Valve adjusting ....how often ????
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,448
Likes: 27
From: Valparaiso
Valve adjusting ....how often ????
Hi guys
i adjusted the valves 4 monts ago,the valves were really loose/noisy and we decided to adjust them today,the car runs pretty good now but i wonder how often do i have to repeat this procedure ?
i don't run at the strip,but sometimes i like to floor it,but not much !
i have new rockers/nuts installed when i did the engine rebuild (6-7 months ago) why they come loose ? or is it normal that after a rebuild and some use,everything is acommodating there and a valve adjustment after 4 months its needed ? From what i recall,its not normal.-
What you think ?
i adjusted the valves 4 monts ago,the valves were really loose/noisy and we decided to adjust them today,the car runs pretty good now but i wonder how often do i have to repeat this procedure ?
i don't run at the strip,but sometimes i like to floor it,but not much !
i have new rockers/nuts installed when i did the engine rebuild (6-7 months ago) why they come loose ? or is it normal that after a rebuild and some use,everything is acommodating there and a valve adjustment after 4 months its needed ? From what i recall,its not normal.-
What you think ?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,448
Likes: 27
From: Valparaiso
Stock 1987 L98
No adjustment ? how's that ?
they were so loose !!!
thanks !
i only added a ZZ4 CAM and LT4 Springs + Hypereutectic flat tops,all bored .30 over
i read about " back off till slight clack, tighten it to silent, then add 1/4 or 1/2 turn more "
No adjustment ? how's that ?
they were so loose !!!
thanks !
i only added a ZZ4 CAM and LT4 Springs + Hypereutectic flat tops,all bored .30 over
i read about " back off till slight clack, tighten it to silent, then add 1/4 or 1/2 turn more "
Last edited by Calderone; Sep 29, 2008 at 02:19 AM.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
If you used roller rockers there should be little "wear in" involved, save for a little where the push rods wear into the RR cups and the lifter cups.
BTW, how much oil "squirting" was there from the push rods while doing the adjustment?
BTW, how much oil "squirting" was there from the push rods while doing the adjustment?
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,448
Likes: 27
From: Valparaiso
the valve bird came back yesterday,we adjusted them on Sunday
im thinking to put an additive there to calm the bird
i think its the pushrod on that little guides pee pee pee pee
how about an additive ?????
PROLONG MAYBE ?
im thinking to put an additive there to calm the bird
i think its the pushrod on that little guides pee pee pee pee
how about an additive ?????
PROLONG MAYBE ?
Race Director
Joined: Jun 1999
Posts: 14,924
Likes: 9
From: Merritt Ils Fl
An additive will not help. If valves are losing their adjustment this fast you have a problem somewhere. How many valves involved? Idle thoughts: cam wear? studs pulling out? locks backing off? I would suggest a complete and close inspection cause something isn't right.
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Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 1
From: Warwick RI
Your valves should get adjusted once and that should be good. I have had engines that needed a single re-adjustment after break-in but I would say that only a couple out of 10 or so. ( I am not a professional so I don't have hundreds to draw experience from)
Questions:
How many miles on the cam and lifter swap?
What additive has been used for break in?
What oil are you running currently?
The reasons for these questions:
1. You want to make sure that you are not have a cam failure
2. Cam break-in requires the zinc additive to prevent #1
3. Your oil may be breaking down and thinning out, this will cause the valvetrain to get a little noisy when the car gets hot.
Questions:
How many miles on the cam and lifter swap?
What additive has been used for break in?
What oil are you running currently?
The reasons for these questions:
1. You want to make sure that you are not have a cam failure
2. Cam break-in requires the zinc additive to prevent #1
3. Your oil may be breaking down and thinning out, this will cause the valvetrain to get a little noisy when the car gets hot.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,448
Likes: 27
From: Valparaiso
Iroc here ya go :
1 - maybe 1000 miles
2 - i put there mount liqui moly on the cam lobes and lifters
3 - im running 15-40 Shell (Here in Chile most of the cars uses 20-50)
I hope my cam is OK
No no,its not when my car gets hot,even thou we adjusted the valves on sunday
and they were way quiet now,but its a "peep peep" think that i really hate
that comes and goes.....
1 - maybe 1000 miles
2 - i put there mount liqui moly on the cam lobes and lifters
3 - im running 15-40 Shell (Here in Chile most of the cars uses 20-50)
I hope my cam is OK
No no,its not when my car gets hot,even thou we adjusted the valves on sunday
and they were way quiet now,but its a "peep peep" think that i really hate
that comes and goes.....
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 1
From: Warwick RI
Iroc here ya go :
1 - maybe 1000 miles
2 - i put there mount liqui moly on the cam lobes and lifters
3 - im running 15-40 Shell (Here in Chile most of the cars uses 20-50)
I hope my cam is OK
No no,its not when my car gets hot,even thou we adjusted the valves on sunday
and they were way quiet now,but its a "peep peep" think that i really hate
that comes and goes.....
1 - maybe 1000 miles
2 - i put there mount liqui moly on the cam lobes and lifters
3 - im running 15-40 Shell (Here in Chile most of the cars uses 20-50)
I hope my cam is OK
No no,its not when my car gets hot,even thou we adjusted the valves on sunday
and they were way quiet now,but its a "peep peep" think that i really hate
that comes and goes.....
Pull the covers again and check the adjustment cold, there is no reason to work on a hot oil spewing engine
Change out the poly locknut with a fresh one if you find one that backed out.
Last edited by Iroc57; Oct 2, 2008 at 09:07 AM. Reason: just read the original post again
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,448
Likes: 27
From: Valparaiso
Roller Cam.-
Yes i think its simple,the valve train is not noisy anymore since Sunday
but the bird comes and goes sometimes,it sounds like a bad pulley,but its not
its a valve or pushrod.-
thanks
Yes i think its simple,the valve train is not noisy anymore since Sunday
but the bird comes and goes sometimes,it sounds like a bad pulley,but its not
its a valve or pushrod.-
thanks
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,171
Likes: 1
From: Warwick RI
It doesn't sound like adjustment. That would be a ticking/tapping sound and not a squeak or squeal. I think it is time to break out the stethoscope (or a long screwdriver) and pin it down to a specific cylinder. Maybe it is just a squeaky roller on a lifter. I have never heard a chirp from the valve train but as I wrote I don't have hundreds of engines to draw experience from so perhaps one of the pros on here can shed some light.
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
The reason I ask is because the OEM rockers were self-aligning and so the OEM guides were not supposet to touch the push rods during normal operation.
When going to 1.6:1 self-aligning RRs it's recommended to remove the guides to avoid potential scraping by push rods on the OEM guides.
I'm wondering if with your higher cam lift the push rods may be scraping on the OEM guides???
If you see any hint of wear on the guides and/or push rods you could remove them, trim them back to avoid contact and then install the remnants to keep stock spacing under the rocker studs.
When going to 1.6:1 self-aligning RRs it's recommended to remove the guides to avoid potential scraping by push rods on the OEM guides.
I'm wondering if with your higher cam lift the push rods may be scraping on the OEM guides???
If you see any hint of wear on the guides and/or push rods you could remove them, trim them back to avoid contact and then install the remnants to keep stock spacing under the rocker studs.
Thread Starter
Le Mans Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 8,448
Likes: 27
From: Valparaiso
Yes i thought on removing those little guides
what effect will cause removing them ?
i didn't get this " trim them back to avoid contact and then install the remnants to keep stock spacing under the rocker studs "
how's that ?
thanks
what effect will cause removing them ?
i didn't get this " trim them back to avoid contact and then install the remnants to keep stock spacing under the rocker studs "
how's that ?
thanks
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
how's that ?
The guides sit under the rocker studs and so serve as "spacers". So I would pull the studs & guide plates, trim back the guide plates (cut off the ears and a little bit more) and then put the guide plates back under the rocker studs to maintain the OEM stud height.
I suppose you could simply use washers of the same thickness as the guide plates.
Of course this all supposes your new rockers are self-aligning; if not you really need to install hardened guide plates and hardened push rods.