I finished installing my heads and adjusted the valves lash on all the rocker arms, then i noticed the gap between the rocker and the bottom of the rocker arm stud on all the rockers, can someone tell me if this is normal? Thanks

 

si'

 

What? Also i have another question, The engine is very hard to turn over by hand. I know that it is not supposed to be easy. I am using 081 heads with harder springs in them, could that be why?

 

it's not supposed to be easy!

 

I know but is it supposed to be pretty hard?

 

You're compressing air to 1/10th its size every quarter turn of that crank! Of course it's gonna be hard.


you didn't set your valve lash too tight did you?

 

I dont think so, i used the method where you spin the pushrod and then tighten it until you can spin it any more. look at the picture, do they look normal? I wasnt sure if there were supposed to go all the way down

 

You don't tighten until you can't spin the pushrod anymore, you tighten until you can't move the pushrod up or down anymore and then go 1/4 to 1/2 turn more.

 

dang, the article i read said to spin them. and then go 1/2 turn

https://www.thirdgen.org/techbb2/sho...ing+valve+lash

 

Think about it, zero lash is when there is no slack between the rocker and pushrod and lifter and pushrod. It's when they all just touch. You can spin the push rod well past that point especially if the lifter has bled down.

 

Hydroulic lifters are pretty forgiving....as long as your close.

 

I agree, but tightening until you can't spin the pushrod at all? I'd say that is too tight.

 

Ok, ill go back and do it the other way. Are the rockers supposed to move alot? The way they are now, i can grab them and pivot them a little bit, is that the way they are supposed to be? Also no one has answered my original question yet, is there supposed to be a gap?

 

Yes there will be a gap, the rocker kind of "floats" between the valve stem and pushrod.

The rockers will seem loose, but will get harder after you get engine running and lifters pump up.

get it close, then once it's up and running you can set them perfectly and your done for a very very long time.

 

Ok great, but i do not complety understand the concept of valve lash. Do you want to be able to move the rockers? How Much slack should there be?

 

Guess first off, do you have the rocker nuts in the right way? with the radiused side facing down? this could account for some of the variance.

Second, they will feel a little loose until engine is up and running, the slack you fell will be replaced with engine oil and will tighten things up somewhat.

 

Once the lifters are pumped up again they will get tight. Do as IHI suggested and get them close. Once the car is running back off the nut until it ticks, tighten untill it just gets quiet and then another 1/4 to 1/2 a turn.

 

Not to hijack this thread, but can I see some pics of your exhaust IHI?? Pleeeaseee

 

I usually adjust them while the engine is running. First I tighten them all till they stop ticking. Then one by one I back them off till they tick. Then tighten till it stops + 1/4 turn. Works great. You can buy little things from advance that plug the pushrod hole. Oil will still come by but it will not spray everywhere.

 

YOu mean the flat side down? Im gonna feel like a real idiot if i have them in wrong

 

The rounded side of the "pivot nut" (dont know what else to call it) goes down towards the head, this way the rocker arm has a surface to pivot on, and when your tightening the nut it has a flat surface to seat on.

Dont feel bad if some are wrong, I've been there done that too

 

IHI are you sure about this? I think that the stock setup has "pivot *****" that go under the pivot nut. That gives the rocker it's pivot surface and then the flat side of the nut goes agains the flat side of the ball.

 

Thats what IHI meant, but he called them pivot nuts instead of pivot *****.

 

Well if thats the case then i did it right

 

LOL, too much talk about ***** on here Yeah, that's what I meant

 

*****, nuts, it's all the same, and we want our cars to have lots of them!

 

First off, what method did you use? 1/2 and 1/2? One at a time?

Those rockers shouldn't have vast differences from one to another... If they are way off it might indicate that the pressed in studs are pulling out of the heads. This is why people go to screw in studs.

Tighten to zero lash and then 1/4 turn is the ticket. Lifter preload needs to be kept to a minimal to avoid lifter pump up.

If you do it right you won't have to adjust them again probably forever...