FE Valve Adjustment Question

sexzsn8k · #1 (**permalink**) 06-11-2007, 07:42 AM

I was wondering if any of you FE guys out there had a cool way of setting the valve lash on the FE's. I have a 428PI with a custom Comp cam with flat tappet/hydraulic lifters and roller rockers with the ARP adjusters. I want to do this as a "STATIC" adjustment as it gets kinda messy with the motor running. It is also very hard to lock the ARP adjusters, especially as I am getting older and don't see as well as I used to, so I keep hitting my forehead with the allen wrench.

It would seem easier to do it one head at a time and let the engine run in-between to re-pump up the lifters before doing the other side so you don't get to much bleed off. Any suggestions ?

blykins · #2 (**permalink**) 06-11-2007, 07:57 AM

Get the engine hot, yank the covers....

Set the intake valve when the exhaust valve is opening....set the exhaust when the intake valve is closing.

No lash for the hydraulic lifters of course.

Buzzmobile · #3 (**permalink**) 06-11-2007, 08:47 AM

keith craft has done multiple write ups on the forums for the best ways to do this, both hot and cold engines.....give the search engine a work out and I bet you will find lots of info.

patrickt · #4 (**permalink**) 06-11-2007, 08:50 AM

If your engine is a little bit older (meaning you can't remember when the last rebuild was), the lifters might be bleeding off pressure while you're adjusting your valves. With hydraulic lifters it's important to have oil in them to get an accurate setting. If you keep adjusting them with your "static" method, but they are still not right, bleeding might be the reason. In that case you might want to: 1) Adjust them faster;

2) Replace your lifters; or 3) Adjust them with the engine running (yes that is messy). You know with today's quality valve train components, solid lifter adjustment is not what it used to be when we were kids (meaning having to adjust your valves every other weekend). Most FEs with solid lifters in Cobras now-a-days only requiring checking the valves once or twice a year (because of the typical lesser amount of use) and rarely require actual adjustments. That's assuming you have good quality stuff under the valve covers.

427 S/O · #5 (**permalink**) 06-13-2007, 02:26 PM

With my solids, I set'em cold. Add .002 for the intake and .003 for the exhaust. First, I used a dial indicator and marked the harmonic balancer on each TDC.

convincor · #6 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 09:04 AM

Just did mine using this method. Seemed to work better than any others I've read- http://www.gessford.com/images/mechrockerhydcam.htm

blykins · #7 (**permalink**) 06-28-2007, 09:07 AM

Hmm...It seems like I've seen that method somewhere else on this post.



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