Ok My car is back together and running but i definetly have valves ticking. Im not really sure how to adjust the valve lash so any insight is greatly appreciated.

 

Take off the valve covers, and put the rest of it back together enough to where it will idle properly. With the engine fully warmed up and running, back off the rockers one at a time, until they start to tick loudly; then slowly tighten them until they just quit. Do all 16 of them as quickly as you can. Then shut the car off and tighten them all 1/2 turn more.

 

Well I adjusted them without the engine running and no more tick and the car runs fine but I can tell it could use alittle more tuning. I bet oil goes everywhere when you do that. If I had perimeter valve covers id find and old one and cut the top out so oil wouldnt go everywhere.

 

I take the cardboard from a new valve cover gasket set and bend it 90 degrees a couple of inches from each end. Whatever it takes to make it fit. Then I set it in the lower part of the head while I'm adjusting the valves with the engine running.

Works for me with hardly any mess.

 

TBI305... When adjusting hyd. lifters with the eng. off be careful that you don't adjust one (or more) too tight. There are several methods that can be used to adjust them with the engine off but, engine running and "listen for the tick" is the best for novices.
A valve can be run "tight" with out any noticeable problems at first, then after considerable running the valve "burns" and now you have a serious problem.
Just wanted to make sure you were aware of what would happen if they are too tight.

 

glad to hear you're running again. the previous posts basically covered everything, don't over tighten and you can use a hose to listen to each individual rocker when you adjust them with the engine running, just stick one end in your ear and the other by the rocker as you tighten and loosen it. if tightening with the engine off make sure the lifter of the cylinder you're adjusting is on the base cirlce of the cam (zero lift, valve closed)

 

Is there anyway I can keep the oil from going everywhere if I adjust them while the car is running? I have a feeling oil is going to be all over the place.

 

get a piece of cardboard and bend it into a semicircle so you can set it on the head sort of like a valve cover, cut flaps in the top of it so you can bend one back to adjust that valve and leave rest closed so oil doesnt spray out. i adjuste mine with nothing to catch the oil with once and my garage was filled with white smoke from the oil burning on the headers lol. you could prolly use an old valve cover and cut flaps in that, even if you have center bolt valve covers a permimeter cover should at least sit on the head without falling off

 

there is also a tool, or a set of tools for this. They are little clips that go on the rocker and direct the oil back into the head. They come in a set of 16, and they are pretty cheep like $10 I think, mine are old and barrowed from a friend, but Im pretty sure they are made by snap on. Oh yeah another thing that helps is take a piece of card board and cut a hold in it the size of the head and put it around the head like a skirt, that helps to keep the little bit of oil splater off the engine and header. Oh yeah make sure your idle isnt realy high when doing this because it will make a big mess, the oil comes out with more pressure and it splaters off what ever it hits and goes everywhere.