Set the valve lash on the engine. Some info. I set the valve lash #1 intake and exhaust with the engine at TDC. Spun the engine 4 revolutions and stopped with engine at TDC. Problem is I am able to remove the #1 rocker intake nut by hand. Would do be a sign of a bad lifter? By the way these are roller lifter with less than 30,000 miles.

 

No. That's not how you set valve lash. It doesn't work.

What you have done has nothing to do with the lifter. It certainly doesn't mean that a lifter is "bad".

You probably "set" it with #1 at the instance of TDC where the exhaust is closing and the intake is opening; rather than at the instance of #1 TDC when it fires. Which is of course, not right.

I'm not sure about what you mean about the nut; but if your nuts have no "lock", go to the dealer and get new ones; or go to the hardware store and get some grade 8 3/8"-24 (fine thread) nuts, and use them to "jam" the rocker nuts.

Easiest way to set a hydraulic cam after you've screwed it up by doing wrong stuff like you've done, is to use the "intake closing exhaust opening" method. Watch the valve motion on one cyl as you turn the engine. You'll see the exhaust open, reach max lift, and start to close; as it almost reaches fully closed, the intake will start to open, and as you continue, the intake will continue to open, reach full lift, and begin to close. Then as you continue to turn it, you will find that you will have to turn the crank most of one full turn before that cyl's valves begin to move again; and when you do see one move, it will be the exhaust first, repeating its cycle.

Adjust the intake valve as the exhaust valve just begins to open, and adjust the exhaust valve as the intake is just reaching its closing point.

Correct lash is when, with the motor at the point as described, the push rod for the valve you're adjusting just barely quits rattling around between the lifter and rocker. You DO NOT want to get it so tight that it begins to depress the plunger into the lifter. You will probably still be able to move the rocker and push rod around by hand, even when the lash is all taken up, because of the plunger being able to be pushed in. Then once you get it to that point, turn it one-half turn more, and move on, and LEAVE THAT ONE ALONE FROM THAT POINT ON.

Then, start the engine and run through them with the engine running. That's by far the best way to get it right. To do that, back each one off one at a time until it ticks, and slowly tighten it until it quits. After you adjust them ALL just to the point they don't tick, shut the motor off, and add one-half turn to each nut.

 

Thanks for input. I used the Chilton's manual on setting valve lash and either I am read it wrong or I don't know the difference between the intake and exhaust valve. I used your method and it worked fine.

 

Glad it helped you!

The problem with the Chilton's method, is that there are numerous valves in the engine that are not entirely on their "base circle" at #1 firing. It's only good for a VERY CRUDE starting point; but using that, you will almost always find several valves SO FAR out of adjustment, and consequently SO MANY are making SO MUCH NOISE, that when you do the engine running thing, it's difficult to pick out the one tick from the one youre' trying to adjust.

 

Hopefully others will read this post and learn ffrom my mistake.

 

we should sticky this