lifters, rods, and rockers

smitty13

New Member
Aug 15, 2009
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KC
Building my engin and i got the cam and front cover and heads on. what i dont know how to do is get all the new roller rocker arms all torqed down. i understand i have to turn the engin over to get the lifters pushed up, but im still not sure the whole step by step prosses of doing this. Any advsise and i would be thankfull !!
 
Hyd Roller or Solid Roller, did you presoak the lifters in oil?

This is the method I have been using for years from Ed C @ FTI

Hydraulic Lifter/Valve Adjustment
1. Remove the valve covers, and pick a cylinder you are going to set the pre-load on. Only do one cylinder at a time.

2. Rotate the engine in its normal direction of rotation (clockwise) and watch the exhaust valve on that particular cylinder. When the exhaust valve begins to open, stop and adjust that cylinder's intake rocker arm.

3. To adjust, back off the intake rocker arm adjusting nut and remove any tension from the push rod. Wait a minute or two for that hydraulic lifter to return to a neutral position. The spring inside the lifter will move the push rod seat up against the retaining lock, if you give it time to do so.

4. Twist the intake push rod with your fingers while tightening down the rocker arm. When you feel a slight resistance to the turning of the push rod, you are at "Zero Lash". Turn the adjusting nut down one half to three-quarters of a turn from that point for street applications. Use 1/8 to 1/4 turn for race applications. Lock the adjuster into position. The intake is now adjusted properly.

5. Continue to turn the engine, watching that same intake valve/rocker you just set. It will go to full open and then begin to close. When it is almost closed, stop and adjust the exhaust rocker arm on that particular cylinder. Loosen the exhaust rocker arm and follow the same procedure described before in steps 3 and 4 to adjust this rocker arm.

6. Both valves on this cylinder are now adjusted, and you can move on to your next cylinder and follow the same procedure again.

There may be some initial valvetrain noise when the engine is first fired up but once oil pressure has stabilized and the engine heats up, it should quiet right down to a normal level.
 
I don't know what set-up you are using . But basically you need to install the lifters, push rods and rocker arms. Torque the rocker bolts to the proper spec.
Turn the engine to where the cylinder you will be working with will be a TDC on the compression stroke. Of course No.1 can be located by the timing marks on the harmonic balancer. The important thing is that both valves will be closed when that cylinder is TDC on the compression stroke.. Check the amount of compression that is on the push rod. Most people want to be able to twist the push rod by hand. Being able to twist the push rod means that the valve is not being held open and is fully seated closed. If the push rod can not be turned then the valve needs shimmed.
What you are trying to do is make sure the push rod length is right. If the push rod is too short it will be loose and will be "hammered". If the push rod is too long it could possibly hold the valve slightly open resulting in a burnt valve. By shimming the rockers you take all clearance out of the push rods without holding a valve open.
The push rods need checked on all eight cylinders.
 
Hyd Roller or Solid Roller, did you presoak the lifters in oil?

This is the method I have been using for years from Ed C @ FTI

Hydraulic Lifter/Valve Adjustment
1. Remove the valve covers, and pick a cylinder you are going to set the pre-load on. Only do one cylinder at a time.

2. Rotate the engine in its normal direction of rotation (clockwise) and watch the exhaust valve on that particular cylinder. When the exhaust valve begins to open, stop and adjust that cylinder's intake rocker arm.

3. To adjust, back off the intake rocker arm adjusting nut and remove any tension from the push rod. Wait a minute or two for that hydraulic lifter to return to a neutral position. The spring inside the lifter will move the push rod seat up against the retaining lock, if you give it time to do so.

4. Twist the intake push rod with your fingers while tightening down the rocker arm. When you feel a slight resistance to the turning of the push rod, you are at "Zero Lash". Turn the adjusting nut down one half to three-quarters of a turn from that point for street applications. Use 1/8 to 1/4 turn for race applications. Lock the adjuster into position. The intake is now adjusted properly.

5. Continue to turn the engine, watching that same intake valve/rocker you just set. It will go to full open and then begin to close. When it is almost closed, stop and adjust the exhaust rocker arm on that particular cylinder. Loosen the exhaust rocker arm and follow the same procedure described before in steps 3 and 4 to adjust this rocker arm.

6. Both valves on this cylinder are now adjusted, and you can move on to your next cylinder and follow the same procedure again.

There may be some initial valvetrain noise when the engine is first fired up but once oil pressure has stabilized and the engine heats up, it should quiet right down to a normal level.

yes i did pre soak the lifter and im using hydraulic lifters