**EMERGENCY**

I am having some serious problems with my car, and I need help fast (need to go to work at 4pm EST).

Because my car has been running rough, I decided to adjust the valve lash on the rocker arms since most of them seemed loose. I removed the valve covers, cranked the car to the first cylinder firing point, adjusted the valves as my shop manual instructed (tighten until valve lash is eliminated and then tighten one additional turn), adjusted the valves at the sixth cylinder firing point, and re-assembled. I had to use an inductive timing light to find the firing points, since I believe the timing mark is corroded.

Afterwards, it would crank, but not start. It seems like there is no spark getting to the plugs, because I don't hear the familiar ticking of the plugs firing. I took a manifold vacuum test while cranking the engine, and there is no vacuum at all. It also seems like the starter mottor is a pitch higher, but it might have just seemed so since I've been working all night on it.

I have no idea what I could have done wrong. As far as I can tell, I did everything straight and by the book. The situation is even worse because I have to go to work in ten hours, and this is my only possible mode of transportation.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm to tired to keep on working, so I'm going to get a few hours of sleep.

 

Sounds to me like you might have tightened them down too much causing the valves not to close. The higher pitch sound of the starter would mean the engine is turning over easier cause there's little to no compression. Back off all the rockers 3/4 turn and see if it'll start.

If it does start, adjust the lash while the engine runs. Might make a little mess but I find it easier to do it this way. Back off the rocker nut till the rocker starts clacking. The engine might run rough at this point. Slowly tighten down the nut again till the clacking goes away then turn it another half turn, slowly. Repeat on the others. Hope this helps

 

agree, give the rocker nuts a turn or more to loosen them, it'll run loose, but not too tight. the ticking ought to be injectors, not spark plugs, but you never said what you had so it's only a guess. you wouldn't use a light to locate TDC on all the holes to adjust the valves, you look at the valves and feel the compression (maybe) thru a spark plug hole.

 

Thanks for the tips. I guess I should no longer trust that manual. Seems like the whole thing is translated from Japanese anyways...

BTW, does anyone know of a manual they would recommend?

And Ede, I have a 4bbl carb. That's what the "Carter AFB" means in my sig.

Thanks again for the help. I have to go get working on it, otherwise I'm screwed. l8r

 

i use the manual from www.helminc.com
cost me 90 bucks but is over 3000 pages thick and its what your gm dealership will reccomend....great info, great pics, can be a little confusing at times but is probably one of the best things out there and definitly the most important thing ive purchased for my car so far

 

I found why the it was running rough in the first place... The 7th cylinder exhaust pushrod was blown to ****. I'm pretty sure that this was the cause of the previous symptoms, and not from tightening them too tight (I hope), because the rough exhaust was the most notable symptom. Apparently, the exhaust from that cylinder has been blowing up through the carburetor for the last month and a half.

I got a new pushrod, and I'm about to go reinstall everything, and adjust the rocker arms the right way.

Thanks for all the help... l8r

 

Tighten to snug, then 1/4 turn. Thats what I've always been told.

 

Well... got the new pushrod in and adjusted all the rocker arms. Just when I thought I was all done, I noticed that the 5th cylinder intake valve pushrod blew. I pulled it out with visegrips and put in another, but it didn't fit on the lifter right. I had a friend slowly crank the engine while I looked into the cylinder head with a shoplight. The lifter wasn't moving at all..

I got a new intake mainfold gasket set and tomorrow morning I'm going to drain the block, take off the distributor and intake, and replace the lifter. I guess if I screw up one more time, my lucks just bound to run out.

 

If your lifters are toast Id make sure the cam isnt toast to. Hydraulic cams can wear out.

A buddy of mine had 2 lifters in his truck concaved. The cam lobes on those 2 were also very very small.

Mid as well get a better cam if you have to also

 

If the lifter doesn't move, that means the cam isn't moving it.

 

Which can only mean the cam lobe is wiped

 

Oh man, you took the words out of my mouth!

 

Well... got the intake and everything off, and the lifter was in 3 pieces, floating along with various pieces of the previously blown pushrods.

I got everything back together. I got a practically new Accel distributor at the junkyard for $20 out of a wrecked firebird. All I got to do is pickup a new timing mark, and figure out where to mount it.

 

I would definately have a look at your cam lobes. all that stress that broke pushrods and lifters came right from the cam.

 

It's been a while since I've posted any news, so I figured I'd give an update. Once I got everything back together, and got the timing to the point it would fire, I adjusted the valve lash. One of the intake valves was a bit beaten over, and the rocker wouldn't sit square on it. When I pushed down the spring, it went down without too much resistance. As far as I can tell, that means I need to pull off the heads and see what's wrong.

I got a break about 2 days ago. My girlfriend's father, who owns a used car lot complete with a shop, offered to help me get my car up there and throw some cylinder heads off a spare 350 on.

The car left for the shop this morning, and all I have to do before I start on it is getting some parts. I figured it would obviously be good to get new pushrods and lifters, along with new cylinder head, exhaust and intake manifold gaskets, but what else would you guys recommend?

 

I recomend you lean how to set valve lash.
Here is a easy to remember method. No manual required.
Works on any 4 stroke motor.
With hyd lifters:
disable the ignition spark.
bump the starter over while watching the valves.
When: the intake valves just closes {just on seat}, set the exhaust valve.
When the exhaust valve just starts to open, set the intake valve.
repeat for the rest of the cylinders.
Spin the pushrod between your fingers while adjusting the rocker. When the push rod just starts to drag, that is 0 lash.
Set all the valves to 0 lash. Start the motor. Shut it off.
tighten all the rockers 1/2 turn.
The valve lash is now set properly.