I can't get my damn rocker arms torqued down right to save my life. I've done it three times now, and each time they'll be fine if I rev up the engine, etc. Then I'll put everything back together, go for a drive, and a pushrod will get dislodged, a rocker will slip off the valve and go sideways, or something else.

I'm adjusting them with the engine running. I know I'm supposed to back them off until they tick, then tighten them a half turn.

Well, first, they're roller rockers, and they make a ticking noise even when they're torqued down right. Second, my loud exhaust makes it even more difficult to makeout a seperate ticking noise. Plus the whole time oil's spewing out of the rockers, I probably lost a quart of oil today.

Is there some trick to this? Please, I'm open for tips/suggestions because I have to have my car driveable by friday and I'm getting really frustrated.

 

i would try doing them with the motor OFF...

 

I haven't heard a single person yet recommend doing them with the engine off.

I'm at college now, and I don't even have a jack to get the car up so that I can rotate the crank hub.

 

Your problem lies with the little allen head locks on the rocker... you adjust each rocker... tighten the lock with the allen key just a littl eand then ago another 1/8 of a turn on the rocker so the lock is nice and tight... if you tighten the lock too much it gets loose

 

I always do it with the engine off....
Are you trying to use non self align rockers without guide plates??

 

I've got the GM 1.6rr's and springs that come with the hotcam kit. Are those non-self aligning, w/ no guide plates?

 

Don't know,never run that set up or put it in any customer's engines. The GMPP site should be able to tell you.

 

You must be hearing from a very specific group of people.

 

lol.... well, I guess tomorrow I'm gonna say screw it and go buy some wheel ramps and a big breaker bar tomorrow (I'm at college so i barely have any tools here) and try it with the engine not running

wish me luck

 

How did that work out for you? Ever get them fixed? I too am at college, lol.

-Dustin-

 

I find setting the valves with the motor running to be a lot faster and less envolved overall.

 

Yes setting them with the engine running is alot easier and faster as long as you dont rev the engine you shouldnt lose too much oil. I like to loosen the allen lock, hand turn the nut untill it starts clicking, hand(may have to use a wrench, i didnt) tighten it a half turn, then while holding the nut with a wrench tighten the allen lock, once the allen lock is tight take the wrench and tighten the nut just a tad more. This should keep them tight, it kept mine tight. Just hope that the pushrod falls out and doesnt stay in an have the rocker hit the retainer and knock out the keepers, causing a dropped valve.

james

 

Thanks for the brief explaination, I think I am going to attempt a apartment parking lot, running engine, rocker adjustment tomorrow. What me drop a valve

Thanks guys.

-Dustin-

 

Yeah, are you tightening the locks down after adjustment??

 

Possibly, the problem isn’t the rocker adjustment. It’s hard to make a mistake (very simple) with the adjustment, other forgetting to lock the allen lock screw. Maybe he doesn’t have the self-aligning (SA) roller rockers and no guide plates. Therefore, the rockers are rotating off the valve stem and then with no mechanical load, the pushrod comes loose??? Again, without guide plates on the LT1, you must have the SA rockers.