[Jay S]

I have changed the lash on them for testing. Adjust the lash, gone for a test drive, came back, adjusted them test drive, ect, ect. To do that type of testing the feeler gauge goes in really tight. Snapping in place like what you described when you used the .008” feeler gauge. It sounds to me like they are set around .008” right now. If they didn’t do a good job setting them the lash probably varies a lot.

They collapse quickly, I am not sure why one would need to let it sit overnight or pull the intake of see anything better. There can be some residual hydrualic preload and there is spring preload on the lifter. Pressing down on the plunger the hyd preload disappears quickly, seconds, not hrs. The only thing different than adjusting the vmax than a solid cam is if you want to do a good job you have to make sure that preload is all collapsed. I ussually pull the feeler gauge out and try stepping up the lash a couple thousands just seeing if it fits, mainly just to make sure the lifter is collapsed. If it is totally collapsed with the .008”, forcing a .010” in you can usually feel the start to valve open. Usually once you do that on a couple valves you can just get the feeler gauge to snap in place at the lash your shooting for.

If an engine won’t start or runs but make popping sounds the is lash too tight. You have a big range that you can run the lash. .008” is fine. But on your 4 speed car it is probably advantageous to change the lash to .020”. It really isn’t that big of a deal if they aren’t all exactly the same. Other than some extra sowing machine noise the engine won’t care. You can even set them by ear while the engine is sitting there idling, or evenly do partial turns on the adjusters and leave the feeler gauges in the tool box.