Im trying to adjust my valves and the #1 intake lifter compresses after zero lash but my #1 exhaust wont. I find zero lash, then start doing my 1/2 turn and the valve pushes down!!

 

Another note, on my #1 intake lifter I can spin the nut freely, then I can take where it reaches zero lash. From there I can tighten the nut by hand with slightly more resistance until i reached the preload of 1/2 turn and it starts wanting to push the valve down. My #1 wont do it though. I reach the point of no pushrod slack or resistance in hand tightening the bolt and it goes from there to wanting to push the valve down!!! Even if my piston wasnt at TDC wouldnt the lifter still need to compress??

98k and XE cam on stock lifters.

 

does it move a tiney bit or none at all?

Does it move with the rocker/ pressure off?

Did you collapse a lifter or something? more info

 

Are you setting your valves with the lifter on the cam's base circle?
You need to.

-Mindgame

 

Yes, they are on the base of the cam, should that even affect the lifters compressability? I can tighten the other rocker and watch the pushrod move down after zero lash and with this one, it goes strait from me spinning the rocker nut with my fingers with no friction to pressing the valve down.

 

Sometimes on a lifter with a tight spring, your valve will compress when adding preload after reaching zero lash, but if you wait a couple seconds the lifter should compress. If it does not, you probably have a bad lifter (sounds like it is acting like a solid lifter).

If you had adjusted and added the preload before without noticing it was not working right, the valve would never fully close and you could get the backfiring that I think you have been having.