usmc949803

ok so sounded like a there was a little chatter from valves again. checked and a few are a little loose. so went throught the process of see when the distributor rotor was pointing close to the #1 and turned engine a little bit till dampner mark lined up with 0 on timing mark. adjusted the valves that are supposed to be according to manual. then 5/8 turn after and 1/8 with polylock so taotal of 3/4 turn past zero lash. after adjusted all that needed to be when at #1 tdc. checked and a few were a little loose already. any ideas?? thanks

Apeiron

Loose as in you have up-and-down movement, or as in side-to-side movement?

usmc949803

side to side

Apeiron

Side-to-side movement is normal.

usmc949803

ok even after i set the zero lash, do the 3/4 turn, lock the polylocks. no side to side. do the other valves for #1 tdc then after a few minutes just check the rockers and then some have side to side???? sorry just making sure

Apeiron

Perfectly normal.

usmc949803

thanks a bunch. want to be set on valves and move on to next problem from po!!!!!

usmc949803

and what the polpular consensus on turns past zero 1/2 3/4 1????

usmc949803

driver side no noise. passenger side noise. went through did valve by valve again pass side. noise again but they are all still set at zero lash (up/down)

game1939

here we go again....

Here are step by step instructions:

1. Remove the valve cover.
2. Identify the number one cylinder.Turn the engine over until you see the number one cylinder exhaust valve rocker arm JUST START to move from the closed position to open. You may need to turn the motor over a couple of times to reach this point, but do not turn any further.
3. Locate the intake valve.
4. Loosen the rocker arm adjustment nut until you feel some obvious lash or clearance in the adjustment.
5. Using the thumb and index finger of one hand, grasp the intake push rod below the rocker arm, and rotate it back and forth (clock-wise and counter clock-wise successively to be sure there is no remaining pressure on the push rod from the rocker arm as you loosen the rocker arm adjusting nut.
6. Using the other hand, while continuously performing step 6, with a 5/8 socket and ratchet, tighten the rocker arm adjustment nut slowly until you feel a resistance of motion on the push rod.
7. This will be the zero lash adjustment point. For hydraulic lifters, tighten the rocker arm adjustment nut 3/4 of a turn. For solid lifters, back off the rocker arm adjustment nut until your feeler gauge just fits under the contact point between the valve stem and the rocker arm. Fine tune the adjustment by checking it with a feeler gauge just slightly thicker than the preferred clearance to be sure the clearance is not greater than it should be. If the larger feeler gauge will fit, it needs to be re-adjusted. A lash tolerance of 1-2 thousandths of an inch in the valve adjustment for solid lifters would be acceptable since it may be difficult for someone who is in-experienced to be more precise than that.
8. Turn the engine over until the intake valve opens and then is almost closed.
9. On the exhaust valve, repeat steps 5 through 8 for the exhaust valve adjustment.
10. Repeat this procedure for each cylinder. Be sure to do each cylinder sequentially, either following the firing order, following the cylinders numerically, or in the case of a V8 doing one side of the engine at a time. I prefer to do one side of the engine at a time

Apeiron

You went through them with the engine running, or off?

usmc949803

engine off. did one at a time on both sides.
still have a noise. few things was thinking maybe the wires? distributor? misfire? flexplate?

also wondering if my rockers or pushrods are the problem.....

new dist, plugs and wires will be in on tuesday

usmc949803

did exactley how game1939 says.

usmc949803

and oil pressure is about 30psi at idle 800rpm

Guest

Whatever you do, do NOT follow this method. Its just going to get you into trouble.

Loosen all the rockers. Follow the procedure in Chilton, Haynes, GM manual of where to place the crank (2 positions, 8 valves each time) and what valves to adjust. When removing lash, tighten the nut until the gap is removed between the pushrod and rocker and valve tip and rocker. THIS is zero lash, not that nonsense above. Forget about spinning the pushrod, rocking the rocker from side to side, etc. Those are both surefire ways to miss zero lash.

Then tighten 1/2, 3/4, 1, whatever. You need at least 1/2 turn for proper preload on the lifter.

usmc949803

thanks for the advice

game1939

you have lost your mind, a haynes manual really? I ama ase master auto tech, have been for 15+ years, I dont do another job for a living a read a book to work on cars,I really do this everyday, Ive built more sbc's than you have opened your hood, NEVER have I got in trouble with this way of adjusting vavles, 90 percent or real engine builders prefer this method, as far as gm manual I work for gm the manual says To do them while running, thats just messy and not as accurate, you seem to adjust your hydrallics like the solids, there not. but go ahead spend a long time doin them like hes says and then do them again....... my 383 in my camaro always gets adjusted like that.....hmmmmmm works on customers and his own cars.........has to be wrong though....

Apeiron

It's not wrong, it's just virtually impossible for the inexperienced to judge zero lash by feeling for resistance when turning the pushrods, especially when the pushrods and their fingers may be covered in oil.

Guest

What he said. I've seen all kinds of inexperienced guys go past zero lash because they can still spin the pushrod, or didnt really feel "resistance" yet.

Dont really care if you're an ASE Master Tech and have 15+ years experience and claim to have built more SBC's than me. Completely irrelevant. I could tell you I reassembled a 347 Pontiac 33 years ago but it has nothing to do with a flawed valve lash procedure.