Lash settings with unknown HP cam, solid rollers and ported.

[sputnik 440]

I posted this request on the 1966-1970 tech forum but thought I might solicit additional comments here, before I go off and "take a chance" on setting the valves with arbitrary numbers. When I bought this '67 Satellite, the engine, 440 HP was boosted to 560HP. I need to adjust the valves and have read a dozen articles on how to do it. EOIC and such. Indeed, I can measure the lash and set the rockers, but I don't have the foggiest idea of where to set them. 6 of the 8 intakes/exhaust sets were 0 to .002, one of the other 2 were at .006 and the the last set was .024 - .030. I need to find out where would be a good setting to start with. All the measurements I took were with the engine cold. The gap will only get smaller when I go to set them with a warmed up engine. The cam is a street/racing cam but that is all I know. I do not want to take the engine out just to see what the cam is. I am satisfied that I can "tune it in" once I find a starting place. I know I don't want to go over and have too much slop, but I can't keep them where they are at now. Any advice? I am not sure of the rpm range I should consider. I think 2000 to 4000 is a good range for this set up. Comments? It has a 3.73 rear end and is 4 speed. Any advice on what the range would be for a set up like that. I say this because the settings for the same cam are slightly different on paper.
Right now my "guess" from advise is starting at .020" cold and adjusting down when the engine is warmed. What am I looking for that tells me when to stop turning down the setting? Other than taking it out and running it with questionable settings. Will I be able to set them by ear, like with the timing? Seems impossible with engine running and being able to hear one cylinder over the other 7. Will rpms change at all?

Also, any explanation for the setting going to .000 to .002 on 6 sets of valves. This is assuming the engine builder set them properly when the engine was built 2,000 miles ago. What would be the explanation for the gap closing? As usual, thank you for your inputs.

Capt Jim​

 

[IQ52]

Do you have iron or aluminum heads? You are positive this is a solid roller camshaft? Probably the only time the lash will close up is when the valves are receding in the seats.

Crate engine? Why do you mention crate engine?

 

[sputnik 440]

Do you have iron or aluminum heads? You are positive this is a solid roller camshaft? Probably the only time the lash will close up is when the valves are receding in the seats.

Crate engine? Why do you mention crate engine?

Iron ported 915 heads on a 1967 block. I am not positive of anything. What I did was to follow a you tube upload that several guys did. That was to push on the back of the rockers to see if the push rod would move downward. They do not. Is there a better way? The thought did cross my mind since 6 of the 8 were near zero, so I watched the flicks again and did the same thing and no movement. Other advise is to simply measure for a gap and if you have one.....solid. Well two of the eight have gaps. Thus the alarm for help like you are giving me.
On the "crate engine", my bad. I meant an engine that was rebuilt as a long block and the mechanic added the holley, dominator intake and MSD to it. The seller is gone, moved, and I have no records of who the mechanic was. The engine looks and reads like a Super Magnum or Commando. (530 HP without considering the MSD or the Hooker headers with 3" exhaust and being ported and having a 850 cfm Holley and Dominator. Most of the rebuilds I see have hydraulic lifters. Soooooo, I am now leaning toward the lifters being hydraulic. Are you confused...I am.

 

[moper]

Take a light and look down the pushrods to the lifters. If you see a clip of some type, chances are good it's hydraulic although that's not 100% as some solid lifters have that clip. If you don't see qny clip, it's a solid.
You need to get the engine at TDC on compression. Best way to do that is with the cover soff, engine cold, turn the crank with a socket clockwise looking at the rockers for cylinder one. When the intake valve closes, then look at the balancer. When the "0" mark on the balancer lines up with the "0" mark on the timing tab, stop. Go back to the rockers and see if there's any free play. If there is, measure it.

 

[coloradodave]

I would assume it's a hydraulic cam based on the settings you found. Try this easy to use method. I've used every trick method to adjust 'mild/moderate' cams and this works best for me:

http://www.speedwaymotors.com/Tech/how-to-adjust-hydrualic-lift-cam-valve-lash.html

Disregard that they used a SBC for an example. Just make sure you verify that you start on #1 cylinder on the compression stroke, like it says in the article. I cut the top off an old distributor cap and watch the rotor approach the next post on the cap. When it lines up with the next post, that cylinder is ready to be adjusted.

 

[sputnik 440]

OK, assumed it is hydraulic. Went all eight sets and used the "book" method for setting zero lash. All went well until I got to the rocker that gave the over .030' when I tried to gauge it as a solid lifter. Those two lifters, the intake and exhaust would not let me set the zero lash. The inner lock on the rocker went so deep, there was no threads for the nut to go on. It is behaving like the rod is too short, but I figure the lifter has failed. Might it have dirt in it? crud on the walls? Got too hot? Can I remove a hydraulic lifter with out taking off the head? What if it has a roller cam?

Should i try to warm this up at idle and run some cleaner through it? What about carb cleaner down the tube to the lifter? Better yet, aerokroil penetrating oil? Strange, why would the intake and exhaust lifters on one or the eight cylinders stick? Over heat? No chattering on that cylinder was noticed.

Please, any comments? I appreciate the help from the members on this forum. Very helpful. Thanks

 

[sputnik 440]

Went ahead and pulled the intake. Rotated the engine, inspected the lifts on #4, they all seemed to work, so I thought well maybe the lifter had a hole in it. Pulled the push rod and bingo. The tip of the rod was gone! Looked in the top of the lifter and and there was the tip of the rod, all busted into little pieces. That was on the intake, looked at the exhaust and same thing. Went to O'Reily's to get a new set of 16 and they did not have them. They have to be special ordered from Kingston and they are closed on Sat. These are Proform rockers and rods. $142.00 if they can get them. I don't like what I saw and can't explain it, so I am going to look at replacing the whole set with some other make. Any suggestions on the best ones to get, and then the most bang for the buck ones?
Thanks to all for your help. I would not have done this if it was not for advise received on this forum.