I have a 305 carb'd camaro im trying to adjust the valves after putting new seals on.. The job is really starting to irratate me because i cant seem to get it right. If i loosen all the bolts.. It will sound like a rattle box but when i tighten them.. It ticks hella loud.. Im doing it while the engine is running btw.. What can i do? I understand theres alot of threads on this subject but id like my own. Is this normal? Thanks Oh and it idles so rough now.. this is getting on my nerves.

 

You're doing them one at a time, right?

 

Im trying to but its very hard to focus when the others are rattling and knocking.

Do the valves let off a loud tick/knock noise?

 

You'll need to lash them with the engine off to start, otherwise you won't be able to tell which lifters are making noise.

For the next time you do the job, count how many turns you back the nuts off so you don't have to lash the valves after you're done.

 

What im thinking of doing is loosening all the valves.. So when the engine is running.. I can go through and tighten them all a half a turn at a time until i can subtract as much noise as possible. good idea?

 

You're not going to be able to tell when 1 out of 16 lifters stops making noise.

 

I think i've got another problem.. Now my car barely wants to start.. Even when all the valves are loose.. Itll die and a big *** puff of smoke comes out of the carb.. Im just screwing up this engine more then im fixing it. lol

 

Also.. The car is really shaking.. My bad luck continues!

 

The car will barely want to start especially when all the valves are loose.

 

Thought it was the other way around.. heh

If i tighten a valve so much that it wants to stall the engine.. Is that too tight?

I found out i had a miss.. One of my plugs was destroyed

 

Just do it with the engine off.

 

Tried.. That didnt work out too well..

Ill go mess around with it alittle more

 

Alright.. I got it going good so far.. 1 question though.. While its running.. Do the valves have to be snug or do they wiggle? Theres a bit of slack in the valves while its running right now

 

You mean the rocker arms?

The standard GM adjustment is zero lash plus one full turn down on the nut. In other words, loosen until it clacks, tighten until it just stops making noise, then give it one more full turn in the tightening direction (you usually have to do that last full turn slowly while the engine is running to give it a chance to adjust).

A good way to get them close enough to start: Loosen all rocker arms. Then tighten them just enough to take out the slack (and, yes, the rocker may "rock" side-to-side a little). Turn the crankshaft over (by hand is best) 1/2 turn. Now go back and tighten any rockers that are still loose. Give the crank another 1/2 turn, go back and tighten any rockers that are still loose. Give the crank one more 1/2 turn, go back and tighten any rockers that are still loose. This puts all of the cam lobes more or less on their heal in one of these positions. They should be quiet enough now when you start it that you can go through the running adjustment above.

 

That makes sense.. Ill try it out tomorrow when i have some sunlight to work in

 

Try reading (this is only one of many articles on the web) http://www.centuryperformance.com/ad...h-spg-149.html before you continue, after you've learned to do it by someone else's book then you can choose which method you like, or with some changes suits you better.

I choose the cold method and it worked great for me.

 

Thanks for that link.. it was a good read.

I got it going good so far.. No more loud clacking .. So thats good. Hoping to get even better tomorrow without screwing much up

 

Alright.. I got almost all of the clacking to stop.. Still have a good sized exhuast leak..

I got a question about the seals now.. I have it idling again.. Nothing for a good 2/3 mins.. then it will start pouring out blue smoke again. Does it take awhile for the seals to seat or something?

The car looks like its going to blow up after 5 mins of idling. lol. The oil spill from the valve adjustment just doesnt want to burn off that easy. I turn it off and the engine is pouring smoke like hell

 

It's normal for it to take a bit for the seals to completely seal. By what you are describing there may be something wrong. Hard to tell based on a description. Do you have means to get a video of the smoke?

Also, It does take a few days of driving to get all the oil that flowed out of the heads to burn off. I think I went to and from work 3 days or so with at least a slight plume of smoke coming from under the hood.

 

ill see if i can get a video of it. I just cant pin point whats wrong because the problem changes every time i try something. lol.

 

Sorry for double post.

But i went out and tried it again.. it idled fine and didnt smoke for about 5 mins.. Then the idling started jumping from 6-700 to 1100 and stayed at 1000 rpms... It started to spit out alittle blue smoke about a min or 2 afterwards.. So i think i have a vacuum leak somewhere right?

I gave my engine a nice wash to get rid of any oil that spilled.. So now its burning the water.

 

oh ****.. i forgot to mention that i only put seals on 2 of the exhuast stems.. because i ran out. I thought it wouldnt be needed since they only use the o ring anyways.. Would that cause the smoke after 5 mins of idling? I doubt it but give me some input on it