rocker arm adjustment

[oilspot]

Well... after a few weeks down, me being sick, and then getting rediculous with cleaning everything to make the engine compartment look showroom zero mile clean, The truck runs! but....

Well I of course adjusted the rocker arms after putting the head gaskets/ heads back on, but I think I screwed up. The truck wouldn't start at first, so I confirmed I have spark. Then the words of my freind rang in my head.... "if it wont start, youve got the distributor 180degrees out". So I reset the distributor and sure enough it fires right up. But....
I adjusted the rockers starting with when I thougt I was TDC on #1. With this I realize that I probably wasn't.
Note:... I've got some lifter noise in the #6 or #8 cylinder.

So what would I expect it to run like if I started the valve adjustment 360degrees out?


And then I've got a few questions about how to set the rockers. Some sources say tdc and I can do half of my valves and the other half if i just rotate the engine 360 degrees.

Other sources say tdc for one cylinder, and then every following cylinder gets adjusted 90degrees out.

I've got a few more questions about this but figure I'll wait to get some info on the questions I've already posted.

 

[Supercharged111]

You can do half at #1 tdc, rotate 360 and get the rest or you can do it with the engine running.

 

[man-a-fre]

I do all the exhausts first in the firing order when intake just starts to close after full lift adjust exhaust to zero lash +1//2 to 1 full turn .Then go back through firing order and adjust intakes in firing order as exhaust just starts to open adjust intake 1/2 to 1 full turn past 0 lash.This is how i feel comfortable they are always adjusted right.

 

[oilspot]

I need to clarify something. Is valve lash supposed to be adjusted for each cylinder in the exact middle of overlap (TDC for that cylinder), or is last supposed to be set off the base circle of the cam?

I'm fairly new to the SBC thing (disclaimer), but setting off TDC for the cylinder doesnt make any sense to me as the middle of overlap will be "higher" than the base circle. So.... You would end up with to much lash while the cam is at base circle for that cylinder.

 

[Supercharged111]

As long as it's on the base circle, it'll be fine. TDC on compression stroke satisfies this condition.

 

[man-a-fre]

Base circle or heel of the cam.I have alot of sbc's that are older solid lifters so i have to set lash more often.I do it as i described.

 

[oilspot]

Okay. I think I've got a grasp on the procedure and so I think I'm starting to understand peoples preferred methods.

Next question... do the valve covers clear without having to move a lot of other **** outta the way (other than the air cleaner)? It looks like the a/c - p/s bracket are pretty snug up against that valve cover!!!!

 

[smdk2500]

Next question... do the valve covers clear without having to move a lot of other **** outta the way (other than the air cleaner)? It looks like the a/c - p/s bracket are pretty snug up against that valve cover!!!!

Is your engine a TBI or Vortec. I don't see where you have it listed. If I remember right when I did valve cover gaskets on my 95 w/ a tbi I had to remove the rear support bracket for the alt and where the AC compressor lines bolt to the back of the compressor where in the way so I had to remove them.

 

[oilspot]

Is your engine a TBI or Vortec. I don't see where you have it listed. If I remember right when I did valve cover gaskets on my 95 w/ a tbi I had to remove the rear support bracket for the alt and where the AC compressor lines bolt to the back of the compressor where in the way so I had to remove them.

Its vortec. I'm probably gonna work on it this afternoon. I'll update when I get it figured unless somebody answers before then

 

[oilspot]

so..... the valve covers don't come off without moving some things around a bit. On the passenger side I just had to bend the bracket on the back of the engine up to clear the cover.... that was easy. The drivers side was a different story. The p/s a/c bracket does block the cover from coming off. I pulled the belt off and then pulled all the bolts out of the bracket and pulled it toward the front of the engine. It was still on the stud, so I didn't have to worry about the p/s hoses etc. For ease of work overall i decided to pull the upper radiator shroud and fan. You don't have to do this but I just figured it would make it easy to access the pulley and rotate the engine. I wasn't sure if i'd be able to clear the cover from under the long shielded hose that runs from the back of the exhaust manifold to the front of the intake manifold. It wasn't pretty, but I was able to drag the valve cover out from underneath it.
Pulled all the plugs and started readjusting. I did a few and decided to quit for the day, come inside and confirm that what I'm doing matches the procedures I've studied online.
I'd rather not do this again... again.