C4 Tech/Performance L98 Corvette and LT1 Corvette Technical Info, Internal Engine, External Engine

valve....how does this happens

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Old May 22, 2008 | 09:31 PM
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Default valve....how does this happens

Some good news for a change.

I pulled out the sparkplugs and took off the passenger side valve covers.

The plugs are looking pretty good, just starting to get that nice brown color. However, the end of the threads is slightly black...

The two valves on #8 are way off. They aren't even close. The poly lock nuts are still tight.

They were adjusted correctly in the first place.

So how does the valve go out of adjustment and the nut still be tight?

Both push rods are perfectly straight. Rolled them on glass.
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Old May 22, 2008 | 09:36 PM
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Check to see if your rocker studs didnt back out?
Roller cam, right?
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Old May 22, 2008 | 09:39 PM
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Originally Posted by cuisinartvette
Check to see if your rocker studs didnt back out?
Roller cam, right?
Yep, roller cam.

I'm going through it tomorrow. I'll check the studs.

Got it apart today, will adjust the valves tomorrow, and slap it back together and see how it sounds.

It looks like just #8 is out, on both valves. At first blush the rest seem OK.
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Old May 22, 2008 | 10:51 PM
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Originally Posted by jsup


The two valves on #8 are way off. They aren't even close. The poly lock nuts are still tight.

They were adjusted correctly in the first place.

So how does the valve go out of adjustment and the nut still be tight?
What method determined that they were way off ??
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Old May 22, 2008 | 11:12 PM
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Originally Posted by AGENT 86
What method determined that they were way off ??
Well, when the motor stopped I could wiggle the rocker with about 1/4 inch of play between the valve and the rocker tip. No way bleed down happened that fast.

I moved the motor a little by hand and got the same thing on the intake valve.

There was always a slight valve tap, but today they were loose.
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Old May 22, 2008 | 11:52 PM
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Valves stuck? Did you check for compression? I remember you said you had a bang before the noise increase. Mabey the cylinder pumped gas through? Just a thought...
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Old May 22, 2008 | 11:54 PM
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Originally Posted by Redeasysport
Valves stuck? Did you check for compression? I remember you said you had a bang before the noise increase. Mabey the cylinder pumped gas through? Just a thought...
No gas in the oil. The valves move, just not nearly enough. It seems the exhaust may have only been opening 1/2 way.

There was no audible "bang" the use of the term was more to emphasize the fact that it happened suddenly.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 04:48 AM
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Originally Posted by cuisinartvette
Check to see if your rocker studs didnt back out?
Roller cam, right?

,.....It Happened to me...Locktite them in if they backed out
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Old May 23, 2008 | 08:47 AM
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You said the #8 pushrods are straight so how are the cam lobes?
Readjust valve lash to see if the lifters collapsed ; if not measure lift.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 08:49 AM
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Originally Posted by 65Z01
You said the #8 pushrods are straight so how are the cam lobes?
Readjust valve lash to see if the lifters collapsed ; if not measure lift.
Cam lobes? Stop fkn with me.... That right there is grounds for suicide.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 08:49 AM
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Originally Posted by Happydad
,.....It Happened to me...Locktite them in if they backed out
I'm going to do that today, I'll finish it up today.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 08:51 AM
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Originally Posted by jsup
Some good news for a change.

I pulled out the sparkplugs and took off the passenger side valve covers.

The plugs are looking pretty good, just starting to get that nice brown color. However, the end of the threads is slightly black...

The two valves on #8 are way off. They aren't even close. The poly lock nuts are still tight.

They were adjusted correctly in the first place.

So how does the valve go out of adjustment and the nut still be tight?

Both push rods are perfectly straight. Rolled them on glass.
If nothing loosened up, wear or breakage is the only thing that can increase clearances in a properly adjusted valvetrain.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 08:58 AM
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Originally Posted by Pete K
If nothing loosened up, wear or breakage is the only thing that can increase clearances in a properly adjusted valvetrain.
We'll see later. I did not throw the final adjustment on the valves. When I had the new piston installed (in an attempt to have the car running for this weekend) I asked them to check the valve adjustments and do a final adjustment. So I don't know what could have happened.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 09:20 AM
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When adjusting the valves, zero lash is sufficient to quiet valves. The 1/2 to 1 1/2 turns after zero lash is intended to put the plunger in the hydraulic lifter down .030 or more to account for wear.
I am not saying what happened to your motor, but it is true that a properly adjusted valvetrain that did not loosen the poly lock can only go out of adjustment with excessive wear or breakage. Bent pushrods and valves would fall under the breakage. Good luck either way.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 09:45 AM
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Originally Posted by Pete K
When adjusting the valves, zero lash is sufficient to quiet valves. The 1/2 to 1 1/2 turns after zero lash is intended to put the plunger in the hydraulic lifter down .030 or more to account for wear.
I am not saying what happened to your motor, but it is true that a properly adjusted valvetrain that did not loosen the poly lock can only go out of adjustment with excessive wear or breakage. Bent pushrods and valves would fall under the breakage. Good luck either way.
HOw can I tell if a valve is bent. Seems to me that it would be pretty obvious.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 10:05 AM
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Originally Posted by jsup
HOw can I tell if a valve is bent. Seems to me that it would be pretty obvious.
You can remove the rocker arms to let the valves close, then put air into the cylinder. If it is bent even a little bit, it will not hold air. You will hear it blowing into the intake, or out the tailpipe, depending on which valve it is.
Another way is with the boink test.
Remove all of the rocker arms on the head you have the valve cover off of, and gently boink the tip of the valve with a small hammer. It will have a distinct feel, and sound. There is no mistaking a bent one.

.001 is enough to keep a valve from sealing. Almost nothing that goes wrong on a car is obvious. This is no exception. Unless you drive over a connecting rod, it is hard to see a hurt motor.

Last edited by Pete K; May 23, 2008 at 10:07 AM.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 10:13 AM
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wooden mallet I assume?
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To valve....how does this happens

Old May 23, 2008 | 10:14 AM
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Originally Posted by Steve20
wooden mallet I assume?
I have a small plastic tipped hammer that works well.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 05:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Pete K
You can remove the rocker arms to let the valves close, then put air into the cylinder. If it is bent even a little bit, it will not hold air. You will hear it blowing into the intake, or out the tailpipe, depending on which valve it is.
Another way is with the boink test.
Remove all of the rocker arms on the head you have the valve cover off of, and gently boink the tip of the valve with a small hammer. It will have a distinct feel, and sound. There is no mistaking a bent one.

.001 is enough to keep a valve from sealing. Almost nothing that goes wrong on a car is obvious. This is no exception. Unless you drive over a connecting rod, it is hard to see a hurt motor.
I have a fiber hammer for just such an occasion. I will boink it. Thanks.

Perhaps #8 was never adjusted right in the first place, as every thing looks OK from the top.
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Old May 23, 2008 | 06:25 PM
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to verify you didnt wipe a cam lobe you can turn over the motor and look at the rockers to see if they move less then the rest.
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