So I've got all my valve stem seals in. Now I need to work with the pushrod/valve lash. So to do this there is a special procedure in the shop manual, which requires me to put cylindar #1 at Top Dead Center.
Now this should be marked on my timing case or something like that? Am I looking for that little piece of jagged teeth with the timing marks on it?. (Also, once this mark is found, can I use the one that on there or is it best to calculate the TDC myself?)
Do my pulleys and the water pump need to be removed to do this process?
Thanks.
-Greg

 

Spin it to the timing mark. Put a finger on the pushrods and feel the movement to see if you're at #1 or #6 TDC. Or take off the distributor cap and watch that it points to #1. Jiggle the crank fore and aft till you see/feel that both pushrods are evenly at the lowest point. That's it. The "best" way is to mic it, but that's alot of hassle.

 

Ignore that method. too much chance for error.

Use the tried and true method of adjusting valves on any motor. turn the motor over (in the normal direction of rotation, not backwards) and watch the #1 exhaust valve.
When the exhaust valve ( lifter) just starts to open, stop and adjust the #1 intake valve to spec ( 0 lash for a hydraulic)
now turn the motor over and watch the #1 intake valve as it opens and then closes. as the intake valve just closes, stop and adjust the #1 exhaust valve. repeat for each of the rest of the cylinders.

* intake closes( just on seat) --- set the exhaust

* exhaust just opens--- set the intake.

easy to remember, more accurate at finding the "lifter on base circle position" of each valve than using the 2 crank position or the 4 position method.

 

Uh, or, take off the valvecovers. Put cardboard in the bottom, between the gasket surface and the springs. Turn the engine on. Back a rocker off until it starts to really rattle. Slowly tighten until the rattle is gone. Tighten another 1/2 turn. Repeat 15 times.

 

Yeah, the manual's method isn't the greatest.

Kinda hard to hear if they are all rattling. Set them the manual's method then run it, if you're going to do this.

 

So I decided to go the route of the 86 shop manual.

They say put the car at TDC in the #1 firing position and tighten intake valves 1, 2, 5, 7 and exhaust valves 1, 3, 4, 8 until the lash is gone, then tighten one full turn. So I did that. It's looking good. Then it states to go to TDC in the #6 firing position (rotate engine one full turn). I do that, and I tighten down the 3, 4, 6, 8 intake valves and the 2, 5, 6, 7 exhaust valves.

But now I notice that a few, but not all, of the valves I tightened down in the #1 firing position are incredibly loose ! (the rockers wiggle a lot and the pushrods spin easily) I remeber how much "wiggle" they had prior to me taking them off, and it's much more than that. Are they supposed to wiggle like that?

So went back to the #1 firing position to check the loose valves and they are tight, but sure enough, some the valves I just tightened in the #6 firing position are also loose.

Is this ok? I mean I followed the directions in the shop manual word for word. Something just doesn't seem quite right, but truthfully, I don't know crap about this type of stuff. I'm just double checking so I don't destroy anything. Someone fill me in. Thanks in advance.
-Greg

 

You're fine. its just the excess oil bleeding out of the lifters after you rotate the motor over. As long as the lifters are set at 0 lash with the lifter on the base circle of each lobe and then a little preload .030" to .060" before initial fireing , you're fine. just make sure that the pushrod is properly seated on the lifter and the rocker is not cocked when you adjust the lash.

Sometimes, when adding the .5 to 1 turn of lifter preload, the vlave spring compressess instead of the lifter plunger compressing (execess oil in the lifter) then once the excess oil has a chance to bleed out of the lifter, the adjustment seems slack. Once you fire the motor up the lash will go away.

If you keep going back and readjusting the lash and preload because you thnk its done wrong, you eventually completely
depress the plunger in the lifter, bottoming it out resulting in a solid stack and a open valve with no cylinder compression.

Your lash adjustment method based on 2 crank positions is ok for a stock type short duration cam but can lead to misadjustment on a long duration hi performance cam.

 

My LG4 is completely stock, except for a carb and intake which wouldn't make a difference right? Nonetheless, I DID NOT re-tighten any of the rocker arms.

I followed the manuals directions, and like I said, after going from TDC in the #1 position to TDC in the #6 position, the valves I tightened in the #1 position were really loose.

But I started it up and there is lots of chatter . I think I screwed up somewhere. I let it run for a little while, and the chatter hasen't went away.

 

ya must of screwed up then. Start over.

You're much less likely to mess up using my method.

Give it a try.

 

To avoid possible problems with overlap, wouldn't it be easier to tell folks to adjust the exhaust valve when the intake valve is ALL the way open (or just starting to close), and do the same for the intake valve when the exhaust is all the way open? And then repeat for each cylinder?

Although I think I still prefer to adjust them with the motor running......

Just a simple question, not trying to flame here!

 

In a word NO. The exhaust lifter is in the correct position for the lash to be adjusted when the intake just closes ( on seat). and the intake is in the correct position whe the exhaust just starts to open.
The correct position is when the lifter is on the backside of the cam lobe.

 

Well I decided to adjust them while the car was running. I found this method to be quick and easy. The primary problem with doing it this way is if all the valves are loose, it's hard to tell which ones are "chattering". I could tell the loose ones because they didn't have much thread exposed. After dealing with those it was much easier to do the rest.
Nonetheless, the car is up and running. I really enjoyed doing this project, it was my first time touching an engine. I'm really pleased with the results; I swear the car almost seems to run better now. Best of all, it doesn't smoke on the startup Thanks for all the input guys, I wouldn't have finished it without your help.
-Greg

And on a side note, I found taking some old crappy valve covers and cutting the tops of worked wonders for adjusting the lash while the car was running!

 

Put your finger on them. You will be able to feel it.

 

Heh that's what I did too..