I have an interesting hydraulic valve adjustment question. I can't find the answer to this in any of my books, or the stupid Haynes manual. when adjusting valve lift, does it matter whether or not the lifter is full of oil, or has " leaked down" ? lets say that one day you adjust the valves for 1/2 turn past drag on the pushrod. Go back the next day, and they are all loose again. So if you went to re-adjust them, it would seem easy to over-tightn them and lose compression. Does this seem reasonable? Yesterday, Me & a buddy adjusted the valves, but we wrongly adjusted them for # 6 cyl. firing- oops. Car started right away, amidst all the clitter-clatter, 5 mins later I guess the lifters pumped up and the noise went away. I realized our mistake overnight and Re-adjusted them this morning. Now it ran like shyte and seemed like it was running on 6 or 7 cylinders. Then on the drive it stalled on me and trying to restart it the thing backfired and wouldn't start. Also, when the key is turned, it "over-starts"-keeps turning over for a sec when I turn back the key. So there. Challenge for ya.
Thanks, Jeff

 

It doesnt matter if the lifters have oil in them or not, although that makes it easier to adjust properly. Oil prevents the lifter plunger from getting depressed into the lifter body as easily, and you its less possible to misadjust it. The idea is to get between .020 and .060 preload IIRC. The spin method IMO isnt the best way of doing it.

 

I am currently in the process of taking the whole thing apart again. Is there anything that you can think of, as to whay I may have missed or done wrong, please let me know asap.
Thanks
Jeff

 

try some better valve springs like Z/28 brownies and new rocker nuts.when the whole thing is together tighten down the rockers to the point where they just stop clicking, with the engine running backoff each valve one at a time till it clicks tighten it down till it stops then a quarter turn,stop, allow the engine to stabilize then another quarter turn and allow to stabilize. do this for each valve untill you have atleast 3/4 turn on each valve. they should stay adjusted from what you wrote I'd say the springs were weak