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Old 10-17-2015, 08:14 AM
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Default VALVE ADJUSTMENT

What is considered the most accurate and reliable method of adjusting valves on a stock engine? Heads are back on, and ready for valve adjustment. Valley pan still off, so I can get a clear view of lifters, which have not been replaced, so they have oil in them.
Thanks in advance.

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Old 10-17-2015, 08:47 AM
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If by stock you mean all factory parts, including the bottle-neck rocker studs then torquing the nuts to 20 ft lbs is the method.

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Old 10-17-2015, 09:26 AM
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if not stock & is adjustable, best way is to rotate engine until lifter is on base of cam circle then adjust that rocker to zero lash & 1/2 to 3/4 turn, depending on lifter brand. check with the company for exact amount after zero lash.

if its a relatively small cam, then you can use the common SBC procedure thats usually stated in most manuals, that allows you to adjust a series of rockers in one engine position, usually TDC, then rotate 180 degrees & do the remaining series of rockers.

need to know what cam/lifter/rockers you have, but usually best to do individually on the base of the lobe. & you can do a search of teh forum as this is one of the more popular topics asked.


Last edited by 78w72; 10-17-2015 at 09:32 AM.
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Old 10-17-2015, 01:30 PM
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Here is the most accurate way to adjust valves for a 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 firing order.

Here is my chart. When the valve on the top line is full open, adjust the valve under it.

Full Open- 6E 4I 5E 3I 7E 6I 2E 5I 1E 7I 8E 2I 4E 1I 3E 8I
Adjust____1E 7I 8E 2I 4E 1I 3E 8I 6E 4I 5E 3I 7E 6I 2E 5I


This insures you are 100% on the base circle.

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Old 10-17-2015, 02:42 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gtofreek View Post
Here is the most accurate way to adjust valves for a 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 firing order.

Here is my chart. When the valve on the top line is full open, adjust the valve under it.

Full Open- 6E 4I 5E 3I 7E 6I 2E 5I 1E 7I 8E 2I 4E 1I 3E 8I
Adjust____1E 7I 8E 2I 4E 1I 3E 8I 6E 4I 5E 3I 7E 6I 2E 5I


This insures you are 100% on the base circle.
The way I adjust is like the sbc way Bring #1 up on compression and adjust certain ones rotate 180 adjust remaining


This will work with all cam profiles Paul???

That's a cool way ....maybe I'll try that way this winter....

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Last edited by cnc; 10-17-2015 at 02:54 PM.
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Old 10-17-2015, 03:24 PM
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It's 360 degrees, by the way.

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Old 10-17-2015, 05:46 PM
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Thanks for the advice! No idea how [I] did it but she runs like a champ! A little white smoke from coolant that spilled into the exhaust and I may just need to adjust 1 or 2 valves. I can haer a little tick from drivers side. Thanks again!

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Old 10-18-2015, 09:24 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 54nomore View Post
It's 360 degrees, by the way.
your right .....been a while

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Old 10-18-2015, 01:00 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cnc View Post
The way I adjust is like the sbc way Bring #1 up on compression and adjust certain ones rotate 180 adjust remaining


This will work with all cam profiles Paul???

That's a cool way ....maybe I'll try that way this winter....
Your method works well on stock cam profiles. With cams with more duration, especially roller cams, there is not as much area on the base circle, so it's best to be sure you're completely on the base circle. My method insures you are directly 180° from the peak of the lobe. Then you simply need to turn the engine 1/8 turn at a time to get to the next valve to set. This way, you only need to make 2 full revolutions of the engine to set them all.

When you bring the piston to top dead center, compression stroke, you are on the base circle, just not 180° from the peak. Just somewhere on the base circle. I've seen roller cams where this method does not work well.

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Old 10-18-2015, 01:30 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by gtofreek View Post
Your method works well on stock cam profiles. With cams with more duration, especially roller cams, there is not as much area on the base circle, so it's best to be sure you're completely on the base circle. My method insures you are directly 180° from the peak of the lobe. Then you simply need to turn the engine 1/8 turn at a time to get to the next valve to set. This way, you only need to make 2 full revolutions of the engine to set them all.

When you bring the piston to top dead center, compression stroke, you are on the base circle, just not 180° from the peak. Just somewhere on the base circle. I've seen roller cams where this method does not work well.
Did not know that Paul. I run a roller too...this winter I'm gonna use your method..already copy and pasted for reference...

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Old 10-18-2015, 02:33 PM
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I have a question... If you've got a stock engine, and using the "20 ft lb" method, do you still have to rotate the engine to remove the tension from the rockers (prior to torquing), or does it really matter?

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Old 10-18-2015, 02:53 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 1966Lemans View Post
I have a question... If you've got a stock engine, and using the "20 ft lb" method, do you still have to rotate the engine to remove the tension from the rockers (prior to torquing), or does it really matter?
no. youre just tightening the rocker nut untill it bottoms out on the shouldered stud. no need to rotate or care about which rocker youre doing, 20lb/ft for all of them.

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Old 10-19-2015, 07:30 AM
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With the engine in the vehicle I like doing one cylinder at a time then marking the one I just did with a magic marker. Makes for turning the engine thru a few extra times, but keeps me on track and I don't miss any or get confused. I have a Ford solenoid with a button on it in my own car, so it gets this process done pretty quickly.

I turn the engine until the intake valve is fully open, then set the exhaust beside it. On the same cylinder I turn the engine till the exhaust valve just starts to open then set the intake beside it. No matter how big the cam is you'll always be on the base circle with this method.

If the engine is on the engine stand with the intake/valley pan off, I do the base circle method as Paul mentions, as I can look down and verify that I'm on the correct one and not getting confused, which happens a lot these days as I get older!......Cliff

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Old 10-19-2015, 08:12 AM
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Cliff: Should it not be turn engine over till intake valve fully opens, then closes, then set exhaust ? or intake valve fully open then just starts to close set exhaust?

Thanks
Charles

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Last edited by chuckies76ta; 10-19-2015 at 08:21 AM.
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Old 10-19-2015, 09:45 AM
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Exhaust starts to open = adjust intake

Intake almost all the way closed = adjust the exhaust

That's how I've always remembered it

.

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Old 10-19-2015, 09:59 AM
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Once at full lift on the intake all the way to fully closed you are well on the base circle for exhaust.

This method works laying over the fenders and keeps me from jumping all over the place and getting confused. We've done it this way for decades, especially at the track back when we ran flat solid lifter cams on race engines and checked them hot.

On the engine stand with easy access to both sides, no time constraints, and we can also look in and see the cam, I'll usually follow the firing order or use methods where I can run all the valves in two revolutions of the engine.......Cliff

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Old 10-19-2015, 08:14 PM
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Ya that's what I seem to remember when checking my solids on last engine.. I found going fully open then about 1/2 way closed was pretty much base circle.

Charles

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Old 10-19-2015, 09:58 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HWYSTR455 View Post
Exhaust starts to open = adjust intake

Intake almost all the way closed = adjust the exhaust

That's how I've always remembered it

.
This is the method outlined by both Crane and Comp on their websites and in their catalogs. Also, if you are following the firing order, the crank only has to be turned slightly between valves - and that helps if you are rotating the crank by hand. Figure that the cam companies know the best place to insure that any of their cams they make are firmly on the base circle.

Back to the original post. If these are bottleneck studs and original nuts, then the nut must be torqued to 20 foot pounds or the nuts are going to loosen. I wouldn't run the engine again until they are set to factory spec.

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Old 10-20-2015, 03:54 AM
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Am I a neanderthal? I take the covers off and fire it up with the rocker lock nuts loose and torqued down a few turns from resistance. I then loosen each in turn until I hear and feel it rattle with lash and then turn it in about a half turn from where it goes quiet. Then tighten lock nut.

Sam

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Old 10-20-2015, 07:17 AM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HWYSTR455 View Post
Exhaust starts to open = adjust intake

Intake almost all the way closed = adjust the exhaust



.
Thats How I do it, and I also follow the firing order when setting either INT or EXh Valves then u barely move crank like Mick says for each valve... I have a Bump switch on my firewall also.

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