Torque Rocker Arms - How to?

[CornerCarvin67]

I'm putting on a new set of valve covers and thought I'd check the torque on the rocker arms. They are the factory originals (289) and I've noticed from time to time they seem to be rather noisy. So just for the heck of it I wiggled them by hand to see how tight they were. I have one on the very end that seems to be really loose. Is this just a matter of where the engine is at as far as the compression cycle? Is there a special procedure in tightening that nut down? I have a torque wrench and I think I remember the torque spec to be something like 20-25 ft-lbs.

Could someone please explain it in lamens terms the procedure to properly tighten these? Or do you simply run the wrench across all of these to a set torque?

Thanks!!

 

[CornerCarvin67]

Okay... I just found a sight that shows the torque spec to be 17-23 lbs.

But I still am looking for proper procedure....

 

[mustangdave]

There are a couple of ways. Some prefer to do it with the engine running which is messy. The cold non running method is described below for 67 289 w/hydraulic lifters.
Rotate engine until no. 1 piston is at TDC at the end of the compression stroke. The cylinders are numbered from front to rear: right bank,1,2,3,4: left bank,5,6,7,8. Make chalk marks on the damper dividing it into 4 equal parts;draw a line from the mark for your TDC straight across to the other side of the damper. Label the mark at TDC "A' and the other end of it "C".The next mark should be across the damper to form a perfect "x" thereby dividing the damper into four equal parts. Mark the upper left part of this mark "B" and the lower right "D". With the engine at TDC adjust the intake and exhaust valve on the #1 cyl. by loosening the rocker nut, then retightening until the pushrod to rocker arm clearance is eliminated, then tighten another 1/4 turn,( you can rotate the pushrod with your fingers while tightening to feel this).
Step 2 is to rotate the crank clockwise 1/4 turn to mark "B". Adjust both valves on the #5 cyl.
Step 3, rotate crank 1/4 turn to mark "C" and adjust both valves on the #4 cyl.
Step 4, rotate crank 1/4 turn to mark "D", adjust both valves on the #2 cyl.
Step 5, rotate crank 1/4 turn to mark "A", adjust both valves on the# 6 cyl.
Step 6, rotate crank 1/4 turn to mark "B",adjust both valves on the #3 cyl.
Step 7, rotate crank 1/4 turn to mark "C",adjust both valves on the #7 cyl.
Step 8, rotate crank 1/4 turn to mark "D",adjust both valves on the #8 cyl.
Start engine. If the idle is rough it indicates a tight rocker situation. If it is noisy, they are loose. You can use a long breaker bar on the nut on the crank to turn the engine while adjusting. Now you know why guys like to just run their engine at guess at it. It's not really that hard once you get it set up.

 

[CornerCarvin67]

Okay... sounds more like a hands on type of tutorial. Thanks for trying though. I'm not an engine guy. I can put them in... but not together. I don't know exactly how to find TDC. I guess I'll just live with however they're set. bummer..

 

[Max Power]

Dave, that is the procedure for the non-shouldered studs. If you have the style that requires them to be torqued to 17-23 foot lbs, all you have to do is tighten them to that spec with a torque wrench.

You need to know which style studs you have.

 

[mustangdave]

Well, he said he had factory 67 289 and that is straight from the factory Ford manual. Do you still disagree? There is probably a different methos for solid lifter engines, but he did not specify that.

 

[CornerCarvin67]

How do I tell what style studs I have?

 

[D.Hearne]

67's had the early non-shoulder studs, his should be no different unless someone swapped his heads. An easier way to adjust them, is with the engine running. One-by-one, with the engine running, loosen the nut till the rocker is noisy, then tighten till the engine starts to miss, then back off till it's running smoothly then tighten 1/4 to 1/2 turn. This can also be done with the engine stopped, and each cylinder's valves done at TDC on the firing stroke. Only thing different is to turn the pushrod while tightening the rocker nut. Stop when the pushrod won't turn freely, then tighten 1/2 turn.

 

[Max Power]

When he gave the torque spec I assumed he got it from the manual for the car. Looking back at it, he says he got it from a "sight" so who knows.

I figured if he had a torque spec, his car had the shouldered studs. Probably a bad assumption on my part.

What year did they start with the positive stops?

BTW, CornerCarvin, checking for looseness in the valvetrain on an old engine that isn't running can be misleading. It may seem loose just cuz the lifters are bleeding down at a different rate.

 

[Pbum5]

Hey
Does anyone have an old SB Valve cover? And do you have the ability to cut the top off of it? I am looking for one to adjust my valves. I had one, but apparently it was thrown away at my parent’s home. PM me if you do. Thanks.

 

[XXBULLETSXX]

I had one rocker that was pretty loud and it turned out that it wore the top of the valve funny and because of that the rocker started cutting the rocker stud and now I'm left with having to pull the head and replace the stud, rocker and valve.
Make sure your loud rockers arn't doing the same thing or else you'll have the same situation that I have. Better to learn now how to set them or you could have a serious problem on your hands later. Take it from me!
On the up side, Mine was very clean and easy to do while runing. And I was very concerned about making a mess because my engine compartment is spotless. Try to get someone with some experience over and help you. Once you've seen it done and had some supervision you'll know one more thing about engines!
Good Luck

 

[D.Hearne]

When he gave the torque spec I assumed he got it from the manual for the car. Looking back at it, he says he got it from a "sight" so who knows.

I figured if he had a torque spec, his car had the shouldered studs. Probably a bad assumption on my part.

What year did they start with the positive stops?

BTW, CornerCarvin, checking for looseness in the valvetrain on an old engine that isn't running can be misleading. It may seem loose just cuz the lifters are bleeding down at a different rate.

The positive stop studs started sometime in 68, if I'm not mistaken.