This should draw a variety of opinions! I have about 2k miles on the rebuild. I think I'm hearing more valve train than when new build. Maybe lash is a little loose.
Question 1: Do you think it good to periodically check valve adjustment?
Question 2: What is the best way?
With engine off and rotating engine by hand.
Engine running and loosen to click, then take down until click disappears then 1/2 or so more turn?

 

what kind of lifters? roller, hydraulic flat tappet or solid? how about arms? I have the hyd flat tappet with roller rockers and Ive had to tighten a couple of mine up twice so far in about 6,000 miles I used the starter to move mine with distributor unplugged

 

Hydraulic Flat with stock rockers

 

Question 1: Do you think it good to periodically check valve adjustment?
Question 2: What is the best way?

It certainly wouldn't hurt to check them.
I personally like the hot running method. You can minimalise the oil flinging with clip on deflectors for the rockers.
Once set, you should be good for 50-100k miles on a stock type engine.

 

do yourself a favor and buy a set of Posi Locks.adjust once and your done with it.

 

One of the reasons that all of the US automakers used hydraulic flat tappet lifters on their production cars is that you simply set the lash one time when you build the engine, and you never have to check or or re-set it again for the life of the car/engine. If the engine was assembled correctly, there is no need to ever re-check hydraulic lifter lash. Most automakers didn't even have adjustable lifters. The lifters were pre-adjusted by design and locked in place. No adjustment needed or possible. Just because Chevy had adjustment capability doesn't mean it should ever need to be done if the engine was built and set up right.

No professional engine builder (or manufacturer) ever sets lash with the engine running. Complete nonsense. Lash is set on a static engine.


Lars

 

That being said, how do I know if they might need checking?? It sounds like I'm hearing more valve train chatter, especially when I raise the rpms? Will a vacuum gauge or any diagnostic show if valve lash is out of spec?
Thank you.

 

No.

If the guy who built the engine did not set the lifter preload correctly (too loose), it is possible that the lash needs to be re-set correctly. Just e-mail me for my paper on how to do it right. One time. This, of course, assumes that the engine/cam was properly broken in, and that you do not have cam lobes going flat.

Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com

 

I know I'm going to get "blasted" for this.... but I used a method I saw on YouTube. To start...I loosened ALL of the adjusting nuts and brought damper to TDC, doesn't matter which cylinder.
Adjust each pushrod to 0 lash. Now rotate damper 90*(doesn't have to exact) and adjust each pushrod to 0 lash. Rotate 90* again and adjust pushrods to 0 lash. Continue for 2-3 complete rotations(8-12) stops.
I did 4 complete rotations. AFTER you are done, turn each nut 1/2 for the preload. DONE.
I probably made it sound complicated but it's really not. Search YouTube for " SBC valve adjustment" you'll find several.
HTH

 

This is how I do it. Foolproof on hydraulic anything. This is not recommended for some solid lifter setups as the ramp is so long on some grinds that the TDC position is not viable. For these you use the Intake closed, Exhaust open/ Exhaust open Intake closed method. An example of this is the Z/28 302 30/30 cam.......
I like the TDC method as it is way easier to keep track of what valves you have done. Foolproof.
During the next bulild, I plan on trying to show how I actually set lifter preload with Poly-Locs.......once you see this, I doubt you will do it any other way again.

Jebby

 

Yeah... only used on hydraulic. My neighbor was having valvetrain noise with his C10, we popped off the valve covers, and used this method. Took about 90 minutes which included cleaning valve covers for new gaskets. He was very happy with results.
Looking forward to the video on Poly-locs.

 

Sorry for the bad but if the flat tappet cam is already broken in and now it's making noise that cam probably has wiped lobes. I know this from my own experience. Who ever installed the cam did not adjust the lifters correctly or did not break in the cam correctly. Damage is done.

 

I may get blasted for this post, but... I hope for your sake that you didn't wipe the cam and sent metal all through the new motor, that "could" be very bad news. If you run across one or more rockers that are very loose, it could be a wiped cam lobe(s) or somebody is clueless on how to set lifters which would mean that the cam wasn't broken in properly and let the mayhem begin. All "may be scenarios" and you will have to check that out. Now, here is why I will probably get blasted. Everyone here all has different ways and opinions on flat tappet cams, adjustments and how reliable they are and I don't disagree with that really and have only had one FT cam in my vette with no issues. I never had to mess with a Hyd flat tappet cam since all my motors "back in the day" where solid lifter cams and needed to be adjusted now and then depending on how hard I was on the motor and how many 8k shifts I had done. With that said, I don't see why members have motors rebuilt with flat tappet cams vs a roller. Yeah, it will cost more, but the performance gains from faster ramp speeds and total reliability out weighs the trade off of a possible motor rebuild again if you wipe a cam. I know , I know, there will be plenty of guys here that will argue this point to death, but a roller for any street motor is not a bad thing unless your budget can not withstand the price increase. I think it is smart money well spent.

I like the fact that I do not have to worry about cam break in on a roller like a flat tappet cam or to ensure that I'm running oil with plenty of ZDDP in it. If I were to run a flat tappet cam now a days I surely would either use a good quality oil with plenty of ZDDP in it or run an oil additive with lots of zinc/ZDDP to cover my a** which is very cheap insurance you have to agree vs the alternative. OK, this is only my opinion so let the bashing begin...

 

If you have any type of warranty, don't touch anything until you contact the builder.
If you know and have a good repour with the engine builder, ask him how he set up the lifters and did the adjustment.
If you think there is any issue with this rebuild, take it to the builder and ask him to check it out.
Once you touch it, you may void your warranty, or the builder may refuse to even look at it.
Keep us posted.

 

There should be metal in the oil or filter if a lobe was wearing correct?

In my case there is none whats so ever. (and yes ive been very diligent about looking after reading the stories here) I will also add that when I readjusted mine the first time I do believe it was likely due to not properly having all my nuts locked on the roller rockers. It was the first engine build for me and first time adjusting lash. There are multiple recommendations on you tube for this procedure .I remember I had some inconsistent behavior when assembling and originally adjusting the rockers where even after adjusting after turning the engine over by hand a couple times it seemed some needed to be readjusted once again. The last time I had the covers off was 2 weeks ago and I found what appeared to be the slightest bit of play in 3 of the rockers. When I broke my cam in I used the correct lube as well as break up oil and followed the manufacturers break in procedure as far as rpm and time. I also used the valve springs lunati recommended for the cam I purchased so YMMV I guess.
When I bought my vette the original engine had a couple of very loose rocker and I assumed it was due to the last owner not using a zddp additive.

 

This is what I did as well. only its possible I did 1/4 ,1/2 or 3/4 of a turn for preload I dont remember. it was what the video suggested and I remember different videos had different suggestions. I went with what seemed to be suggested the most based upon what I read and saw at the time.

 

Just a word here on lifter preloads. Not ALL lifters are created equal and generally each manufacturer has their own specs for that adjustment, but not all that I've seen, besides there are not dozens of lifters manufacturers out there, just lots of brands from only a few manufacturers. I use Morel roller lifters and have no issues and their recommendation is two fold, one, that they recommend using a 10W-40 oil and that at zero lash, you turn it one full turn which should achieve approximately .040". So, that's their recommendations, not the Youtube experts opinion on how to adjust all lifters.

 

OK I knew I was going to get flamed for this.
Does anyone contend that this method does not work?
I agree that any major manufacture or re-builder that assembles a engine correctly with quality parts would not use this method.
But, with all the rebuilt engines out there with unknown or questionable parts from unknown builders, why is this not a viable option?
Especially, if you are changing leaky valve cover gaskets, you could do this in about 1 hr., and may be more precise for many home mechanics that don't have much experience finding 0 lash.

 

Your hot and running method is used at times. I have a set of those oil deflector clips in my tool box. They only fit on stock type rocker arms. Some times you may be wanting to set them that way. I prefer to set them with the engine off.

There are several "right" ways to set hydraulic lifters. Any of the methods that work are "right". Tight enough to prevent valves from closing is too tight (and wrong). Loose enough so there is any slack in the valvetrain is too loose (and wrong). ANYTHING in between is "right". 😎

 

Do you mean this procedure?