Valve adjustment

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jerry norman

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I need help with adjusting valve after a heat cycle on a brand new crate motor sbc 350 I’ve never adjusted valve a day in my life someone please help
 

Schurkey

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IF (big IF) the engine was rebuilt properly, there is NO NEED to dick with the "valve" adjustment. A "valve" adjustment on a stock-style hydraulic-lifter camshaft, is done once and then good for the life of the engine. That may not be true for "performance" hydraulic lifters, or solid (not hydraulic) lifters.

(In reality, you're not adjusting the valves, you're adjusting the lifter preload.)

Therefore, unless there's something noticeably wrong, leaveitthefuckalone.
 

Frank Enstein

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I wrote this up for work. You won't be using the part about the distributor so just ignore that part.


Here is the procedure to adjust the valves on a new 8 cylinder engine:

Turn the crank clockwise while watching the number one cylinder pushrods.

Watch the exhaust pushrod go up and down and then the intake pushrod go up and down.

Continue to rotate the crank after the intake pushrod goes all the way down until the timing marks

Line up on 0 degrees.

(This will be LESS than 1/2 turn of the crank after the intake pushrod is all the way down.)

Install rockers and tighten the nut while rattling the pushrods up and down until the rattle just stops.

At this point you are at ZERO LASH.

Tighten further to add your preload ( typically 1/2 turn after the rattle stops ).

Do this to both rockers for number 1 cylinder. Cylinder number 1 is DONE!

Now turn the crank 90 degrees ( 1/4 turn) and set the rockers for the next cylinder in the firing order.

After the second cylinder in the firing order turn the crank 90 degrees and set the third cylinder in the firing order.

Repeat this procedure for the remaining cylinders, one for each 90 degrees of crank rotation

ending with the last cylinder in the firing order.


After the last cylinder in the firing order's rockers are set turn the crank until the timing marks

line up with 10 degrees BEFORE top dead center (BTDC).


Install the distributor aligning the rotor with the cap location that you want to put number 1 spark plug wire.

Line up the magnetic pickup with the reluctor and then rotate the distributor opposite the direction of rotation

JUST SLIGHTLY until the points are BARELY misaligned. Tighten down the distributor.

You are now pre-timed for 10 degrees Before TDC. And the engine should start right up!
 
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