MonsterBilly

So i have about 500 mi on my rebuilt 289. It runs fantastic and is really strong. But in the last couple days i have developed a lot of lifter noise. it sounds like it is coming from the 3 and 4 cylinders.

I had someone assemble it for mt so i am not aware of the proper way to adjust the rockers.

Can someone please list list the steps in adjusting the rockers. Please be detailed if you dont mind. I would like to do this tonight.

Thanks

fakesnakes

Before you go adjusting the lifters, check your header bolts and make sure they are tight. Unless you are using locking bolts, they usually require a couple of cycles of heating, cooling, tightening, before they stay put. A leaking header gasket sounds like a noisy lifter. Sometimes you will even hear popping in the exhaust when deccelerating.

If that is not the problem, you adjust hydraulic lifters by turning the engine until the lifter is on the base circle of the cam. Then loosen the rocker arm retainer nut and spin the push rod with your finger and thumb while slowly tightening the rocker arm nut. Once you start to feel resistance, meaning all the slack is out of the valve train, but you have not depressed the lifter plunger with the pushrod, stop. Now tighten the nut 1/4 to 1/2 of a turn. This preloads the lifter. Do this 15 more times and you are done.

MonsterBilly

I am running stock 289 lifter from my original 66. are they hydrolic or are they solid?

racin66coupe

are they the used lifters?
stock should be hyd unless its a hipo

fakesnakes

Unless it is a K code, they are hydraulic.

MonsterBilly

so do I

move the cylinder to top dead center for the rockers that i am adjusting before i adjust them?

fakesnakes

There is a way to do it by marking the balancer in quarters and turning it to each quarter and adjusting two valves at a time, but frankly, the following is easier, just requires more manual turning of the engine:

Adjusting Hydraulic Lifters for Proper Preload

In order to adjust the preload, the lifter must be properly located on the base circle or "Heel" of the lobe.

At this position the valve is closed and there is no lift taking place. You will need to watch the movement of the valves to determine which lifter is properly positioned for adjusting.

1. Remove the valve covers, and pick a cylinder that you are going to set the preload on.

2. Hand rotate the engine in its normal direction of rotation and watch the exhaust valve on that particular cylinder. When the exhaust valve begins to open, stop and adjust that cylinder's intake rocker arm. (Why? Because when the exhaust valve is just beginning to open, the intake lifter will be on the base circle of the lobe, the correct position for adjusting the intake.)

3. Back off the intake rocker arm adjuster and remove any tension from the pushrod. Wait a minute or two for that hydraulic lifter to return to a neutral position. The spring inside the lifter will move the pushrod seat up against the retaining lock if you give it time to do so. (If you are installing brand new lifters they will be in the neutral position when they come in the box.)

4. Now spin the intake pushrod with your fingers while tightening down the rocker arm. When you feel a slight resistance to the turning of the pushrod, you are at "Zero Lash". Turn the adjusting nut down one half turn from that point. Lock the adjuster into position. The intake is now adjusted properly.

5. Continue to hand turn the engine, watching that same intake. It will go to full open and then begin to close. When it is almost closed, stop and adjust the exhaust rocker arm on that particular cylinder. (Again, when we see the intake almost closed, we are sure that exhaust lifter is on the base circle of the lobe.) Loosen the exhaust rocker arm and follow the same procedure described before in steps 3 and 4 to adjust this rocker arm.

6. Both valves on this cylinder are now adjusted, and you can move on to your next cylinder and follow the same procedure again.

kalli

great writeup will have to bookmakr. but I'm with Mark here:
"Before you go adjusting the lifters, check your header bolts and make sure they are tight."
my exhaust manifold/header bolts loosened and i thought .. .ahhh gawd the engine is running without oil adjust valves ...etc etc etc. all it was was the bloody bolts. it REALLY sounds the exact same

as to the valve adjusting. The hydraulic ones I do with engine running. unscrew until it starts ticking, then close by 1/4 turn and then another 1/4 turn. one after another. job done. the only problem is that it creates a huge mess with the oil spilling. i have two old covers where I cut a hole in the top so I can access the screws. i use them for adjusting and then swap back

anyone experience with this? always worked fine for me and is done in a few minutes. ah and yes ... do this with engine warm at operating temperature

Anyone any reasons to not do it this way???

MonsterBilly

Kalli

i had a freind recommend doing as you have stated. however o threw away the old covers to make room. I know it makes a mess.

I will double check the bolts

MonsterBilly

Wow FakeSnake and Kalli

You two guys!

I checked my header bolts and two of them are gone. the other two are loose. I have more here, should i use threadlock on them.

thanks again for the advice. i love the experience of poeple on theis site. Especiaally you guys.