valve lash question
 

I have a question that will sound pretty newbish and I think I know the answer to it, but I just want to make absolutely sure.
Should I be able to spin my pushrods at any time after valve lash is set? I ask because I have a clicking on the drivers side that I've had since I put the superram on (at least thats the first time I ever noticed it) and when we did it we had to take a few rockers off and reinstall them when done. I assumed I just didn't get one quite tight enough, so today I decided to finally fix it and when I took the valve cover off I have 3 pushrods right off the bat I can spin without even moving the crank or doing anything and the worst one is one I didn't even take loose.
So what's going on here guys? Worn cam lobes? Lifters? Rockers?

Re: valve lash question
 

Probably

Re: valve lash question
 

I don't understand how though. If you set them when the cam is at zero lift and you tighten them until you can't spin the pushrod and then put another 1/4 to 1/2 turn on it to preload it, how the hell can you spin the pushrods afterwards???

Re: valve lash question
 

You don't tighten them until you can't spin it, that's way too much. The contact area is very small, the surfaces are polished, and everything's covered in oil... there's not enough friction to stop them from turning at zero lash.

Re: valve lash question
 

Ah I see. I checked out the site where I got the instructions from. Not sure where I came up with tighten it until it stopped spinning.
Either way though, I have a pushrod I can grab and move it enough to actually make the clicking noise and it is one I never took off. Is something wearing out? Should I go through and adjust them all?

Re: valve lash question
 

Is the clicking coming from up-and-down movement, or side-to-side movement?

Re: valve lash question
 

I was thinking it might be up and down, but I went out and checked real quick and it is only side to side on the ones I can spin.
What is a good way to find the one that is causing the clicking?

Re: valve lash question
 

Lash them all with the engine running.

Re: valve lash question
 

Ok, so basically go through and one at a time loosen them until they click and then tighten them until they don't? will this spray oil everywhere?

Re: valve lash question
 

Oil deflector clips for the rocker arms and a set of old valve covers with the tops cut out will keep that from happening.

Then give it one more full turn down. You'll probably have to do that slowly to keep the engine from dieing, as the lifter needs to "adjust" a little with each cycle, and you can turn them down faster than they can adjust.

Not everywhere. Just on the exhaust manifolds... :D

Re: valve lash question
 

Or the fenders, if you've got the oil pressure. ;)