SBC - adjusting rockers with engine running

I've done 100's of adjustments working in a Chevy dealership since the 70's. Static is the best, way less mess. Try using the clips when the engine is in a van, way too messy. Besides the factory does them statically.

 

How do you spin the valves? My fingers aren't that strong. Wait, do you mean the pushrod?

 

oil fire
read the manual .static

 

this is the way I do it as well, but I put #1 at TDC(valves closed)adjust intake and exhaust, then turn engine 90 degrees and do #8 cylinder, 90 degrees-#4 and so on thru the firing order. This has always worked for me and easier to keep track, if that makes any sense.

 

rip off pieces of aluminum foil and wrap it around the pushrod end of the rocker arm (push it in tight over the squirter hole). This along w/ the cut open valve cover works great for me.


jeff

 

the leftover foil can be used for many things

 

Always done 3/4 turn 1/4 @ at time. No problems. Engine hot.

 

dont you know that Hot Oil is Good for your Skin, there are People that Pay
Good Money to take Bath's in Oil so they can look Year's Younger

Just my 3.5 cents

 

yo paul
That's exactly how I've done it for years. No guessing if the cylinder is on TDC.
funny I thought I invented that way cuz its not in any manual.

18436572

 

Agreed, but it is very important to do this step after you have oil-primed the engine and the lifters are pumped up. Done it this way for years, and I have never needed to pull the valve covers and re-adjust after I've fired the engine.

 

Yep, works great doesn't it. Funny, thought I invented it, lol.

 

What he said

 

VoodooTwin,

Is this a routine valve adjustment or are you trying to locate a bad hydraulic lifter?

If it is a routine valve adjustment or an initial adjustment after a tear down then this is how I did it for years when I worked at a Chevrolet dealership.

Assuming there is valve lash then tighten the rocker arm adjustment nut until you cannot wiggle the rocker arm or rotate the push rod with your fingers. From that point tighten the rocker adjustment nut 1/2 to 3/4 turn. As I recall GM's instruction was to tighten the rocker adjustment nut 1 full turn.

Rotate the engine CW to TDC #1 Cylinder

Adjust Exhaust 1 3 4 8
Adjust Intake 1 2 5 7

Rotate the engine CW 1 full turn to TDC #6 cylinder

Adjust Exhaust 2 5 6 7
Adjust Intake 3 4 6 8

For mechanical lifters use hoop98's outlined procedure.

McGurk

 

An old mechanic showed me to back off until it clicks then 1/4 turn do them all. Turn off engine turn all 1/2 turn let sit for awhile when you restart all is good to go. This method bypasses the choking down of the lifter and stumbling the engine.

 

I have built a countless number of engines with new camshaft and hydraulic lifters. The only prelube was GM EOS and that had nothing to do with the lifter piston. The lifter piston spring has enough resistance to facilitate an accurate static valve adjustment.

McGurk

 

Great minds think alike

 

Hot Rods have SOLID CAMS

 

It's a routine adjustment. The engine runs great, but I noticed a little clatter of late. I pulled the driver side valve cover and sure enough one of the rockers is quite loose. So I'll adjust them all.

 

Aren't all cams "solid"???

 

I never adjust lifters running, regardless of whether they're hydraulic or solids, old or new. In fact I prime my engine before I do a final lifter adjustment, and then I adjust them with the lifters pumped up. I also don't use the extra turn when I adjust them. Zero lash is all I've ever done, and never had any noisy lifters doing it this way.

 

Oh, wow. That makes perfect sense. Thank you.

 

That is the way the Chrysler manuals say to do it. Zero lash (and hydraulic lifters, too) seem weird to me after so many years of working on diesels. I was always concerned about the lifter losing its prime, but I guess it doesn't really happen. Early hemis didn't even have an adjustment built into them if they were a hydraulic lifter.

 

i have done them both ways, running and not, but i still like to do them with the engine running, if its stock lifters i go one full turn after zero, as i under stand the lifter will bottom out at two turns so your trying to have them set in the center, aftermarket lifters are different, most anti-pump-up lifters i've seen say 1/4 turn after zero, maybe stock lifters are fine at 1/4 turn? i have clips and covers, the clips work well if you don't screw around to long as the oil can build up and run onto the headers as others have said.

 

never heard of this being done care to explain the use of the vacuum gauge? Thanks.

 

vacuum is crappy of the valves don't close

 

strange tuning advice

 

Yup and Yup....straight out of the Chiltons and How to rebuild your Small Block Chevy books.....did the running thing once when I was 16 and stupid....been doing them the above method ever since. Only deviation is unless its a totally stock cam I usually run them per the cams specs or 1/2 turn, not 1 turn.

 

i DID THE SAME AS bOSTOMCAMARO, GOT SOME ROLLER ROCKERS AT THE swap meet cheap and put them on my big block. They sounded terrible. Tried to asjust while running until clack was gone. It got a little better and the started to cough and carry on. Backed off and was better but noisy.Pulled them and put a used set of comp cam roller tipped rockers and man did that quiet things down. Those clips work ok on stock rockers they don't work on the aluminum style roller rockers. I also use a stethascop with a piece of 1/4 inch copper stuffed into the end and the tighten the nut down until quiet with the tool in the rocker tip area and the go like 1/4 or 1/3 turn after quiet. nice and quiet. Vacuum gauge also tell you when you screwed up and got too tight immediately. yruhot...........doug

 

Why do you think only one came loose and needs adjusted ?
That always makes me nervous and I measure the stud lengths past the nut and check for studs being secure.

4 things come to my mind when that happens.
Adjuster nut or stud is screwed up and spins loose.
The stud is pulling out under spring pressure.
The lifter is junk
The lobe or lifter is wearing smaller

 

EO/IC is the system I've always used. Use a remote starter switch, do one bank then the other.

Good enough for David Reher, good enough for me.


EO/IC rule (Exhaust Opening and Intake Closing). Set the intake valve lash when the exhaust valve is beginning to open. This will put the intake lifter at the base circle which is where you want it to be. Then set the exhaust valve lash when the intake valve is about halfway down on the closing side.