[mustangmatt]

I posted recently about putting my heads back on my car. Well I got them back on and everything buttoned up and she runs. Which is good, and doesnt blow smoke anymore which is even better. Now my problem is my rocker arms. I think I only did half the job. I tightened them down by spining the pushrods and stoping when the pushrod stoped spining. I never did anything as far as the valve side of things. I read that need to adjust the valve lash? When it runs, it makes a noise that sounds like it is coming from the rockers. Thats what made me think I needed to adjust the valve lash. My question is, Is there an easy way of doing it or should I take it to someone? I read all about how to do it, but I am just not sure. Again I think I am already ahead of the game considering I took the heads and everything off and put them back on and it runs. So I think that maybe the finer points of adjusting and tuning should be left to a pro, maybe or maybe I should give it a shot? PLease advise.

 

[DaveSanborn]

Aren't your stock heads equipped with non-adjustable rockers? Pedestal mount type?

 

[johnpro]

No way ... you've done the hard part, don't go paying for someone else to do the easy part! /forums/images/icons/wink.gif

My first concern is that you say you tightened them down until the push rod wouldn't spin. This usually means you're way past zero valve lash, and are probably not closing your valves completely.

Adjust the rocker nut down until there's no "up and down" movement (they'll still spin easily). If you play with it tightening and loosening, you eventually can "feel" when you hit zero lash in your ratchet. Zero lash is when the rocker is in contact with the push rod and the push rod is in contact with the lifter, but BEFORE the lifter starts to compress. After zero lash, turn the nut an additional 1/2 - 3/4 turn. This is done with both valves closed on the compression stroke.

Now that the engine's running, though, I prefer to adjust hydraulic lifters with the engine running. An old valve cover with the top cut out works well for this, as it will help catch alll the splashing oil. To adjust with the engine running, do one side at a time, and go down the line of rockers. Loosen the nut until it starts tapping, tighten it back down JUST until the tapping stops, and then tighten 1/2-3/4 turn past that.

HTH

 

[camachinist]

So, you said the valvetrain makes noise, yes? Well, how does the engine run? Smoothly?

Does the valvetrain make more noise when the engine is cold than when it's warm?

Are your rocker studs threaded straight down the shank of do the threads terminate at a shoulder? (IOW, the threaded area is smaller in diameter than the main shank)

Get back to us...

 

[mustangmatt]

Well this seems like something I would be able to do but I am just not confident on the exact procedure. As far as the far the studs are treaded I am not sure exactly. I think I am going to take it to the local Mustang guru and have him do it. It runs ok considering I havent set the timeing, it sputters some gas out of the carb when I burp the throttle though. No flames just a spit of gas, kind of like a back fire without the fire.

 

[camachinist]

When in doubt, farm it out...*G*

Carb spitting might be because of lean condition from lack of sufficient accelerator pump shot, or could be timing related...if the engine runs OK then only a remote possibility that it could be due to valves being adjusted too tight...

Update us when you take it in...good luck!