graybeards. HRP, it's your ride, time, and money. Try set'n em and see what you think. I learned from my uncle who worked in a chevy dealership and became their "corvette guy" from 1958 to bout 64. He taught me the feeler gage way, although the dealership had a P&G. He said doctors, lawyers, n business types bought those new vettes and no way would they put up with bring n in that new toy every week or even every month to fix valve noise. Once it's set, it should stay set for bout a year or so. Component wear or improper setting is your problem if less. Remember, you haven't lived till you cut the top off a valve cover, bolted it on, fired that hot rod up and set that lash .... well, maybe you have. Have fun, keep us posted Sent from my SM-N910V using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
I have built a number of engines for other people with solids that could have been hydraulic. They work very well and will certainly rev better. The trick to not having to adjust them constantly is getting them to lock in place. With stud mounted rockers use tower nuts with set screws. Set them and make the screws tight, you wont have to mess with them till the exhaust seats beat in and close the gap.
We set them in Over lap on most stuff, but on the big 900+ lift Sprint car stuff we set them 1 up 1 down. A lot of the stuff now with rules as tight on lift and what not a lot of stuff is set either Zero lash or even 1-3 thousandths negative lash, so it gets to Zero with heat. Sent from my Moto Z (2) using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Have NOS rockers installed now, but wondered about the Y Block single screw rocker arms. If the screws get a little too loose, some Blue Loctite wouldn't hurt a thing would it?
I have three cars all with solid lifters, My 34' Ford w/ blown 371 Olds, Isky roller cam,41' Ford convertible w/ 324" Olds, &Chet Herbert cam and my OT Comet GT w/ 66' Shelby 289", w/ General Kinetics cam from my late (don't ask me) GT350.
I am. Came with the engine. Works, so no real reason to change it. Would go roller if I needed a replacement though. Sent from my iPad using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
Hydraulics for me. I turned wrenches for some 45 years and have adjusted more valves than I care to remember. I'm too damn old to do any more work than I have to.
Old&Fast, A couple questions: What is a P&G? Also, Is there a protocol for using a late hyd. cam on early pre-49 lifters? Or not to? We ran a reground Crane hyd. cam on used solids for 10 years with no trouble except oil pump drive gear on cam was looking pretty shaggy from pushing 50wt. Kendall GT1 plus STP thru a full flow filter and cooler at 70 p.s.i.. I sort of answered my own question but I did read somewhere that one series was made of chilled cast iron and the other of something else and not compatible. Re: P&G, If that makes setting lash easier I want one as we always set lash hot and running and that's right under a set of megaphone pipes at 2000 r.p.m.. Lowest smooth idle is 2500 with the Crane F302 Hi Cam. RE: Spiral cam gear, I saw an old dealer directive that advised drilling and mounting a very small pipe into the side of block to squirt oil on cam/pump gear, fed from a plug on main oil gallery. An item in my bucket list is to build one more modded 320 so I am looking for a set of solid lifters and a 3 speed standard bell housing for a 320. Thanks, Fireball 5 P.S. If anyone has a set of solids in a block I will tell you how to modify a tool to pull them out without driving them from bottom.
I saw an old dealer directive that advised drilling and mounting a very small pipe into the side of block to squirt oil on cam/pump gear, fed from a plug on main oil gallery. Been doing that for years on my 302 GMC6's. Fitting is where the bypass filter drained back into the crankcase. I soldered up a fitting and drilled a .060" hole at a angle and squirted at the gears. The pressure came from a tee which fed the rocker arms.
Switched to solids in my 331", after two failed sets of cheap, Chinese hydraulics. I wouldn't want to try to have to adjust them if they were buried in an engine compartment though.
More Lashing ! I just remembered I have this little tool that makes adjusting much easier. It holds a 1/2 drive socket at a right angle to loosen or tighten lock nut. On top is a finger knob with a light spring under it you push down to engage its straight screw driver end into adjusting screw. Plus or Minus a little then snug nut with the hand holding the tool while the other hand holds the finger knob. I usually back nuts off but leave a little bit snug with engine off. Then set lash & stop engine to tighten lock nuts while things are still and quiet . Torquing nuts may change lash a few tens of tees but you can compensate by leaving a little heavier feel on gauge the first time thru. FireBall 5
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