How do you adjust your lifters?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 9,078
Likes: 7
From: DFW TX
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '07
How do you adjust your lifters?
I've seen several post on this and had the time to readjust mine yesterday.
This was my procedure...
1) Lossened all the rockers and waited 10 minutes.
2) Started at #1 and had a friend turn the motor until the lobes flatted out.
3) Tightened the rockers until the push rods would barely turn.
4) Cranked them an additional 1/2 turn.
5) Continued to #3 and so on.
Noticed today there is alittle less resistance between the rocker and the spring. Is this just the lifter lossing pressure after seating? I don't want to start it without valve covers on, so I will wait until tomorrow to buy a new set of gaskets.
:cheers:
This was my procedure...
1) Lossened all the rockers and waited 10 minutes.
2) Started at #1 and had a friend turn the motor until the lobes flatted out.
3) Tightened the rockers until the push rods would barely turn.
4) Cranked them an additional 1/2 turn.
5) Continued to #3 and so on.
Noticed today there is alittle less resistance between the rocker and the spring. Is this just the lifter lossing pressure after seating? I don't want to start it without valve covers on, so I will wait until tomorrow to buy a new set of gaskets.
:cheers:
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2000
Posts: 8,918
Likes: 27
From: New Hill NC
Re: How do you adjust your lifters? (Budman78)
You need to be carefull here. If you mean you tightened them until you could not turn them , thats probably too tight. You just need to take up the slack without pushing down on the lifter plunger. Then if you have stock lifters the spec. would be down one full turn. The fact that they loosened up is a good indication though. They should do this as they squeeze the oil out and center the plunger. Thats normal.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2000
Posts: 5,202
Likes: 10
From: cincinnati ohio
St. Jude Donor '09
Re: How do you adjust your lifters? (Budman78)
As far as I know this method will work on any hydraulic cam profile.
Turn the engine over by hand in the direction of rotation until
the exhaust pushrod just begines to move upward to open the valve.
You are now ready to adjust the INTAKE rocker of the same cylinder.
Carefully tighten the nut on the intake rocker arm while spinning the pushrod
with your fingertips. You will feel a slight resistance in the pushrod when you have taken up all the clearance (zero lash). Now turn the adjusting nut 1/2 turn more. This will generally give the desired .030" preload.
Once again turn the engine in it's direction of running rotation untill the intake pushrod comes all the way up and almost all the way back down. Now set the exhaust rocker to "zero lash" and add 1/2 turn. You have now set the preload on one cylinder. Repeat these same steps to set the preload on each cylinder. Courtesy Comp Cams.
Turn the engine over by hand in the direction of rotation until
the exhaust pushrod just begines to move upward to open the valve.
You are now ready to adjust the INTAKE rocker of the same cylinder.
Carefully tighten the nut on the intake rocker arm while spinning the pushrod
with your fingertips. You will feel a slight resistance in the pushrod when you have taken up all the clearance (zero lash). Now turn the adjusting nut 1/2 turn more. This will generally give the desired .030" preload.
Once again turn the engine in it's direction of running rotation untill the intake pushrod comes all the way up and almost all the way back down. Now set the exhaust rocker to "zero lash" and add 1/2 turn. You have now set the preload on one cylinder. Repeat these same steps to set the preload on each cylinder. Courtesy Comp Cams.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 6,563
Likes: 2
Re: How do you adjust your lifters? (Budman78)
Either get a set of clips that go over the pushrod oil holes, or take some old steel valve covers and cut out the tops- that way, you can adjust the lifters with the valve covers off. :chevy
Le Mans Master
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 5,635
Likes: 4
From: Orlando Floriduh
Re: How do you adjust your lifters? (MassVette)
There are a couple of way to do the INITIAL adjustment, but I always prefer to re-adjust them with the engine running. With the engine idling as slow as possible, back off the rocker nut until it starts clicking. Slowly tighten it until the clicking stops. That is "0" lash. Now very slowly tighten it 1/4 at a time. letting the engine smooth out between each 1/4 turn. you want 1 full turn past "0" for stock set-ups. Sometimes the engine just won't smooth out on the last 1/4.... In that case back off about 1/4 and leave it there. Do each valve that way and you are assured that the valves are not too tight. A tight valve will burn very quickly so you it is better safe than sorry. :chevy
[Modified by silvervetteman, 6:07 AM 9/3/2001]
[Modified by silvervetteman, 6:07 AM 9/3/2001]
Pro
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 594
Likes: 0
From: Tucson AZ
Re: How do you adjust your lifters? (yellow 72)
I'm with you yellow 72. I have been using this procedure for years and have never had problems. I don't know why people would want to worry about BTDC, squirting oil and possible engine damage. Zero lash and 1/4 to 1/2 turn (I use 1/2 turn).
