They can be too tight if the plunger on the lifter was partially collapsed when you adjusted them. First thing I would do is pull the drivers side valve cover and back the two rockers way off. Then see if it has compression. If it does then I'd suggest doing the valve adjustment for all of them again, backing them all off first. Try it this way:


If there's still no compression then you have some sort of damage such as a bent or broken valve, hole in piston, etc.

Crane valve adjustment procedure

Jody

 

So do you think the lifters would be pumped back up now after trying to crank it so much and it would be ok to adjust it the way I had it? The link didn't work. I really appreciate all the help man.

 

http://cranecams.com/?show=techartic...ab3f53970795e3
Just copy paste this article to your browser. If that does not work go to www.cranecams.com and follow the links to vavle train adjustments.

 

I fixed the link. Follow their instructions including waiting a few minutes before adjusting and you'll be fine.

Jody

 

Good news and bad news: It was the valves open because I tightened them presumably when the lifters were collapsed. So I loosened them all and, after cranking it w/ the key to pump them up, I went back through and gave them a half turn after the rocker wouldn't wiggle any more. Then stuck my finger in the plug hole and tried to crank it again and once again, no compression. I'll check the Crane site tomorrow for their procedure. Right now all I can figure is I'll have tofinger tighten them and set the set screw because they obviously like to be loose. Damn Chevys, lol.

 

How are you determining when to adjust the rocker? I'd read through that link I sent you. You can't adjust them just anywhere, the engine has to be in the correct position for each rocker, not just one place and adjust them all.

 

I was getting that particular lifter on the base of the cam lobe. Each one the same way. When one valve would open all the way that's when I would tighten the other one. Now reading the Crane site it looks like I have to not only wait a minute before tightening it down, but I have to tighten the intake valve when the exhaust valve begins to open and tighten the exhaust valve's rocker whn the intake is almost closed. Then give it half-to-full turn on the rocker bolt. Pretty complicated. Now how do I know which is the intake and which is the exhaust on each cylinder?

 

On a small block Chevy, when viewed from the fender going left to right it's:

ex int int ex ex int int ex You'll notice the exhaust valves line up with the exhaust ports on the heads, as do the intakes to the intake port.

Jody

 

The easiest way to adjust the valves is outlined in this article. You have to just tighten the nut til the rocker is not loose, that gets you to the preload of the lifter, then give it 1/2 turn past, that puts you in the spring preload of the hydraulic lifter. Specs call for 1 full turn but less is better for performance.


Method #1: For a small block Chevy (or any engine with a firing order of
18436572) you can set the valves by turning the engine over just two times.
Bring the engine up to #1 firing (both #1 valves closed and the timing mark
aligned with zero on the timing tab) and adjust as follows: exhaust valves
1,3,4,8 and intake valves 1,2,5,7 bring engine up to #6 firing(rotate engine one
complete revolution) and adjust as follows: exhaust valves 2,5,6,7 and intake
valves 3,4,6,8.

 

The above will work fine for most mild hydraulic cams which should include you. Do not use it for a solid cam or any higher performance cams as even though it's close it does not put the lifter on the base of the lobe with many aftermarket cams. Works fine for a stocker as the hydraulic has a fair amount of "fudge factor". I use the EO/IC method for all of mine.

Jody

 

This is what I've been doing exactly and it's not working. I may just try to back each nut off a 1/4 turn, making it a 1/4 turn past zero lash, and seeing if I get compression in the cylinder. 1/2 turn is too much and is opening the valve for some reason. When I took the motor apart I noticed that all the rockers were very loose unless it was up on the top of the cam lobe. Now it looks like this is the reason. For some reason it needs to be loose to get the valves to close. Wonder why though?

 

It sounds as if you are not feeling the preload spring and you are bottoming the lifter out. If you see the valve move even a little when you are tightening the rocker you are doing exactly that. There is very little resistance when you get to the spring because there probably is no oil left in the lifter at this point. I am sure that you are on the right path but experience is the best teacher.

 

Sounds like Roadblock is right. The one change I make to Crane's instructions is that instead of spinning the pushrod (which can easily be done while depressing the plunger in the lifter if they aren't pumped up) I always lift up on the rocker arm itself at the valve stem side. Just lightly lift up and down while slowly tightening the adjusting nut until all the play is out. If you're on the base of the lobe correctly, that will be "0" lash. Then go 3/8 of a turn or so.

Give that a shot!

Jody

 

And don't stick your pinky in the spark plug hole, put your thumb over the opening flat and make sure it's sealed completely. The compression will blow your thumb off. You might lose your pinky the other way.

 

Well, me and two very knowledgable friends worked at it all day and came up w/ nothing. We got it to run a couple of times but poorly w/ lots of pumping the gas to keep it runing at all. I don't get it!! Put it on TDC on the #1 cylinder, both valves closed, timing mark is in range, firing order is correct, but it still doesn't work out. We got it to fire and run once and it sounded really smooth but wouldn't idle, plus the timing mark was out of range on the timing tab. So we tried it 1 tooth each way from that, tried 180* from that, and it just went downhill from there on out. Just for peace of mind I changed the cap and rotor as well. I've got a couple more people that I want to look at it, hopefully tomorrow, and if that doesn't work out I don't know what I'll do.