As of tommorrow I will have my engine put together and on my K Member (dropped engine from bottom) and I need to set the valve lash but I dont have a threaded rod to install my crank hub. So my question is what starter wire can I touch to the battery to turn my engine over? Or...can I just thread a bolt in the end of the crank and turn it over like that, but it still seems like the starter would be a lil bit faster? Thanks, Brad

 

You won't be able to control the starter speed to get you in the right spot to set the lash. If you have a bolt that will fit thread it in the crank, or just use one of the three bolts on the balancer. that will be enough to turn it over...especially if you don't have the spark plugs in so the compression bleeds off.

 

You want to use the small wire which is for the starter solenoid. The easiest way is to just buy a remote starter switch and put it on the postive side of the starter and the solenoid wire.

You want to use a bolt then make sure it doesn't bottom out in the crank. Use washers or a socket to shim the bolt if needed.

 

I use the starter to turn the motor to set valves all the time. I watch the exhaust rocker then the intake rocker rocker lower then rise back up. Once the intake rocker has come back up the starter will remain on for a split second longer to help ensure those valves lifters remain on the base circle of the cam.

While doing this as long as I dont see any movement with the same exhaust rocker when the starter turns off I am good, if that exhaust rocker moves then I will simply repeat.

I have a home made switch similar to what you see above. I clip one lead to the purple wire near the rear right side of the engine and the other to ground assumning the engine is in the car.

 

Engine is not in car. I am gonna do it the non running way where you adjust the lash on exhaust and intake for each piston. Does it matter which order I adjust each piston in? It seems as it I can get the bolt tight enough with shims in the crank then I should be able to turn the motor over both ways if there are no plugs in it. Which way does the engine turn over when it is running?

 

View from front of engine---roatation is clockwise. Makes no difference which cyl you start with, but if you start with the left bank---enigine viewed from driver's seat---good way to do it is to start with 1st cyl and just work your way though the first 4 and then do the other side of the block front to back.----this way you know exactly which rockers to be looking at so that you can do your adjustments---both int and exhaust on that particular cyl before moving on to the next one.

Setting all the cyls at about 1/2 turn will put you in the ball park and you enging should run fine when installed. You can make minor adjustments once the engine is running if you want to quiet it down if too noisey.

With the engine out, I belive the best method is to just turn the crank by hand while watching the valves open and close. With no belt or plugs, the turning shoud be easy.

See SH.BOX site for method of adjustment. JMHO

 

Thanks, So basically when the intake is all the way down then adjust the exhaust and vice versa. I have pro mags with poly locks. Do I need to put the poly locks on a certain amount first or just leave them off? Sorry for sounding stupid but this is all new to me. Brad

 

Basically, you turn engine until the exhaust valve (one pointed toward the exhaust port on manifold or header) just begins to open and then set the intake valve. Next continue to turn engine until the intake valve opens all the way and is roughly half way back up to close and set the Exhaust valve. I.e. EOIC (exhaust starts to open, set intake) (intake all the way open and half way closed, set exhaust)

To set the adjustment the rocker should be loosened so that you can roll the pushrod between your index finger and thumb---begin to tighten until you feel a bit of a drag in your turning----at that point turn it about 1/2 turn more and lock it down.

Complete the first one and just move on to the next one until finished. Make sure that they are all locked at your set adjustment.

If when you are finished and the engine is installed you might want to listen to see if they are ok---not too noisey. If you think you can quiet them down with another 1/8 turn or so, you can do that (although you might want to protect yourself from oil splatter as the engine turns.

Some people set them at 1/8 turn (factory recommends about 1 full turn for extra margin, but 1/2 turn seems to be the norm.

You should visit Sh.Box.com to take a look at what shoe has for you regarding the setting of valves---or just about anything else you want to know about your Lt1. JMHO

 

Roller rockers perform best at 0 to 1/8th turn past 0 lash. Noisy ... but fast!

 

Heres how I do it with my solid roller, super simple..................


This method is a little easier due to having to rotate the engine less and you don't have to make the additional marks on your balancer. The only drawback is having to closer attention to what valves you are doing. For that reason, I'd recommend that you print out this page and check off the valves as you go.

If it seems strange that so many valves can be adjusted at one cam position, it's due to the amount of area where a cam lobe is on it's base circle. Remember, as I said above, that almost 3/4 of the cam profile is at the base circle. Keep in mind, we are talking Chevy V8s here and if you come across an engine with a different firing order, this will not be valid!

As in method #1, you should be at the TDC compression cycle of the number 1 cylinder at this time. Also as stated in method #1, you should be using standard socket (and not a deep socket).

See method #1 for how to adjust a valve!

I'm going to number the valves as starting at the front of the engine. That means that the "eighth" valve is the closest to the firewall.

Adjust the #1 exhaust valve
(small and big block--closest to radiator, on drivers side)

Adjust the #1 intake valve
(small and big block--second from the front, on drivers side)

Adjust the #3 exhaust valve
(small block--forth from the front, on the drivers side)
(big block-- third from the front, one the drivers side)

Adjust the #5 intake valve
(small and big block--sixth from the front, on the drivers side)

Adjust the #7 intake valve
(small block--seventh from the front, on the drivers side)
(big block-- last on the drivers side)

Adjust the #2 intake valve
(small block--second from the front, on the passenger side)
(big block-- first from the front, on the passenger side)

Adjust the #4 exhaust valve
(small and big block--fourth from the front, on the passenger side)

Adjust the #8 exhaust valve
(small and big block--last on the passenger side)

Now rotate the engine 360 degrees. The mark on the balancer should be back at the TDC mark. Keep in mind that this is not the TDC where #1 would be firing! It's where #6 would fire.

Adjust the #3 intake valve
(small block--third from the front, on the drivers side)
(big block-- forth from the front, on the drivers side)

Adjust the #5 exhaust valve
(small and big block--fifth from the front, on the drivers side)

Adjust the #7 exhaust valve
(small block--last on the drivers side)
(big block-- seventh from the front, on the drivers side)

Adjust the #2 exhaust valve
(small block--closest to the radiator, on the passengers side)
(big block--second from the front, on the passengers side)

Adjust the #4 intake valve
(small and big block--third from the front, on the passengers side)

Adjust the #6 exhaust valve
(small block--fifth from the front, on the passengers side)
(big block-- sixth from the front, on the passengers side)

Adjust the #6 intake valve
(small block--sixth from the front, on the passengers side)
(big block--fifth from the front, on the passengers side)

Adjust the #8 intake valve
(small and big block--seventh from the front, on the passengers side)

You are now done.




David

 

Man guys thanks for all of the info I really appreciate it! Brad

 

Man... with the agressive lobes on a SR I wouldn't trust that method of adjustment and would stick with bumping the engine over. IMO that would work fine w/ a hyd. roller, but SR would make me nervous.

 

I check my SR once a week....maybe I'm ****?

I have a push button installed under the hood to bump it over

 

My thinking was with the lobe being more aggressive(steeper) wouldnt that make for more base circle?


David

 

FASTFATBOY would that setup work on stock lifters and comp rollers? I need to spin my motor over a few times to get the lifters to pump up before hand correct? Brad