BBCVALVE INITIAL ADJUSTMENT

[curt]

New cam ,lifters ,rockers, studs ,springs all in fresh 3 angel large oval port heads all on a fresh .030 over 402 souns sweet doesnt it ?Not if you dont have a clue as to how to adjust the valves so you can do a proper cam runin. Do any of you have a sure fire method that an ordinary person can understand? all my other motors were set up by someone else3 I never had a problem butwanted to do the work myself so here I am affraid to hit the key for fear of destroying something or making a big mess. help if you can. Jeton

[HammerDown]

Curt, I'm assuming were talking HYD. lifters.
If so...here we go.
Rotate the motor until the #1 cylinder is at Top Dead Center! (compression) And make sure it's #1 at this adjustment and NOT #6TDC!
Now with #1 at TDC your ready to adjust,
Exhaust Valves#'s 1,3,4,8...and
Intake Valves#'s 1,2,5,7.
The way ya adjust a HYD.Lifter on a chevy is...Back off the adjusting nut(rocker arm stud nut)until there is a small amount of play in the push rod and rocker arm...then with two fingers on the push rod and a wrench on the adjusting nut, rotate (spin) the push rod and snug down on the adjusting nut till ya feel a slight drag...At that point you have reached ZERO LASH...THEN turn the adjusting nut 1/2-3/4 turn further to put the lifter in the center of its travel. (I set mine at 1/2 turn)
It may take a few trys to get the feel for the Zero Lash part...but it will happen.
After doing all the above valve adjustments...then rotate the motor one full revolution to put #6 cylinder at its TDC.
then adjust....
Exhaust Valves# 2,5,6,7
Intake Valves# 3,4,6,8
Now if were talking solid lifters, let me know. Also if ya don't know how to find Top Dead Center for the motor , give a shout.
Good luck.
[ July 18, 2002, 04:39 PM: Message edited by: HammerDown ]

[curt]

thanks hammerdown Ima heading to the boat shed with your adv in tow I.ll let you know ! By the way they are ISKY super lifters HYD

[RandyH]

Originally posted by curt:
thanks hammerdown Ima heading to the boat shed with your adv in tow I.ll let you know ! By the way they are ISKY super lifters HYD
Thanks also Hammerdown,
I am 8 hours into a new 540 and need to adjust around 20 hours I am told. Its a solid lifter with rollers. Still trying to get the build sheet for the rest of the info. I will ask you for help when the time comes. Thanks for the great info here. Randy

[curt]

help I did the above it started the first try BUT sounded like a diesel I shut it down and redid the proceedure restarted the motor and still had lifter noise . I tput it away for the night . Today I tried again but still had lifter noise so I made the cut away valve cover and tried the method in the mercury book . get it running loosen the nut until it clatters tighten the nut until it quits clattering tighten 1/4 turn repeat twice more Ive done this one twice and still have a rattle also when i try to set the timing the mark moves real eratic and stays ahead of the scale the motor sounds boogey lacks power and isnt running very well but pump the accelerator pump twice and hit the key it starts right up??????idels ok but just dont sound right . what have I possibly done ? what I have done is
Valve job double springs teflon small seals clearanced for .590 lift
Iskenderian cam #396292 complete kit (cam lifters springs)
edelbrock RPM air gap with a marine Holley 750 dbl pmpr
Mallry electronic marine distributor
I ran the carb and dist on the motor before the cam all was well Think I may need to check something elese but it really seems like the valva adj....HELP

[HammerDown]

See below post.
[This message has been edited by HammerDown (edited July 15, 2002).]

[HammerDown]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by HammerDown:
[B]Curt, are ya sure ya dont have the intake and exhaust push rods mixed up? Did ya make sure the bottom of the push rods where bottomed in the lifter seat? And did anyone check piston to valve clearance? What about coil bind. And also the clearance of the top spring retaner to the rocker arm when the valve is closed. Was the timming chain installed correctly? If its off it could send the valves into the pistons. All things to think about!
I've been adjusting HYD. Chevy valves that way for years and years...never a problem. (As long as there are no other issues!) Just make sure ya did it in the order above and all will be fine... Some time it's easy'er to first put a small piece of tape on the rocker's or mark em some how, just so ya wont get mixed up as to which one's your working on. If ya want...e-mail me your phone# and a good time to call. We are dealing with HYD.LIFTERS RIGHT?????
Just went over your post again...the timming sounds way retarted, also might the Distributor be off a tooth or more?
One thing about adjusting the valves on a running motor...ya have to wait several motor revolutions between each 1/4 turn of the adjustment! To allow the lifter to bleed down.
There is another way of doing a adjustment...but I prefer the above method. If ya want it let me know.

[comin' unscrewed]

Originally posted by HammerDown:
Rotate the motor until the #1 cylinder is at Top Dead Center! And make sure it's #1 at this adjustment and NOT #6TDC!
Now with #1 at TDC your ready to adjust,
Exhaust Valves#'s 1,3,4,8...and
Intake Valves#'s 1,2,5,7.
Just a small note. Numbers 1 & 6 will be at TDC at the same time. The key is to begin with #1 at TDC having completed it's compression stroke, thus #1 is in FIRING position.
Take care,
Steve

[Dans66Stevens]

Everything I see looks great till you get to the part about the 1/4 turn more. I would just take them to the point of know noise. I think the 1/4 turn thing may be overkill. Just my 2 cents........

[Oldsquirt]

Dan, for a hydraulic lifter to work as designed, it needs to have .020-.060" of preload. The 1/4 turn past zero lash puts it in that range.

[Dans66Stevens]

I understand what you are saying. But A guy who has nevered adjusted rockers to try and go a 1/4 turn past Zero.... I think the safer side of town is to just make them quiet rather than smoke the cam lobes!!!!

[HammerDown]

A hyd lifter can be run down as much as 1 turn and then some past zero lash.
From Comp Cams, to the Chevy Book...It quot's
"When you feel a slight resistance in the push rod (Spin) This is referd to zero lash Now turn the adjusting nut 1/2 turn more. Generally, 1/2 turn on the adjusting nut will provide the suggested .030 preload"
I know some people that just run them at zero lash to 1 full turn or even more...I tend to do what the manufacture's suggest.
[This message has been edited by HammerDown (edited July 16, 2002).]

[Blown509Liberator]

Here is how I do it. Also www.CompCams.com (http://www.CompCams.com) has some good info.
Intake Valve Adjustment: ENGINE OFF!
with #1 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #6 Intake Valve with #8 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #5 Intake Valve with #4 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #7 Intake Valve with #3 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #2 Intake Valve with #6 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #1 Intake Valve with #5 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #8 Intake Valve with #7 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #4 Intake Valve with #2 cylinder Intake Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #3 Intake Valve
Exhaust Valve Adjustment: ENGINE OFF!
If you have noticed, this is the same procedure as the intake valves listed above, just that you are now adjusting the exhaust valves the same way.
with #1 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #6 Exhaust Valve with #8 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #5 Exhaust Valve with #4 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #7 Exhaust Valve with #3 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #2 Exhaust Valve with #6 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #1 Exhaust Valve with #5 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #8 Exhaust Valve with #7 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #4 Exhaust Valve with #2 cylinder Exhaust Valve at full valve lift .... Adjust #3 Exhaust Valve

[Blown509Liberator]

I forgot to add this is for "PRE" run adjustment.