curious about valve lash setting/check

-
oldmusclelover said:
I apologize, I am not understanding front and rear? the notch is approximately in the correct position for the oil holes to be pointing down. if you face the engine at the front, the notch is 'about' in the 7:30 position on the passenger side, which would put the oil holes in the 6 o'clock position (according to 70's picture. assuming the other in pic (driver's side) in exactly opposite, the notch on the driver's side (still facing from the front bumper), is in the 4:30 position, which should put the oil holes pointing downward, in the 6 o'clock position (approximately, but very close if not). is this correct? or did I explain it wrong again, LOL?
Click to expand...

Front and rear of the CAR. Don't worry about 7 o'clock and all that "****". You're overthinking this. Go back and read my post. It's very simple.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Absolutely you should be sure! It's that important.
Click to expand...
****, my apologies to all! I thought the shafts were opposites, not the same. that's why they have to be in rear on the passenger side and in the front on the driver's side? :) same shaft set-up with the oil holes, just reversed on each side to accommodate the oil holes? well, I may have problems then, because the notches are both in the back.
 
oldmusclelover said:
****, my apologies to all! I thought the shafts were opposites, not the same. that's why they have to be in rear on the passenger side and in the front on the driver's side? :) same shaft set-up with the oil holes, just reversed on each side to accommodate the oil holes? well, I may have problems then, because the notches are both in the back.
Click to expand...

Yeah that's incorrect. That's why we always try to use the notches as a reference if they have them. Just remember, passenger side down and to the rear, driver side down and toward the front and you got it. The oil holes will be in the correct position with the notches oriented like that.
 
Pass side should be right then. Drivers side take the assambly off , take bolts out of the shaft. Slide the rockers off the shaft. Turn shaft around and slide the rockers back on. Put bolts I. And re install. Kim
 
RustyRatRod said:
Yeah that's incorrect. That's why we always try to use the notches as a reference if they have them. Just remember, passenger side down and to the rear, driver side down and toward the front and you got it. The oil holes will be in the correct position with the notches oriented like that.
Click to expand...
Rusty, this engine has been run by another before me with the notches both in the rear (and a bit by myself), so I'm guessing I may have other problems? I get both notches pointed down, passenger side in rear, and driver's side in front. this threw me off, as I had posted to AJ that they were both in the rear. that's why I couldn't understand 'front and rear', instead of position. thank you, and all others that have put up with me, LOL, I truly appreciate your help/knowledge. seems I have some work ahead of me :)
 
oldmusclelover said:
Rusty, this engine has been run by another before me with the notches both in the rear (and a bit by myself), so I'm guessing I may have other problems? I get both notches pointed down, passenger side in rear, and driver's side in front. this threw me off, as I had posted to AJ that they were both in the rear. that's why I couldn't understand 'front and rear', instead of position. thank you, and all others that have put up with me, LOL, I truly appreciate your help/knowledge. seems I have some work ahead of me :)
Click to expand...

No problem. Hopefully you haven't had any damage. Correct it and see what you come up with.
 
oldkimmer said:
Pass side should be right then. Drivers side take the assambly off , take bolts out of the shaft. Slide the rockers off the shaft. Turn shaft around and slide the rockers back on. Put bolts I. And re install. Kim
Click to expand...
I'll do that Kim, but what's the chance that I have problems because it was wrong for "I don't know how many miles"?
 
pt70 said:
oldlover; Assuming the lifters are new and empty of oil, it is difficult to adjust hydraulic lifters using the pushrod turning method. ...
To adjust: back off each hex adjuster until you feel clearance [lash] in the rocker arm. Then tighten the hex until there is no lash. Then tighten hex 3/4 turn and torque the lock nut to spec. By the 16th time you will be good at it. The 3/4 turn is a guess, others may know more.
Click to expand...

That's the only way you can adjust new or empty lifters. Were only tightening the rocker until you can feel the pushrod/lifter hit the adjuster, ie drag. You can bleed out any modern lifter cranking an adjuster down to 'stop the pushrod from spinning'. If you adjust to touch then add 1/2, you have to be good (unless your lifter requires more ie Rhodes). You got a dry lifter: you can push the pushrod into that thing 1/4 inch and just compress the piston spring. Let's see what works best for the OP.
 
oldmusclelover said:
Rusty, this engine has been run by another before me with the notches both in the rear (and a bit by myself), so I'm guessing I may have other problems? I get both notches pointed down, passenger side in rear, and driver's side in front. this threw me off, as I had posted to AJ that they were both in the rear. that's why I couldn't understand 'front and rear', instead of position. thank you, and all others that have put up with me, LOL, I truly appreciate your help/knowledge. seems I have some work ahead of me :)
Click to expand...

Oh and one more thing. The torque spec for the rocker shaft bolts is WRONG in a lot of manuals. It' only 15-17 pound feet. In some manuals they have it listed as 30. They are only a 5/16 bolt and will BREAK OFF if you try to torque to 30.
 
RustyRatRod said:
Oh and one more thing. The torque spec for the rocker shaft bolts is WRONG in a lot of manuals. It' only 15-17 pound feet. In some manuals they have it listed as 30. They are only a 5/16 bolt and will BREAK OFF if you try to torque to 30.
Click to expand...
good information to know, thank you Rusty
 
Notches always down and on your left as your facing them. If you bought them installed wrong, your probably ok as the shafts are pretty hard. As long as there aint 70k on them like that. I have not had stamped rockers since my early 351 Cleveland days ('89) and I never had a lifter preload issue using the 'spin' method. Maybe I got lucky.....
 
Gentlemen, I will be out there again tomorrow to check/remedy the problem. thanks again for the information, I appreciate all that have commented. cheers!
 
pishta said:
Notches always down and on your left as your facing them. If you bought them installed wrong, your probably ok as the shafts are pretty hard. As long as there aint 70k on them like that. I have not had stamped rockers since my early 351 Cleveland days ('89) and I never had a lifter preload issue using the 'spin' method. Maybe I got lucky.....
Click to expand...
And there again a little common sense goes a long way with valve adjustment. (Or most repairs on these old cars.)
 
pishta said:
Notches always down and on your left as your facing them. If you bought them installed wrong, your probably ok as the shafts are pretty hard. As long as there aint 70k on them like that. I have not had stamped rockers since my early 351 Cleveland days ('89) and I never had a lifter preload issue using the 'spin' method. Maybe I got lucky.....
Click to expand...
thanks Pishta, I'm hoping for that 'luck of the draw'. and I think I have the 'touch' figured out for the spin. tomorrow's another day, thanks again
 
RustyRatRod said:
Oh and one more thing. The torque spec for the rocker shaft bolts is WRONG in a lot of manuals. It' only 15-17 pound feet. In some manuals they have it listed as 30. They are only a 5/16 bolt and will BREAK OFF if you try to torque to 30.
Click to expand...
Damn straight. 65 FSM has 273 @ 15 ft/lbs and to confirm that 5/16 bolts break easily under a ham fisted torque wrench, the 65 intake with its 5/16th bolts only got torqued to 270 inch lbs (or 22 ft/lbs).
 
pishta said:
Notches always down and on your left as your facing them. If you bought them installed wrong, your probably ok as the shafts are pretty hard. As long as there aint 70k on them like that. I have not had stamped rockers since my early 351 Cleveland days ('89) and I never had a lifter preload issue using the 'spin' method. Maybe I got lucky.....
Click to expand...
Pishta, I'm one of those worry warts, so I pulled out the receipts. engine work in 07, and found one receipt with axle work in early 08 showing 69K on mileage. it's at 76K now, so I'm feeling a little better. with that known.....I will sleep a little better :) thanks again for the help
 
70aarcuda said:
look at the shaft on the left....at the top...you will see a notch in the end....notch is down along with the oil holes...

some aftermaket shaft may not have the notch...what is important is holes facing down...as said...oil flows better going downhill...

View attachment 1715425409
Click to expand...

Nice catch on the rocker shaft notches, AJ.

Nice pics for the two different rocker shafts, 70AAR. I always thought that all the rocker shafts were the same. Note that the notch on the left shaft is not in line with the oil holes. Also, the oil holes are bigger. So I looked at an old shaft that came out of a 1972 340. It was the same as the right shaft in the picture. It has no notch, but it has a semi-circle machined in one end of the shaft. The semi-circle IS in-line with the [smaller] oil holes. This end goes to the right!!! When done so, with the heads mounted, the oil holes end up pointing to the floor. Also note the oil holes are clocked differently on the shafts compared to the shaft bolt holes.

From 1976 FSM: Rocker shaft bolts are 5/16-18. Torque is 200 in-lbs
 
Here's a factory diagram.

rockershaft-jpg.jpg
 
pt70 said:
Nice catch on the rocker shaft notches, AJ.
Click to expand...
I know I can sometimes come off sounding like a plick or a know-it-all; so when I get a kudu, I do appreciate it. I'm just here to help. When I can no longer be of help, I guess I'll retire.
Or maybe I'll just hang around in the N&P and preach scary end-timechit, to those mostly not interested; hah!

Nice contribution , Toolman. that makes it perfectly clear
 
Both shafts on both heads will be oriented exactly the same. Just as there no "left" or "right" heads, there are no "left" or "right" shafts. The heads are not mirror-images of each other, they are both identical. As-installed on the engine, the shaft notches always point down, and are at the front on the drivers side head, and at the rear on the passenger side head. If you are not sure if the shafts are installed correctly, the small oil holes always point down and "out" towards the exhaust side of the head. I have seen shafts with no notches and even some notched incorrectly, so the best thing to do is check the orientation of those holes.
 
AJ/FormS said:
I know I can sometimes come off sounding like a plick or a know-it-all; so when I get a kudu, I do appreciate it. I'm just here to help. When I can no longer be of help, I guess I'll retire.
Or maybe I'll just hang around in the N&P and preach scary end-timechit, to those mostly not interested; hah!

Nice contribution , Toolman. that makes it perfectly clear
Click to expand...
yes, great eye AJ, and great catch. I'll get to remedying the shaft(s). thanks so much
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
-

Back
Top