Car was running good but I needed to swap out poly locks on the rockers so I could adjust it right. Took all the old nuts off and adjusted the poly locks down on the drivers side so that each pushrod just had a bit of spin in it if you gribbed firmly (did this without turning the motor over or anything). Started it up and heard a clacking that I had never heard before. Once the motor was shut off I realized that one of the rockers had come off when I was trying to adjust them. Would that attribute to the noise or was the valve hitting the piston?

Worst case scenario - bent valve?

 

That was just the looseness of the rocker arm on top of the valve. Just put it back on and tighten it down until it gets just a small amount of drag on the pushrod, and then 1/2 turn more.

I see you are in kingsport tn, you work at the big E?

D Moss

 

You can't just slap all the rockers on without using one of the many procedures for setting lash that have been infinitely discussed on this board. How would you ever be able to tell the correct lash when the lifter is not on the base of the cam lobe? Loosen everything and use one of the procedures to set it right. Then see if you still have your noise.

 

i would think if the rocker came off, there is no way for the valve to be opened, therefore it cant hit a piston

definately attribute to the noise, pushrod being thrown around in there, maybe bouncing off the valve cover or soemthing or just smacking into the rocker while its loose...

whats the stats on the block work, stock deck height, milled heads etc.?

 

Nope, I'm only 18. Dad has worked there for the past 27 years or so. He travels to SC about every other week for business.

 

I know, I was just slapping them on there loose to get it running and then was going to adjust them with the car running, hence the poly locks (Couldn't adjust them with the car running with the nuts that came with the 1.6 comp mags)

Simple,
Stock deck height, heads are stock but were shaved a couple thousandths for the sake of flatness.

Guess I'll go out and take the extra time to get them adjusted right upon startup, then loosen them up and adjust them with the car running.

 

Next time he come's to SC, tell him to drive your Z.

We'd like to see it.

D Moss

 

Kinda hard to get them anywhere close without atleast rotating the engine by hand. A valve somewhere is always going to be not closed, adjusting the rocker arm to what feels "firm" when the valve should be partially open will end up in a lifter flopping around with way way too much play and possibly other damage. The tightening till firm technique works fine, just make sure you rotate the engine some to make sure they're really where you think they are. A valve hitting a piston shouldn't be any concern.