Thread: adjusting rockers

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Originally Posted by chevy 37

Mt friends and I were adjusting my rockers and I thought I would ask all you engine builders(I'm on my 4th) a question regarding adjustments. Back in the late 50's and 60's I always adjusted the rockers by taking off the valve cover and tightning them down until the racket went away. If I tightned them to much you'd know right away and back adjustments off a quarter turn. I still do this and was wondering if any one else still practices this. Beside being messy with the oil spraying the engine, I never had any problems doing it this way, but again I'm talking about older engines with hydraulic cams.

To set hyd. lifter pre-load make sure the lifter is on the base circle of the lobe.
Tighten the rocker arm until you get the push rod to just turn a little between your fingers.
This should be the close enough to the .020 to .060 pre-load required.
Rotate engine until the next lifter is on the base circle of the lobe.
Then move on to the next lifter and do the same thing.

Cut access slots in an old valve cover and use it when adjusting lifters on a running engine.

for a short time ford techs were getting a set of plexiglass valve covers with just a hole big enough to fit your socket in over each rocker stud..... i've got me a set i scored off of the old master tech at our shop before he retired.... i love um