Adjusting Valves, please help

[streetstang67]

I've had to do this several times in the last month, but every time, I'll have at least a couple noisy rockers. I've been turning the engine over by hand until the valve is completely closed, then tightening until I can't spin the pushrod anymore, followed by another half turn. So, thats what I've been doing, but I still get noise, so what am I doing wrong?

 

[iskwezm]

i was having the same problem.I adjusted them 10-15 times in 3 days,it turned out the cam went flat,hope yours isnt doing the same.What kind of cam and rockers?

 

[rbohm]

personally i have never had a ford with hydraulic lifters that had no noise coming from the valve covers, regardless of how often i adjusted the rockers. the closest i came was when i would adjust the rockers with the engine running, and even then in a couple of days the lifters would get dirty and make noise again. i just gave up and live with it. i tell people i have a solid lifter cam in the stang

 

[streetstang67]

Cam is new, just put it in about a month ago, its an XE256H comp

 

[iskwezm]

Cam is new, just put it in about a month ago, its an XE256H comp

mine was 2 days old when it went flat.The problem i had was the builder used so much moly lube that it clogged the filter and it went to bypass.This time i put a solid cam and changed the oil after the 20 minute break in and then again a day later and every 100 miles.

Cut your filter open as clean as you can and look for metal from break in and lobe,lifter wear.I wore a lifter down about 1/4 inch,first time ever and I have replaced cams about 5 or 6 times without a problem.

It just what i went through and MIGHT be your problem,but i hope not.

 

[steel1212]

I had to adjust mine with engine running as well. Messy, smoky, but done right.

Oh yeah if you have a spare valve cover you can cut the top of so you don't spill oil on your headers/manifolds

 

[thehueypilot]

I had to adjust mine with engine running as well. Messy, smoky, but done right.

Oh yeah if you have a spare valve cover you can cut the top of so you don't spill oil on your headers/manifolds

I agree.....adjust them when they are warm/hot and not cold at idle. Adjust them out until they just start to rattle than tighen about 1/4 to 1/2 turn. Take your time and have a good fan handy to clear the smoke away. I find it easier to do one side at a time so I have one valve cover on at a time to limit the mess.

 

[streetstang67]

Okay, first I adjusted them using the slow, IC/EO or whatever, method. Result, still noisy.

Then I cut open an old valve cover and adjusted with the engine running. There is no constant tick, but occassionally it will sound like something is rattling, mabye a pushrod or the rocker, but its a rattling noise that will last just a second or two and just happens mabye twice a minute. What do I do?

 

[thehueypilot]

You could try running heavier weight oil. It might just be a bad lifter.....

 

[iskwezm]

how was the cam broken in?

The easiest way to do it for me was pull all the plugs and adjust each cylinder at TDC.

 

[steel1212]

I adjusted with engine running, with a cut valve cover you won't die from smoke lol. Just back each one off until it click and the tighten until it stops and go another half turn. If this doesn't work then something else is wrong.

 

[iskwezm]

I adjusted with engine running, with a cut valve cover you won't die from smoke lol. Just back each one off until it click and the tighten until it stops and go another half turn. If this doesn't work then something else is wrong.

im guessing what everybody told me,losing a lobe on the cam

 

[steel1212]

im guessing what everybody told me,losing a lobe on the cam

Yeah, that would suck.

 

[D.Hearne]

Cam is new, just put it in about a month ago, its an XE256H comp

If you've still got the stock heads with this cam and springs that match it, your problem is the studs pulling out of the heads. The stock heads on a 67 are pressed into the head and given enough force, they'll pull right back out. You need screw in studs for this type of cam and springs.

 

[streetstang67]

Cam is new and was broken in according to the comp instructions

Heads have screw in studs

And I did adjust with the engine running, so there are no more persistant ticks, just this noisy rattle occasionally

Man this is aggrivating

 

[D.Hearne]

Got any other specs or other mods to the engine?

 

[streetstang67]

stock rebuilt 289 with the following upgrades:
slightly ported and polished heads, stock valve sizes
xe256h cam with matching pushrods, rockers, springs, and screw-in studs
4bbl intake, etc...

 

[D.Hearne]

Well if it was a wiped lobe, they usually go pretty fast, I had two, one each from Crane and Comp wipe on break-in. Both just a single lobe and both would bend the pushrod when the rocker came loose. Sure it's rocker noise and not an occasional header leak? What rockers are on there?

 

[65up2d8]

If I remember your earlier posts correctly, you installed the cam without screw-in studs and the like and had problems that necessitated going to screw-in studs, etc. Is that correct, or do I have you confused with someone else? If my memory serves me well, you may have wiped out a lobe on the cam prior to doing the current mods. I certainly hope that's not the case, but it sounds quite likely at this point, unfortunately.

 

[streetstang67]

you are correct, this cam swap has been a lot of agrivation, but its slowly coming together. First I installed the cam, broke it in, then took it to a shop for A/C issues. I also told the mechanic to adjust the valves while the car was there. He told me the studs were pulling out. When I got the car back, I took the heads off and the machine shop said they hadn't moved, but I had them install screw-in studs anyway. Now, this.... :damnit: