Guys,

I've researched the best way to set the valve lash on each valve, but neglected to look for any specific order in which to set them?

and for the record, from front to back, the valves are

Exhaust
Intake
Intake
Exhaust
Exhaust
Intake
Intake
Exhaust

....is that correct?

This was a reply to another topic, but it will work for you.

Try this, pull the valve cover and place the engine on #1 top dead center. You can establish that by having someone crank the engine over (slowly) with the plug out of #1 hole. Put your finger over the hole if you have to, (D/C the ignition wire) when your finger is blown off of the plug hole you're at TDC. You may have to rock the engine back a little to line up the timing mark, but usually it'll be close. Now using a wrench (prefferably) or a remote starter (not so good) crank the engine over until the exhaust valve starts to open, (emphasize STARTS TO OPEN) at that point the intake is valve is on the heel of the cam and can be adjusted. To adjust it you need to loosen the intake rocker so that the hopefully straight pushrod is a little loose. This will allow the hydraulic lifter to expand to it's full length. Now, carefully, while moving the pushrod up and down, tighten the rocker down until there is no more movement in the pushrod. At that point, tighten it down another 1/2 turn. (some people like 3/4). The intake valve is now adjusted. Crank the engine over in the same direction until the intake starts to close (emphasize START TO CLOSE) at this point the exhaust is on the heel of the cam and may be adjusted the same way. You can now go to #8 and so forth down the order,until all of the valves are adjusted. Bolt the covers on and you're done.
The other way to do this is the way SSC describes, start the engine with the valve cover off, (or make a set with holes cut in them so you don't spray oil everywhere) Loosen up each rocker until it clatters and then slowly tighten them down (emphasize SLOWLY) until the rocker shuts up and go another 1/2 turn, (some people like 3/4), or whatever works for you. The second method is faster but sloppier, and certainly not as precise. If you have solid lifters this routine will become second nature. If you happen to over rotate the engine, don't panic, as long as you follow the exhaust/open adjust intake, intake/close adjust exhaust you'll be fine. Actually, you don't have to start on #1 to do this, it's just my routine.
While you're doing all of this, check each pushrod and rocker. Another thing to look for is a pushrod stud being pulled out of the head, this usually becomes apparent when you look at all of the rockers, and there is a lot more stud sticking out of one, more than the rest. At that point you can drive it back in and pin it using a roll pin, or if you'd like, pony up the bucks for a set of screw in studs. If you check the pushrods, rotate them as you pull them out of the head, otherwise they can stick in the lifter and pull the lifter out of it's bore. Which really sucks. If there is no problem apparent with any of this, then it's either a bad lifter, or a bad cam, or possibly a bad valve or guide, but you should be able to see that.
If it's a solid lifter cam, you don't tighten down the rocker, you put a feeler gauge under it. (between the rocker and the valve tip)

Yeah, that should be right.
I like to go one cylinder at a time, by doing the intake when the exhuast starts to open, and do the exhaust when the intake is closing. This'll ensure the valve that you're doing that instant will be on the base cirlcle.
Remember, zero lash is when the vertical lash is gone (you'll feel slight drag when spinning it, try it a few times, you'll get it), not the point when you can't turn it at all by finger. Then go to however much pre-load you've researched as what you want to try.
good luck

this is how i set my valve lash...

bring #1 cylinder to TDC. tighten all rockers until theres no movement in the pushrod. now spin the engine 360° and tighten all loose rockers again. then give them all another 1/2 turn.

i think thats a very easy solution. its working very well for me. no noisy valvetrain or something like that

Nebu.

Thanks!

I like to make 3 new marks to go along witht he tdc mark on the balancer. Then you find tdc compression number 1 by watching the pushrods. Rotate the engine to the next mark you made and do the next cylinder in the firing order. This way you can do both valves at the same time so theres no "did i do those vavles or not".

theres a million ways. the basic theory you need to know is this:


you can only set the lash on the valve when the lifter is on the cams base circle.
from that, you can do it any way you wish.

this is the way I use...

Mark the balancer in 90 degree segments....divide it up like a pie, in 4 pieces....so you can see the marks.

Pop the valve covers. Get the engine on TDC #1.... adjust both #1 valves, turn engine clockwise to the next mark then adjust the next cylinder's valves in the firing order, then rotate the engine to the next mark, do the next cylinder etc....I like to go thru the firing order twice to make sure they are correct. I've NEVER had a problem doing them like this, and only once can I ever rememeber having to go back and adjust any, even after new engine / cam break in.

As for the adjustment itself... I like hold the pushrod in one hand while I'm tightening the rocker arm nut...I like to pull the pushrod Up and down while tightening so when the pushrod stops having any up and down movement, I know I'm real close to zero lash. Then tighten 1/2 - 3/4 turn and it's done.


hope this helps