<VV> valve adjustment

Marc Sheridan sheridanma at adelphia.net
Sat Feb 26 20:58:27 EST 2005



could someone tell me how to adjust the valves on my corvair cold not
running? I have seen it on this site before but I did not print it out.
kbates at c4.net
 _______________________________________________
Here is what Ken Hand posted a while back. It worked for me.

Marc Sheridan

> I will try to answer what you are saying/asking with my opinion.
> First a few parameters, when I replace lifters I use SBC lifters with the
> disc valve, when I adjust valves, even corvair original, I use 3/4 turn,
and
> I adjust one cyl. at a time at TDC.
>     My turn to ask a question; Why do you adjust valves hot and running?
> I think the answer may lie in the OLD DAYS when you had to adjust
mechanical
> valves running and with a feeler gauge, I still have some of the tools.
>     Also to let everyone know I vary quite a bit from the shop manual when
it
> come to certain things -- see above 3/4 turn, and SBC lifters -- so to me
the
> shop manual is a guide not the Bible.
>     Now for some specific reasons, hydraulic lifters, wonderful things
that
> let you take all the clearance out for quiet movement and not have to be
> perfect or exactly on the money for best overall performance. You can
adjust
> SBC lifters on the corvair from as little as 1/16th of a turn or all the
way
> to 1 1/2 turns and the lifter will still perform the same way it was
designed.
>     You ask "why adjust cold"? Most of it has been said before but I will
> reiterate some and add some new, maybe.
>     The list, ease of working conditions, cleanliness,
> open the engine up once, or on a rebuild never,
> you don't have to destroy a part to make a shield
> you won't burn yourself!  (GRIN)
> The cold adjustment can be more precise and the BIGGIE, it takes less
time.
>     I have found over the years that people are to impatient for the
running
> method and won't or don't wait for things to settle properly. Here is an
> example someone puts lifters in an engine, they preadjust, run the engine
for
> a few minutes, open up the rocker cover, make a mess with dripping hot
oil,
> start the engine, now you have hot spraying oil all over, back the
adjusting
> nut off until it clatters (or is that the one next to it?), then you
tighten
> slowly until the clatter stops (but the others are making noise, are you
hard
> of hearing?), once the clatter stops on that valve you adjust slowly, no
more
> than a 1/4 turn until the engine smoothes out again, the clatter is still
> there, you adjust another 1/4 turn, this continues until you get nervous
> about how far down you've taken the nut, ( or you don't know any
different),
> then pretty soon, finally QUIET!  BUT GUESS WHAT? You've bottomed out the
> lifter to make it quiet and now the lifter cannot function the way it was
> designed. Now you think you have the cat by the tail because the engine is
> running OK and pretty quiet as far as lifter noise goes. You then put
rocker
> covers on and clean up the mess that was made by all the oil splashing
> everywhere. Now you drive your car and all is well.
>     Next time you go to drive the car there is this funny little thing
> happening in the engine that wasn't there before and you check and check
and
> finally do a compression test and find you have low compression on one or
two
> cyls. And you ask why and find out that you need to adjust valves all over
> again!
>     The way I adjust valves, new or used is this way;
> If the car is driven to you LET ENGINE COOL!
> Jack up one side of the car kinda high and use jack stands,
> Then pull off the corresponding valve cover
> Watching the valve motion of the cyl you wish to adjust bring that cyl to
TDC
> or very close,
> loosen the rocker arm until there is movement up and down.
> With oily fingers on one hand pinch the pushrod and twist back and forth
as
> you tighten the rocker down, do not hold to tight on the pushrod, once you
> get to the spot that, with light pressure you can't twist the pushrod
remove
> your adjusting tool and move the rocker slightly side ways to see if it
was
> off center of the valve and now the pushrod may move easily again so go
and
> tighten the nut some more while twisting the pushrod until it stops again,
> double check the rocker for being straight and if so then you are at ZERO
> LASH.
>     From here you adjust the nut to 3/4 of a turn, I find it easy to do 3,
> 1/4 turns.
> Repeat this process on the adjacent valve.
> Now go to the next cyl find TDC and repeat the whole process on the
remaining
> cyls.
> INSTALL THE ROCKER COVER PERMANENTLY!
> Let the car down on that side and Jack up the other side and finish the
job
> as stated earlier.
> Now the kicker that everybody hates, start the engine and you will
probably
> have some lifter noise! GO HAVE A COFFEE, SODA, OR TEA but walk away, do
not
> jump right back in and want to adjust some more, when you come  back the
> magic is done, and if done properly the engine will be as quiet as new.
>  The reason for adjusting one side at a time is when you jack up the one
side
> all the oil goes to the other side and when the cover comes off there are
> only a few drops to take care of instead of 1/2 quart.
>     I don't know if this answers all of your questions, but hope fully
this
> has taken some of the mysticism out of the cold adjustment. I will add
that
> if you try this and it works for you, you will never again adjust valves
> running and hot!
>     I must also add that we all know there are bad parts out there even
out
> of the box new.
>
> Ken Hand
> HANDY CAR CARE
> 97 Peach
> Pontiac, Mi., 48342
> 248-613-8586





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