How to adjust valves for Hyd. Rollers....How do you guys do it???

[73MACH]

Just wondering how everyone does this to find out which way is easier or more accurate.

[Prince Valiant]

I take it you're talking about a stud mounted rocker?

1. Make sure the cam is on the base circle, not on the lobe. There are various ways to go about doing this...I like finding TDC for the number 1 cylinder, and then #x for intake and #y for exhaust will be on the base circle...then turn the crank 90 degrees and #z and #a will be on it's base circle...so on and so forth until you get two full revolutions. Otherwise, you can simply do one cylinder at a time and just watch the exhaust valve...as it starts to open, the intake lifter will be on the base circle, so you adjust that...then keep turning the engine until the intake side begins to close, and the exhaust lifter will be on the base circle, so adjust it...the former procedure is a bit quicker since you spend more time adjusting valves rather than turning the engine.

2. Now start to tighten down the rocker....as you do this, you can either move the rocker up and down, or spin it on b/w your index finger and thumb (i do the later)....you tighten down until there is no play in the up down motion of the pushrod b/w the lifter and rocker, OR until a very slight resistance is felt while spinning the pushrod. The reason for doing this is to find zero-lash with zero-preload on the lifter.

3. Then to set the pre-load, you generally want to turn the nut either 1/2 to 1 full turn (180-360 degrees) from where you found zero-lash/no preload. This will for pretty much all rocker arm set-up give you the proper HYD lifter preload of about .020-.060 inches that HYD lifters generally require. If it has a locking nut, lock it down and move on...

Just be careful, take your time, and double check your work before moving to a next step or cylinder. If you THINK you messed up, just go back and start at square one...

Being a mopar guy, this was all new to me when putting together my 408 magnum based engine, as we always had shaft mounted rockers on the LA/B/RB engines that were a breeze to put on...whereas the newer style magnums went to stud mounted rockers. I regularly pleaded my ignorance when it came down to how to properly adjust these things....but got over it when doing the engine for the LRT.

[DRK]

Like this

http://sbftech.com/index.php/topic,317.0.html

[73MACH]

Thanks guys!

Durty Kurt gave me a lesson in this last year, but I'm one of those dummies that forgets stuff you don't do very often so I was second guessing myself earlier.....hence the post. I found this on the interweb which brought everything back into perspective for me. The visuals help with understanding why you do what when. I don't like to just "DO" stuff, I want to understand the actions and reactions of what I'm doing.

http://www.centuryperformance.com/adjusting-valve-lash-spg-149.html

[awsomeears]

Good thread 73 MACH I'm going to do this to the Nova I just bought as I have the upper intake and valve covers off, seems straight forward....

73MACH do you have Hydraulic setup with standard rockers or after market full roller ?

[93 Coupe]

I've always found this helpful...

http://www.flowtechinduction.com/technical.htm#Valve

[73MACH]

Full rollers.

93 Coupe, That's the way Durty kurt taught me, but for whatever reason, this way was a little easier for me to digest with the diagrams. Guess I'm not very book smart. lol. ahh well, as long as you get the same outcome!

[Prince Valiant]

btw, I like to take out the spark plugs when doing this...much easier to turn the engine without compression, lol...

[73MACH]

10-4!

My motor is out for a leaky rear main that drove me crazy, turned into seal, new cam, intake, rewired and hid engine comp. wire harness, rebuilt trak-lok, different gauge set-up.....lol. I get bored in the winter. I should start a thread of my lil build.