Whats the proceedure for adjusting rocker arms for a solid roller?? I'm asssembling my motor and this is the next step for me.....

The only info that i can find is the valve lash is .022 from Jasons post! Help me out guys.

Alan

 

Adjust the intake valve when the exhaust just starts to open. adjust the Exhaust valve when the intake has opened and is just about to close. You have to have poly-locks. You CANNOT tighten them by just tightening the set screw you have to tighten set screw and then turn the whole poly lock the jam it to the screw in stud. If you have alum heads you need to subtract .006 from the lash to set it cold. Hope that makes sense!

 

You can adjust them 2 ways. Get each cylinder to TDC in the firing order and adjust the valves one cylinder at a time or...

Get #1 cylinder to TDC. Adjust exhaust valves 1,3,4,8 and intake valves 1,2,5,7. Rotate the crank 360* so that #6 cylinder is at TDC and adjust exhaust valves 2,5,6,7 and intake valves 3,4,6,8.

Adjust them to what the cam card specs at. Intake and exhaust are usually different specs. This will be a hot setting but you just adjust them cold. Once you fire the engine up and break in the cam, when the engine is still hot, 160+, recheck the valve lash. The lash may be a little looser due to thermal expansion. Readjust if necessary.

 

The TDC method above isn't very accurate on most aftermarket cams, especially a solid roller. It's very common to have one of the lifters still on the ramp at TDC. That's why EVERY cam manufacturer tells you to use the exhaust opening/intake closing method described a couple of replies above. You'll end up with the rockers correctly adjusted and probably a much quieter lash if you use the EO/IC method that Crane Cams, Comp Cams, and every manufacturer I've seen recommends.

Jody

 

I'd like to understand why solid rollers require a different lashing technique than hydro rollers (or maybe not, and perhaps I'd just been adjusting mine wrong).

I've only see two methods for doing a hydro-roller w/ roller rockers. One is the TDC method, doing the certain exhaust/intake valves. Tightening the nut till you feel the slightest amount of friction in the pushrod, and adding 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn. The other method was to have the motor running, back of the nut until it starts ticking, tighten till the ticking stops, and add 1/2 turn. I've had a little better success with the motor running method.

So what is the reasoning for the solid roller's method being different? Could I adapt this method being described to get a quieter valvtrain, or is it unrelated. I am "guessing" the difference is do to hydro lifters "pumping up" so you could never accurately set lash as you can in a solid roller, where the lifter will always be the exact same length. Again, that's just a guess.

 

There is no reason to adjust the hydraulic differently than the solid other than to give the hydraulic preload and a gap for the solid cam. The way to find the correct position to adjust the rocker is the same for both. Exhaust opening/intake closing is THE way to get it right first time. If you go by the TDC method you WILL have some adjusted incorrectly. It may not be enough to notice a performance difference, and on a hydraulic cam you have more leeway, but it still exists. That's why Crane, Comp, and others recommend the EO/IC for all their cams on a normal pushrod V8.

If you don't believe me, adjust yours using the TDC method and then check the adjustment at several points around the lobe. You'll find that some of them will be too loose just before or after TDC because they weren't truly on the heel of the lobe. If you really want to nail it down, bring the rocker arm you want to adjust to the full open position (lobe all the way up). Mark the balancer then spin the engine one full revolution back to your mark; this will have placed the cam lobe exactly opposite of the highest point of the lobe, ensuring you're in the middle of the base of the lobe.

Realistically, the EO/IC method works perfect and there's no reason to use any other method.

Jody

 

Thanks all you guys for your input.....

I thought, before I thought, the same as Joe that you adjusted the same way for hydraulic and solid. This was until I bent a pushrod while adjusting the rockers during the install.....

I'm going to call Nu-tek and ask Nick how they adjust them and find out exactly.....I'll keep this post fresh and let everyone know. This is a new animal for me and alot of this solid stuff doesn't make alot of sense to me, or at least until i've done it a few times!

Alan

Oh also I'm using a stud girdle and the poly locks don't use jam nuts....

 

Hydraulic lifters need a preload. Tightening the rocker until the pushrod stops moving around is very close to zero lash. You then tighten the rocker 1/2 turn to set .030" preload on the lifter. It has to do with how a hydraulic lifter works internally.

Solid cams don't work the same way. Since the cam, lifter, pushrod and rocker are all a solid connection, there needs to be a gap somewhere for thermal expansion and to allow the lifter to start up the ramp before opening the valve. This is why solid cams have valve lash anywhere from .018" to .030". There's no way you could adjust a solid cam while the engine is running. You can tune a solid cam by adjusting the lash. It's not recommended to go more than .002"-.004" in either direction. Adjusting the lash will increase or decrease the lift. It changes duration very slightly but not enough to take it into affect. If decreasing the lash which gives more valve lift improves performance then the cam is too small for the engine and a bigger one should be used or extra ratio rockers can be installed. You can't do this type of tuning with a hydraulic cam.

 

He means TDC btween the compression and combustion stroke - both valves are sure to be closed then.
You are correct that just having the piston at the top of it's stroke will not work - actually even a factory cam will still have the lifters on a ramp when the piston is at TDC between the exhaust and intake strokes (the lifter will probably be under .05" rise, but it won't be closed just yet).

 

This is what he said:

You can adjust them 2 ways. Get each cylinder to TDC in the firing order and adjust the valves one cylinder at a time or...

Get #1 cylinder to TDC. Adjust exhaust valves 1,3,4,8 and intake valves 1,2,5,7. Rotate the crank 360* so that #6 cylinder is at TDC and adjust exhaust valves 2,5,6,7 and intake valves 3,4,6,8.

Even if you bring it to TDC #1 and adjust the valves while turning 90 degrees following the firing order, it will not be as accurate as the EO/IC method. There is a reason why all the cam manufacturers give that as the method to use; it works. I had a friend show me this other TDC method and then I had him check the adjustment at other areas of the lobes. TDC for a cylinder does not have both lifters on the very base of the lobe. Or put it this way, if you adjust them the TDC way and then re-check them using the EO/IC you will find some that are a little loose.

Try it.

Jody

 

he had to have had the piston at TDC between the exhaust and intake strokes - during the overlap period, and yes, both valves will be lifted slightly (or more than slightly if you have a wild cam!)

BUT, if you use TDC between the compresison and combustion strokes, both valves have to be fully closed. If they weren't closed at this point, you wouldn't be building ANY compression, and when the spark fired, the expanding fuel-air mixture would vent out of both the intake and exhaust valves...

 

That makes complete sense to me!!

The only problem i'm having right know are to 2 wisdom teeth I had pulled earlier today.... I', sure there are a few of you that know about that.