Tricks and Traps - Removing The intake, exhaust, spark plugs for full access valve adjusting.

[Semmerling]

 

This is all about how to fully dismantle the complete intake, the exhaust manifold, spark plugs, etc. etc. to gain enormous access to the valves.

And how one can take everything apart....adjust lash....and put it all together in less than 2 1/2 hours. 

Now we talked about this, in my case the '34's inner front fender is welded to the outer fender shell and there is no access panel to view and do the valves. All the tune-it up live folks are SOOL (the last "O" and "L" stand for "of luck). How is that possible? Valves aren't done very often and when you get a good deal of experience you can take it all down, tune the valves and reassemble in under 2 1/2 hours. BUT...you have to know the tricks and order of things. As importantly, one is doing a stone cold adjustment and their is no factory data on cold numbers. The most often used "add 002" to the "operating temp tune" numbers didn't really work. Ever less fortunate is that, in order to really dial in a motor that has been changed (decked, improved pistons and rings, etc.) you have to break it all down....tune it.....set it all up.....and run it....come to realize that it is "good" but not "really good"....break it all down....adjust it.....rebuild it.....run. As a result the few folks that have the early rigs really never get a great valve adjustment, and here it why. Nobody but you is going to take the time to do it properly. One true benefit of this is that one gets to revisit every part of the of the manifolds and it can be a tremendous opportunity to make things truly right. Remember....this is all about the years that one cannot go into the fender port.....

The process or deconstructing, tuning and reconstructing for a really skilled person is approximately 2 1/2 hours, but that person knows all the trick, traps and the order of thing. The first time around, you will most likely do it more than once for a really perfect valve adjustment. It would take a special kind of shop to do this cycle more than once on an early car left with them. It will not take them less than 2 1/2 hours. It is also likely they will most likely use the standard "add .002" to the 1936 onward factory spec. If the engine is stock and in great shape, it may be a close. If the engine is older, reworked, "improved" my experience tells me it won't be a great valve adjustment. With a reworked top end with new parts, well it takes a couple of adjustments to get the valves and timing right. 

I can tell you this. Sitting in front of HUGE room and a nice line up tappets is really a sight. I should know, in the last week, I have done it four (4) times. I can truthfully ay the process went from 6 hours to less than half that. I would also say that I am not not done....all of this work was done prior to a dual carb build and new exhaust system and in order to tune that I expect to revisit timing, but have dialed in the valves, reworked fuel deliver and pathing, vacuum access and delivery, etc. etc. etc. 

I thought before I forget how one gets the process to 2 1/2 hours round trip, I would list out the highlights....

1. If your block is a mess, if your intake and exhaust is a mess by way of fasteners, gaskets, mating surfaces, fuel delivery, fuel line runs and fittings....you are done doing this work quickly. This topic came up in an earlier thread and the comment was correct, more parts run the risk of being destroyed. Valve lash is only one of a whole number of things impacting those engines. There are four (4) bolts coming up from the base of the exhaust heat tower into the intake....these cannot be crapped out. 

2. Tricks

- All the nuts used on the intake and exhaust are brass. All the washer should be thick and stainless. The kits you see being sold with dinky regular flat washers, even if they are stainless, is really a lousy deal. Those sets are tremendously overpriced, just plain ridiculous. Plated thin washers?  No mention of what the studs are? Even the pictures show corrosion in the offerings. Get brass nuts at any maritime store. I get the thick stainless washers on EBAY.   The studs should be in excellent shape and the nuts should just thread right on them. The gaskets should be able to take a number of on/offs (I am up to four) as there is no tearing or wear and the torque is LOW at only 20ft lbs. In fact, for those that never visit this side of the engine, well most find a good number of things need to be tightened up. With intake ports sharing a stud with exhaust ports, cross travel shows up right away and if things are not tightened regularly one can find blow through AT BEST. Like I said valves can be the least of one's problems. Clean up the thread studs as required. the brass nut threads never become a problem unless they are over torqued. 

The Larger Washer is used to span the intake/exhaust single stud compression locations. There are four (4) large washers used all on the TOP row....none on the LOWER positions.  TWO large washer are used on the intake center TOP and then TWO more are used on the inside positions of the intake where a stud is shared with the exhaust. ALL the other locations use the small diameter thick stainless washers....this includes that ugly center intake LOWER position and everywhere else...all small. 
These washer do not flex and soften when heated up by the exhaust (again avoid the super expensive kits with crappy parts.) They also all slide right on the studs, no binding this makes taking them off a breeze and this is important for speed and adjustment in reassembly...more on this later. SPEED REQUIRES BRASS BUTS AND STAINLESS THICK WASHERS. Yes the studs allow for these, they prefer them. 
 

 

You will need open a clean unspread 9/16 OPEN END wrench for everywhere that you will use the LARGER washers and you will use that same open end wrench for the ugly LOWER center intake position (small washer!).  Everywhere else you can use a short 9/16 socket on a small extension.  It is the CENTER INTAKE nuts that are the real issue. Make and use the tool that I did and you can get them all on in less than 2 minutes. Without it, figure on 5 to 15 (lower). That tool is used from the top for the top intake 2 locations and from the bottom for the ugly LOWER center intake.  The nib is whatever you can find that is grippy and hold the nut while allowing you to still spin it on the stud when in position. Trust me....make the tool. 

 

The INTAKE will need to have the following removed for the earlier years...
The Choke
The linkage to the "onboard the intake" Carburetor
The dash mounted throttle adjuster. 
All vacuum lines

The Exhaust will need to be disconnected to the final tail pipe run.

There are FOUR (4) bolts coming up from the EXHAUST heat tower into the CARBURETOR Tower. They are two different sizes. 

Now, SPEED...

One Box for all the manifold washers and nuts

 

One Box for 
- Heat Tower bolts....each bolt has two washers.....one lock nut.....one steel nut - Keep track of the location they came from....LONGER bolts on exhaust exit side.
All Brass nuts can be together (make note of any that do not GLIDE on the studs as they go in easy access places....two different washer sizes are separated.d
- The Four nuts, washer and gasket for the two valve ports

One Box for 
The head TDC cap that reveals #6 cylinder TDC by access to the piston head
All the small "others" like cotter pins from linkage, 

 

One rack to keep the order of the Spark Plugs. Plugs reveal history of the cylinder/head and demands same location placement. 
Have the SPEEDY VALVE ADJUSTMENT guide I wrote up....it allows for one 360 revolution to adjust all the valves
Large towel under the intakes to catch any drops
Tape closed any odd frame hole that could vanish anything
Head lamp on. 

Disconnect CAR BATTERY

Order of disassembly:

1. Exhaust Manifold to exhaust pipe
2. Remove all choke, accelerated related attachments, etc. Stick a cork on all cable ends....no poked eyes!
3. Remove all vacuum attachments
4. Remove air cleaner

5. Open up TDC port
6.  The four (4) heat tower bolts to finger loose
7. Remove heat Tower waste line (the fitting can slide off the down tube, control that.)
8. Remove Gas line at the carb. Clean up any gas. 
9. Remove any "return springs" assisting the carb/linkage. 

We begin
Break the tightness of all brass nuts. We would like to see them spin freely. INTAKE requires the aforementioned open end 9/16 wrench on the TOP row (all with large washers).

 

Remove all the brass nuts that can be accessed by a 9/16 socket, they should be all small washer. Remove with a 9/16 socket the two INTAKE outside (not center flange) large washer positions. As you cannot take off the INTAKE without loosening the exhaust manifold , now loosen all the exhaust brass nuts, removing them and their washers. Remember there are two (2) exhaust manifold positions in the center positions that are somewhat inside the exhaust manifold. 

Remove all four heat tower bolts, washers and lock nuts. Keep track of where they went. 

All that should be left are the three brass nuts and washers on the Center INTAKE flange. Wiggle the exhaust slightly out....remove the three brass nuts on the center INTAKE flange. I place my hand under the assembly...spinning the nuts and dropping them down to that hand. 

 

Intake comes off FIRST, it will fit through the exhaust manifold. Keep it upright so any gas remains in the bowl.

 

Off comes the Exhaust Manifold. Inspect the internal spring heat plate. Make sure the gasket between heat towers is there and in good shape
Inspect all manifold gaskets
Now that there is nothing to fall in the resulting holes, remove the spark plugs keeping the order. 
Remove the two valve covers, control there nuts/washer/gaskets (yes there are four small gaskets for the threaded studs)
Inspect the larger valve cover gaskets. 

Rotating the fan blades (gloves) in a CLOCKWISE direction when looking from in front of the grill into the fan...
Find TDC with your stick and check your DISTRIBUTOR to see if the cap is at 8PM or 2PM
8PM = #1 cylinder (closest to the radiator) is at TDC

2PM = #6 cylinder (closest to the firewall) is at TDC
Check to see if your flywheel is marked for giggles.....

ADJUST VALVE LASH - You now have ALL THE ROOM IN THE WORLD!

Figure which of the two TDC you have and study the SPEEDY GUIDE.

Cover the position that IS NOT the one you are working on. 

Starting with #1 TDC?   Cover the RIGHT HAND illustration of the block and the valves
Starting with #6 TDC?   Cover the LEFT HAND illustration of the block and the valves

GREEN = INTAKES

RED = EXHAUST

Yes there are positions that come up twice....just check them if you want.

 

Spreading your two wrenches APART = LOOSENS the available feeler dimension
Bringing the two wrenches TOGETHER = TIGHTENS the available feeler dimensions
Done? great....

ASSEMBLY for SPEED

Close up both valve covers - Snug but do not over tighten them.

EXHAUST goes on 1st.....no fasteners but right up to the block for now.
Intake goes on next....
Now comes the speed part.
- Place  2 larger washers on the top intake center flange. Use your tool and put your best brass nut on it....place it....spin the nuts on the studs leave them ON but loose.
- Place 1 SMALL washer on the bottom intake center flange. Use your tool and start the brass nut there. Done? All the hard work is finished!

- Make sure the gasket is in place and Insert the four (4) heat tower bolts into the EXHAUST manifold and up into the INTAKE and just get them firmly started. You will need to work those INTAKE center flange brass nuts down the studs to get those heat tower bolts threaded. 
- The rest is a piece of cake! Mount all the easy washers (2 large on the TOP INSIDE INTAKE positions) all the rest are small washers. 

- Get all the washers on both manifold and start to get them hand tight, then use 20 ft lbs of torque and send them home. Use the open end wrench on all 3 on the intake center flange and intake outside top studs. Fully yoghten the heat tower. Everything should now be tight.
- Add the heat tower waste line
- Add the vacuum lines
-Add all the cables for choke, etc.
- ADD gas line
- Add air filter
- Remove TDC stick and close off the TDC hole
- Re-attach the throttle linkage
- Re-attach exhaust pipe

- Spark plugs...cables.....distributor cap

 

Check everything over...

Done.  



 

Edited May 1, 2023 by Semmerling

[Dansk]

A great write up, thank you. I'm missing one point, you say that adding .002" to the specification does not work, so what specification are you setting the valves to? Is it trial and error?

[Semmerling]

 

 

Great question....here we go....

Most people adjust their valves by following the exact specifications in a factory manual. But, there is more to it than that. The factory manual may say. "All adjustments are made on an engine that has reached operating temperatures." In other words, don't warm up your car...drive it until it is at true operating temperatures and THEN adjust the valves to what is essentially a recommended "GAP" between the valve and the lower tappet.  

 

The problem that people without easy access to the valves have is that we cannot actually get to the tappets to adjust them. We have to take things apart. And therefor our engines are not really at operating temperature. So we use COLD setting numbers that take into account that the valve and its actuators are shorter when they are cold and will lengthen/'expand as they reach operating temperature. COLD adjustment numbers require a larger gap...

OPERATIONAL GAP WHEN THE ENGINE IS HOT FOR A 1934 DODGE DR      Intake = .005.   EXHAUST = .007
But, because we cant actually get there in time we need something more (wider) than that to account for metal expanding

So we ask around to those that might know and, in my case.....
1. Nobody really knows and I asked some very knowledgeable people and they said things like "the general rule of thumb is that one would add .002 to both the intake and exhaust numbers for a cold lash adjustment." Or another solid mind said "Swig, look the valve stems in the 1934 Dodge DR is only a modest affair, they do not have the length or mass that, say, a Packard valve has with its longer stem. You should try a tight .002."

 

So , we would end up with something like this.... 

 

OPERATIONAL GAP WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD FOR A 1934 DODGE DR      Intake = .007   EXHAUST = .009

Now I did exactly that....and since I could have laid a ham sandwich in the open tappet bay it was so magnificently open, my adjustments were perfect. I gave them a tight (pinchy) adjustment. Then I rebuilt everything and went out for a ride. The end result was too much valve noise (Valves moving up high enough to strike the head.) Was it better, yes. Was it good? not really is was OK.

 

OPERATIONAL GAP WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD FOR A 1934 DODGE DR      Intake = .009   EXHAUST = .011

So I tore it all apart and readjusted using more gap (wider) so that the travel of the lower tappet went slightly long through space before pushing the valve up to a lesser height. And then I buttoned it all up and went for a real drive. Was it better...oh yea. Was it good? It was good but I had residual strikes though much less of them. So I tore it all down and went to work....
But then it got interesting, I learned the following. One of the reasons the 1934 numbers for gap is smaller than even 1936 is that the "they" of yester-year came to find that the 1934 numbers had made the exhaust valves run hot. And I told myself that decking might have narrowed the space the valves had to move in and then there was new pistons, better valves, etc. etc. 
 

OPERATIONAL GAP WHEN THE ENGINE IS COLD FOR A 1934 DODGE DR      Intake = .009   EXHAUST = .012

And.....it was really good.....

 

Now All I have done is to get the valves to use the space it should. Now comes the question of timing. I have some more work to do on other elements on the fuel side of the equation before I can address that issue.
 

Edited April 30, 2023 by Semmerling

[DJ194950]

One questions as to all clearances.

 

Were all the tappets and valve tip surfaces resurfaced (ground) on the rebuild?

 

That flattens all the contact surfaces to make the measurements accurate.

 

Just my Q. - - as my (rebuilt) 1950 Plymouth motor did not have those ground and cold clearances were to large as the contact surfaces were worn and impossible to get accurate measurements  and only a hot adjustment with fine small (fine) adjustments made to quiet the noisy valve train.. and confirm that they had adequate clearances

 

But_ that was on a 1950 car that did have a removable inner panel to get in and do those hot adjustments.

 

Believe me crawling in under a very warm fender and reaching over warm suspension parts while reaching around hot exhaust was Not any fun- doable but not a job to do twice!

 

Understand that your car that is not even a possibility.

 

Hang over a hot fender, reach under hot intake and exhaust?  I'd prefer not to even if it is possible.  ?

 

DJ

[Sam Buchanan]

2 hours ago, Semmerling said:

Now I did exactly that....and since I could have laid a ham sandwich in the open tappet bay it was so magnificently open, my adjustments were perfect. I gave them a tight (pinchy) adjustment. Then I rebuilt everything and went out for a ride. The end result was too much valve noise (Valves moving up high enough to strike the head.) Was it better, yes. Was it good? not really is was OK.
 

 

Valves moving up high enough to strike the head??????

[Semmerling]

All new valves and the tap it contact contact surfaces look good. I opened up the exhaust on the last pass pass both the safety measure and a final attempt for quiet and it seems to have really made a difference. Striking the heads...I was curious if anybody would say something. Thanks for reading that far down.

[47 dodge 1.5 ton]

  So I am curious if you reduce lift by just a few thousands, adding clearance, how that hits the head as well?
  My thought would be, tighter it is, gives you more lift and increase HP slightly. Open it up to a safe side, loses power, and adds a little noise.

 I can’t imagine bending over the fender and under the exhaust, you give a very descriptive pathway for maintenance. I don’t want this post to be taken negatively, just wanted to understand a little better. I have seen some engine specs showing .016” hot exhaust setting for the 25”.

  

Edited May 1, 2023 by 47 dodge 1.5 ton

[Semmerling]

Tighter is Higher, you are right. Less travel and lower valves.
Intakes are adjusted to take the charged mix and it get fully into the combustion chamber in the brief period it is open. No more that that is need, especially in a single atmosphere engine. The exhaust valves require more attention as they have a much more complex flow problem in a flat head. 

" I have seen some engine specs showing .016” hot exhaust setting for the 25”."

First off one would ask hot or cold setting?  If its hot that is quite a gap but if its cold it is at .014....see more below. 

So think of the valves as having the full force of their springs dedicated to keeping the valves closed. TDC is where one finds a cylinder in a state where there is no tappet force present on the valve and the full force of both the exhaust and intake valve springs are at work keeping it closed in full charged compression. That is why one can so easily rotate the tappet....it isn't engaged by the crank....nor is it touching the valve. The gap is at its widest at TDC. 

The crank rotates and lifts the the valve by moving the tappets upward. If the valve went all the down to interface with the crank, as in no adjustment, the whole potential motion of the crank would be transferred upward to the valve, this would be the maximum potential lift. But if we place an adjustable tappet between the crank and the valve we can adjust the full lift to be less travel by shortening the tappet length. That "shortening" is the gap...In other words the tappet travels through that "space" I mentioned without touching the valve before moving the valve upward. Shorter tappet = lower lift to the valve. 

Intakes are cooler, they do not experience the extreme heat of the exhaust valves
Intakes open up to allow the charged atmosphere to enter the combustion chamber and then need to close up. 

Intake settings are normally found to require less gap for material expansion (stretch) as the charged mix is its self a cooling event. 
The original factory setting for the '34 intake is .005 that is pretty tight. 

Exhaust valves are hotter
Exhaust valves have to open up to allow for maximum hot post combustion gasses to exit. 
Exhaust valves are normally found to have more gap both for material expansion and expanded gas volume. 
Exhaust valves set too low, so that they do not open enough to allow for maximum exhaust discharge, can quickly overheat and can potentially badly damage an engine.

Exhaust valves for a car that routinely is driven long distances have their exhaust valves set at the max gap allowable.
 

Head Hitter is a metaphor, like Lobe Polisher. 

Or...."Better to Hear them than Smell them."

Edited May 1, 2023 by Semmerling