Adjusting Valves

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[Merle Coggins]

I just noticed this thread that GTK started and I thought I'd add my $.02 worth.

I made a short video clip earlier this year when I adjusted my valves. After much reading of different opinions regarding valve adjustment I thought I'd try adjusting them with the engine running, as has been recommended here on occasion. The video turned out OK. I had already made any adjustments that were needed before making the clip, so I tightened one up so that I could show the adjustment. Afterwards I realized I should have had one too loose too. The reason for that is to show that when you slide the feeler gauge in between the valve and tapped on a loose one, that is ticking, the ticking goes away. This is a dead giveaway that it is loose and needs to be adjusted.

Anyway, here's a couple different links to my video. I hope it helps you someday.

http://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h254/mac2026/?action=view&current=P2211664.flv

Or

Merle

[Powerhouse]

Great video. I'll have to do that when the rebuild is ready.

Can you do the cold adjust by looking at the cam(with pan off) and looking at when the lobe is at full rest point? That should work right?

[Joe Flanagan]

Thanks for posting that, Merle. I may try it that way myself.

[rivera11]

when i open inspection cover to adjust valves i found a keep at bottom near

#1 valve. without pulling engin how can i find out if there is a keep missing in any of the valves? tried to compress spring but it would compress down and i couldn`t see keep...even vought a small video camera to see it but we couldn`t see it help.. 1946 dodge flat head..

[Guest P15-D24]

The keeper would have gone down the valve oil return hole and ended up in the oil pan.

[Merle Coggins]

It would be nearly impossible for a keeper to come out without the spring being compressed. It was most likely left there after it was dropped during assembly and another one was installed. I would have to think that you'd notice a valve retainer cocked (not straight) if a keeper was missing.

Merle

[suntennis]

Coggins is correct about the valve retainer would not be at a right angle to the valve stem if one retainer was missing. I had this problem which resulted in two things. As a result of the retainer being tilted (which was hard to see). it was not possible to get a good adjustment for the valve. The retainer got in the way, causing a false reading (which was too loose) when adjusting that valve. The other problem was that it caused the valve to stick sometimes resulting in a miss. The odd part was that this had no effect on a compression test. In my case, the engine builder made the error since the problem was there right after the engine was rebuilt.

[old stovebolt]

I just noticed this thread that GTK started and I thought I'd add my $.02 worth.

I made a short video clip earlier this year when I adjusted my valves. After much reading of different opinions regarding valve adjustment I thought I'd try adjusting them with the engine running, as has been recommended here on occasion. The video turned out OK. I had already made any adjustments that were needed before making the clip, so I tightened one up so that I could show the adjustment. Afterwards I realized I should have had one too loose too. The reason for that is to show that when you slide the feeler gauge in between the valve and tapped on a loose one, that is ticking, the ticking goes away. This is a dead giveaway that it is loose and needs to be adjusted.

Anyway, here's a couple different links to my video. I hope it helps you someday.

http://s66.photobucket.com/albums/h254/mac2026/?action=view&current=P2211664.flv

Or

Merle

----------------

I just watched your video, great job, thank you for making it.

[joenailer]

takes me back to the days of adjusting the solid lifters in a HO 302 years back. if you ran it hard and we did, its seems like they always needed a little tweak. you got so you hear the tap when it was right. quite an education.

[38plymouth]

I adjusted my valves using this method yesterday. It sucks doing it hot w.ith a split exhaust manifold but it works well. Today I checked the valves cold and several of them seemed wrong so I rest them cold. Sure enough when I started the engine and let it warm up several were rattling. I reset them hot again and it worked much better.

[keithb7]

I did a similar valve set video this summer past. I posted it in another thread. Thought I should maybe put it here for the technical archives.

https://youtu.be/aameeYT7SXQ

[48Dodger]

Great video Keithb7......if you don't mind, I'll link it in the youtube comments with Merle's video.

48D 

[wagoneer]

I’m doing valve adjustment cold at the moment, and I find the front 3 sets to be easy but under the exhaust manifold is awkward at best even with proper 10 inch tappet wrenches. 
 

All the videos show the front three sets being adjusted, but none show the back three sets (cylinders 4-6). Probably because there would be too much cursing . I’d like to see how others are doing the back valves hot. #5 valves are right behind the downward pipe.

[Los_Control]

I did not hear Keith cursing    Skip ahead to 21 min and will see him adjusting #5 cold.

Some very good tips in the video though, you may not want to skip ahead. Very  organized approach to the task.

Like the diagram and keeping track of before & after settings. Maybe not necessary but useful. 

 

I guess we just need to keep in mind that the metal will expand when hot, so we add clearance when adjusting cold.

So the book suggest to set them while hot because they are expanded. Initial assembly you need to set them cold.

A Ford flathead V8 you have to pull the intake off to adjust the valves. Would be pretty tough to set them while still hot.

 

 

 

 

 

[keithb7]

Thx. One screw up tho in the video. My ⅓ of a fan blade turn comment, 60 degrees.
 

It is 120 actually degrees. Doh!

 

Must have had my head up in the valve area too long. Breathing in oil vapors. 

[Sniper]

Remember, more valve to tappet clearance also decreases valve lift.

[keithb7]

I read an interesting article recently about flathead tappet clearances. Basically you start out with a cold engine. Initially the block heats up quicker. It expands. Tappet Clearance increases. Then rest of the valve train eventually heats up. Exhaust Valve stems elongate. Valve clearances tighten up again. 
 

Valves are closed for about 2/3 of the time the engine is running.  Open for about 1/3 of the time.  In 1 hour of driving time, valves are open for 20 mins, closed for 40 mins. Some interesting perspective.