Can I just use standard sbc procedures for tightening/adjusting my rocker arms, or are there any special hints/tips/tricks?

I have a book about SBC assembly, so I was thinking about using that as a guide.

 

same, while the motor is idling, back the rocker off until it starts clacking, then tighten until the clacking stops then another 1/4 turn

courtesy of shoebox:

http://shbox.com/1/4th_gen_tech2.html#adjust_valves

 

It's the same.

 

I did that on an old carb'd motor (8 years ago) and it worked fine. I don't feel comfortable idling a fuel injected, computer controlled engine with the covers off. There are too many subsystems that have to be installed.

The book I have does a **** poor job explaining the procedure. You're link however, is awsome!!! I'll be printing it out and using it when I finish up.

 

I got the car all buttoned up today, and started it up. It ran great...... and then I heard a loud POP followed by loud clattering from under the valvecover. I revved it a few times, and I'd get considerable backfiring felt through my air filter at 1500rpm or above.

I popped the valve covers off, and one of my pushrods had pushed through the top of the rocker arm like a ninja turtle popping his head out of a sewer.

I replaced the rocker arm, and backed all my remaining intake rockers off by 1/4 turn to eliminate anymore backfiring.

The car runs just fine, but the valvetrain clatters like hell and I'm scared to death that another rocker will fall apart while driving. ugh......

 

What brand rockers are they?

I would not recommend doing that. You should start all over and set the proper preload for each nut. How much preload did you add initially?

 

They were stock stamped rockers that I re-used. I went to o'reilly's and bought a replacement federal mogul piece for $5 and put it in where the one broke.

It was my first time adjusting valve-lash on an old school motor like this. I did it exactly as per shoebox's instructions. I was unsure if the backfiring was caused by the lack of my #6 exhaust valve opening(that was the broken rocker) or........

the fact that I'm a newb and I wasn't adjusting the rockers correctly. I had feared that I had overtightned the rockers, so I backed them all off a little.