Engine valvetrain assistance

Without knowing what the cam specs are, it now becomes alittle more involved with finding the correct push rod length. Setting up a dial indicator to measure the lift, removing and checking all your pushrods to see if they are all the same length, then calculating the correct length for the current combination............and without previous history of what was installed etc., who know the condition of the cam, lifters etc., as others have mentioned.
Ideally, the tip of the roller should be in the middle of the valve tip @ 1/2 the lift of the cam or duration, I can't remember which one (too late in the evening).
Short story is, unfortunately, there is no "quick/simple" solution. Also, unlike "positive stop" factory set ups, with adjustable set up, very rarely does the nut ever gets tightened right down..........
David

 

looks the same as on mine, but again wherever it ends up after adjusting, every application can be different.
another thing with using poly locks, make sure the bottom of the locking set screw is ground flat, which allows for more surface area to "lock" down onto the top of the stud, otherwise it can back off..........

 

Thanks guys. I appreciate all your input.
My post was kind of a cry for help as my frustration level is a max.
Damn cars been sitting in my garage and I just want it GONE!!!

I'm half tempted to throw a set of stock rockers on it and be done with it.

Ugh.....

 

I gather that you have adjusted hydraulic valves before?? If so, hand crank so #1 intake/exhaust is fully closed @ TDC.
While turning the nut down and rotating the pushrod until you can not rotate anymore, will get you started.
Mark the nut and slowly back out, while counting the number of turns until off the stud, now assuming all the pushrods are the same length, you can tighten down all the remaining locks the same.
Should be safe enough to fire up the car and do a running adjustment.......
- cut some cardboard and place within the head, will keep most of the oil within.
- start with #1 and either back off nut until lifter/pushrod starts making noise.
- then slowly tighten until stops, and then 1/2 turn, lock down, done
- move onto the next until all 16 are down.
- double check the locking set screws, clean up.

should be good to go and get it out of your garage, unless poly nut is tightened right down and still making noise,
in which case different length pushrod is required or bad lifter.........good luck!
David

 

Here is the correct sequence for adjusting, will engine off...........
with #1 @ TDC (end of compression stroke, with intake/exhaust closed)
adjust #1 intake and #1 exhaust
#7 intake and #5 exhaust
#8 intake and #4 exhaust

rotate crank clockwise 180 degree (1/2 turn)
adjust #5 intake and #2 exhaust
#4 intake and #6 exhaust

rotate crank clockwise 270 degree (3/4 turn)
adjust #2 intake and #7 exhaust
#3 intake and #3 exhaust
#6 intake and #8 exhaust

David

 

It may be due to the odd angle of the pic in post 11, but don't the rollers look pretty far off the valve tip? I am going to vote wrong pushrod length ... If you could roll the motor over and check the pattern on a valve tip (on a good cylinder) with some dye, you may get closer to your answer.

I have seen poly-locs used with studs and and roller-tip rockers before.

 

[QUOTE="fishhog, post: 1083723, member: 28080"So.... before I start heading down the wrong rabbit hole, what is the proper length pushrod?[/QUOTE]
No one can tell you what length push rod. You'll need to buy an adjustable push rod and measure.

 

The factory length for flat tappet cams is 6.80", roller is 6.27...

From what I've seen, most flat tappet setups with roller rockers have better geometry with a 6.9" push rod... Still the 6.8" should be OK...

 

I measured and they came to 6-7/8" which to my public school math is 6.875" long. didn't measure the originals

 

the other thing to watch out for when adjusting valves in sequence as some others have mentioned here is confirming the existing camshafts firing order. The 302 HO and 351W stuff uses the newer 13726548 order.. vs the older 302's original firing order of 15426378. So, just be sure to check the distributor caps firing order(ONLY trust that IF it hasn't been fiddled with since it was last run though) so you don't get confused and potentially stand any valves open on startup. Otherwise you should confirm firing order by rotating the cam to see what you have. In this case, might want to just skip the distributor caps wiring and confirm by the valve action itself.

I personally hate spinning the motor so much to adjust everything cylinder by cylinder based on firing order. The main reason for this is that it often leads to wiping the lobes/tappet faces of the remaining residual oil needed for startup.

Been quite a while for the SBF stuff but I believe this is the method I've used many times for the HO stuff. Second link is for the NON-HO motors.

http://www.gtsparkplugs.com/images/Ford-351W-Valve-Adjustment.jpg

http://429mustangcougarinfo.50megs.com/images/valvelash.jpg

Actually, I use none of these sequences these days but I didn't want to confuse matters any more than they already are. lol

 

tru dat. What also happens is that the set screw causes irregular loading of the nuts threads on one side more than the other and causes it to split and crack with higher spring loads. This can be caused by either the set screw or the tops of the studs being slightly skewed as well. Had it happen to me once, luckily I happened to catch it before it broke the nut all the way off, and seen it a few times on other "economy brands" like these. Set the lock screw and then check the witness marks on both the studs top and the set screw itself to be sure they are machined correctly.

 

I adjust valves using the method that the major cam manufacturers recommend, which is "E.O.I.C." (Exhaust Opening - Intake Closing). I adjust all the intake valves first, on each cylinder, rotating the engine until the exhaust valve starts to open. I then do the same on each exhaust valve when the intake is almost closed. This is considered to be the most accurate method, as many performance cams have steep ramps, and just because both valves appear closed, it does not guarantee that the lifter is on the base-circle of the cam lobe. It's not so critical with stock cams with wide lobe separation angles and more gradual ramps.

 

gold star for you! that's what I do nowadays too.

you can also alternate between other cylinders while you're doing this procedure.. and sometimes even back up slightly to catch an over rotated lobe.. to help avoid rotating the engine too many times.