Okay I just finished putting everything together after having a blown head gasket. I bought NSA Pro Mags and don't really understand how to adjust them.
The easiest way that I have read on Shoebox's website is to do it with the motor running, but when I tried it it still sounded as if some were loose (chattering).

Are the vlaves at zero lash when the poly locks stop when hand tightening? How much do you have to tighten the poly-lock after the poly-lock stops from hand tightening?

I don't really know how to find top dead center. To me it sounds hard unless you can see the position of the cam while looking at the dot on the crank. Thats why I chose to do it with the motor running.

Last question...how loud are NSA RR with the vlave covers off? They sound a lot louder than before, almost like something is wrong?

 

For me I always adjust the rockers to zero lash before the car is running. That includes tightening the poly locks. If you only tighten the nuts and start the car the nuts will back off and the rockers will start to clatter.
Hopefully your studs are completely free of debris so they're easy to loosen/tighten by hand.
I start the car, back off the poly lock, loosen the nut until I can hear and feel the clatter. I then tighten until I feel the least bit of resistence in the nut as well as listening when the clatter stops, hold a wrench on the nut and then tighten the poly lock goodntight...
You should back off the poly lock several turns before attempting to tightening the adjusting nuts so they will not interfere with finding zero lash.

 

that makes sense...thanks. How loud are they when the car is running and the valve covers off?

They should be noticeably louder...correct?

 

Its noticeable most definitely, but not THAT loud. Following the instructions above should get you where you should be with adjustment. I couldnt get the adjustment right at all with the motor off. Running is just easier...for me anyway.

 

Forgot to include something... when you tighten to the point of resistence and where the clatter stops you then tighten to whatever it is you desire past lash. I've always done stock lifters to 1/2 turn past lash.
Even if the rockers are adjusted to zero lash before you adjust them with the engine running they will not be all that loud. Those stamped, thin flimsy peices called valve covers don't retain that much noise.

 

Or you can adjust them when its not running. Make sure the lifters are pumped up. With the exhaust valve just starting to open. Take the intake valve. Adjust to 0 lash. And then tighten 1/4-1/2 turn. Then when the intake valve just startes to close do the same to the exhaust.

 

Very easy with the engine running. After you tighten down the poly lock though ( The allen keyed one ), give the adjuster nut a extra little snug with a wrench ( Or socket if you really wanted ? ) . This will help keep them from backing off.

I went a hair past 1/4 turn on mine.

And yes they are louder than stock. It will kinda sound like a sewing machine ... But not really loud. Just kinda "noticable" ... Its there, but its not jumping out at you.

 

Right... kind of like a "whiirrrr" absolutely no clacking should be heard if the valves are adjusted properly.

 

Alright, heres my update for today. I finished putting everything back on and got the valves adjusted correctly...not that bad at all. I haven't driven the car in a year and it didn't feel all that powerful to me. It felt quick up to about 3k rpm and then seemed as it had a hard time revving up to 6K.

By hard time, I mean, that it just fell off somewhat. I can't recall if it has always felt that way???

 

Perhaps you tightened them too much? I wish I had a clip of mine when they were loose. I always do mine with the engine off, then unplug the coil wire and bump the starter to get the crank to rotate a little bit. Then I adjust like 2 at a time, bump the starter again and repeat. This method has shown me the best results.

 

I was thinking the same thing. I think they might be too tight. I'm going to plug my laptop into it tomorrow and see what it reads.

Can plug wires cause it to fall off up high? The opti has about 500 miles on it along with the coil and ignition module. The wires have about 200 miles on them and the plugs are new.

 

Wires can make it fall up top. If you have headers. You can check the primarys and see if they are all around the same temp. If one is colder its not firing right. And if a valve is too tight you might be able to hear it though the exhaust or intake popping.

 

Plug your laptop up and see what kind of vacuum you're pulling. If it's lower (higher MAP reading) than usual, then you probably have them too tight. If you turned the nut until it stopped clacking, then went 1/4-1/2 turn past, then tightened, you should be fine.

 

Adjusting valves is easy. This is my method.

1) Install pushrods and rocker arms

2) By hand install all of the locking nuts (do not install locks at this time, compleetly remove them and set them aside).

3) Turn the engine over untill some of the valves are in the open posion. Keep rotating the crank untill you observe maximum lift. You don't need a dial indicator here just close 'nuf.

4) You are now ready to adjust the adjasent rocker arm of the same cylinder.

Note: Step #3 insures that the lifter is on the base circle of the cam. If the lifter is any where on the lift part you will adjust the rockers wrong! This is because you are now tightening against the valve spring and lifter, this will make the rocker higher than it needs to be. You will notice that on the next engine rotation that particular rocker will not be adjusted right. Step #3 also assumes that the intake is on the engine and you can't see the lifters.

5) Loosen the adjusting nut untill the rocker just flopps arround.

6) Begin tightening the nut by hand while lifting up and down on the rocker arm on the push rod side. (forget that spin push rod garbage )

7) Continue tightening by hand untill the rocker arm has no vertical movement. This is zero lash.

8) At this point a decision needs to be made with regard to your preload setting. A stock hydraulic lifter takes between 1/4 and 1/2 turn, still other lifters require less like 1/16th tun, and some lifters either run at zero or with lash in which case you would need a feeler gauge. Consult the lifter manufactureure for this part.

9) Install the nut lock. Thread them in by hand.

10) Grab a box end wrench and hold back the nut while you tighten the lock. Use a medium length allen wrench and snug it down pretty tight. I typically use my thumb untill I get some wrench deflection.

11) Lastly take the box end wrench and tighten the nut another degree or two. This will ensure that the locks are set.
NOTE: When removing the nut (for any reason) don't break them loose at the lock. Instead, loosen the nut first then hold back the nut while you remove the lock. This will help preserve the threads on the locks and nuts.

Thats it! Then continue down the line roating and adjusting untill you run out of locks.

 

I set mine exactly how 526 ss 96 described. Very detailed explanation for those who havent done it before.

Also, if one of your plug wires is burnt it will cause your car to fall on its face. I had 2 plug wires burnt and it changed my quarter mile time from high 11's to mid 14's. So I would defiantly pull each spark plug wire and check them individually before changing the lash again. I thought it was my rockers at first as well. They looked fine in the engine bay, but after removing each one, one by one from the spark plug/opti I was able to find 2 that were burnt through.

I hope that helps.

Good luck!