abrush

Yes, I regret removing the heads but they are now at the machine shop getting checked to eliminate any problems if they had any. I can clearly see all the cylinder walls and they all look good. No pits, scoring, etc. When I get the heads back I plan to reinstall and run the car a little longer. If nothing changes I will do a compression test to sort out the problem.

scott_m_mil

I've always been told/did replace rings whenever a valve job was done, the same would apply for heads. The increased compression on a used ring isn't necessarily a good combination. I'm not saying the rings had 100,000 miles on them and were junk. But mechanical parts where into patterns based on use. They were used to be ran with X compression and now that has suddenly changed. Additionally if you plan on pulling more rpm's you need to be concerned with rings hitting any lip that has developed in the top of the cylinder. More rpms means the piston traveling higher in the cylinder wall.

With regards to valve seals they cost next to nothing now that the head is off go ahead and replace them anyway.

abrush

Update: Got a call back from the machine shop today. They checked out the cylinder heads and found that there were no valve stem seals. They were not sure why someone would have rebuilt the heads and failed to put them in. The guy that looked at them thought they hardly had any miles on them as he said the valves and springs looked new. He is going to put valve stem seals in for me and they will be ready to pick up today. Once I have them I will go to work putting everything back together and see what happens.

frdnut

No seals will cause lots of oil burning but no blowby...Glad to hear the heads were in good shape otherwise.

abrush

Got the heads back on and the engine running. Looks like the blow by is gone. No more smoke or oily breathers. I did do a compression test just for kicks and every cylinder turned up the same readings. I seem to have pretty bad valve chatter going on. I am beginning to think I didn't adjust the valves correctly. Can I readjust with the engine running? If so, how do you know which valve is chattering? It is hard to single out with the noise of the engine running.

frdnut

Yes you can adjust them with the engine running..I cut the top out of an old valve cover to keep the oil mess to a minimum....It can be tricky if the rockers are already ticking..Loosen the adjusting nut slowly and you should hear the rocker start to tick or tick louder..If it doesn't start ticking within 3/4 or 1 turn I would just put it back to where it was and go on to the next one...Once you get the engine quietened down to where you can hear them better...Loosen until they just start to tick..Tighten just until the ticking stops..Then go another 1/4-1/2 turn and you should be good..

eZ

abrush...I know a lot of people say 1/2 turn after 0 lash...mine still had some chatter and the sweet spot for me was 3/4. Ive read 1/8 to 1/4 on high rpm vehicles with routine checks. Nothing wrong with going 1 full turn past 0 lash (Should be quite at that point) and then adjust each cylinder while running. I think the error comes from what each person feels is zero lash. My zero lash might be a 1/4 diff than your 0 lash ya dig? couple diff ways of finding the base circle on the cam. good vids on youtube. just youtube 5.0 valve lash

frdnut

That is the beauty of setting the lash with a running engine..There is no mistaking when you are at zero lash...

kalli

very much so. i use half turn max. maybe it depends on the lifters you are using.
I had a feeling that 3/4 turn from 0 was too much with mine.