Six bolts.
Noob questions
- Thread starter Boxerman
- Start date
Six bolts.
So you are looking for avalve fully closed then measurning top pf pshrod with a feeler guage and adjusting.
Used to watch my father do that with and old tractor when the motor was running
Mike
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The most recent engine I adjusted valves on several occasions was an ISB Cummins. I never did it running as it would have been an oily mess. Not sure how close valve to piston clearances are but doing it running would increase valve lift accordingly. How would you make make minute adjustments with a rocker arm bouncing up and down?
You can do it running but don't. It beats the snot out of the feeler gauge which will then be inaccurate and unless you have the fine touch of a safe-cracker, you can't be sure it's really right. Yes, I have done it (Fords,Chevys,etc), using the clip-on oil deflectors but it's still messy If you do it correctly, that means NOT running and with an indicator, you can do several valves at a time as both intake and exhaust on several cylinders will be on the seat/heel of the cam.
I do valve lash as follows.
First set out your fireing order, in the ford case its either 13726548 or 15426378.
Write it on a sheet of paper as follows:
1-3-7-2........or 1-5-4-2
6-5-4-8........or 6-3-7-8
we will deal with the 13726548 order as its more in favour these days.
Remove plugs, get valves on #6cyl rocking ( inlet closing-exh opening ), #1 will now be @ TDC- check/set valve lash on both #1 valves. Now turn crank clockwise 90° & set/check lash on #3, carry on thru the firing order @ 90° intervals setting the top line # when the lower corresponding cyl is rocking & vice-versa.
Important.... I set them cold, BUT only after I have set them hot once @ the recommended clearance, I then allow the engine to cool (preferably overnite) then measure the cold lash settings the next morning, that then becomes my preferred cold lash setting.
WHY do it this way? with the availability of so many different components like alloy blocks /heads etc the expansion rates create too many variables. For instance on Jack Ondracks TVR ( Alloy 302 block & AFR heads ) the cam specs give a lash setting hot of ~0.018", that hot setting reduces to something like 0.006" on the inlet & 0.010" when cold ( sorry, but doing this from memory, have not worked on the car for three years now), so you can see if you only gave the engine a brief warm up the setting could actually end up somewhere in between those figures. Much more consistent to set them cold & with my old age& super sensitive thin skin a lot more relaxed & user friendly
. Another plus if your doing the task when cold & not in a rush it allows you to get a good look at the springs etc & listen for any odd sounds when turning over which might indicate a damper coil or inner spring starting to self destruct.
First set out your fireing order, in the ford case its either 13726548 or 15426378.
Write it on a sheet of paper as follows:
1-3-7-2........or 1-5-4-2
6-5-4-8........or 6-3-7-8
we will deal with the 13726548 order as its more in favour these days.
Remove plugs, get valves on #6cyl rocking ( inlet closing-exh opening ), #1 will now be @ TDC- check/set valve lash on both #1 valves. Now turn crank clockwise 90° & set/check lash on #3, carry on thru the firing order @ 90° intervals setting the top line # when the lower corresponding cyl is rocking & vice-versa.
Important.... I set them cold, BUT only after I have set them hot once @ the recommended clearance, I then allow the engine to cool (preferably overnite) then measure the cold lash settings the next morning, that then becomes my preferred cold lash setting.
WHY do it this way? with the availability of so many different components like alloy blocks /heads etc the expansion rates create too many variables. For instance on Jack Ondracks TVR ( Alloy 302 block & AFR heads ) the cam specs give a lash setting hot of ~0.018", that hot setting reduces to something like 0.006" on the inlet & 0.010" when cold ( sorry, but doing this from memory, have not worked on the car for three years now), so you can see if you only gave the engine a brief warm up the setting could actually end up somewhere in between those figures. Much more consistent to set them cold & with my old age& super sensitive thin skin a lot more relaxed & user friendly
. Another plus if your doing the task when cold & not in a rush it allows you to get a good look at the springs etc & listen for any odd sounds when turning over which might indicate a damper coil or inner spring starting to self destruct.
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