Rocker adjustment
 

What is the best best way to adjust my rocker arms. Do I need special tools or what?

If you've got studs, do it this way:

1) Install all 16 rockers, and snug down the nuts by hand.

2) Rotate the engine until the balancer reads TDC on the compression stroke.

3) Check the rotor in the distributor, and verify that it is pointing at the #1 wire on the cap. If it's not, rotate the engine 360 degrees.

4) To find the point of zero lash, spin the pushrod between your thumb and forefinger while slowly tightening the nut with a 1/4" drive ratchet. Tighten the following rockers until you feel the first bit of drag on the spinning pushrod:
Cylinder #1 intake and exhaust,
Cylinder #5 exhaust,
Cylinder #7 intake,
Cylinder #4 exhaust,
Cylinder #8 intake.

5) Now tighten each of those 3/4 of a turn, and lock them if you're using rollers.

6) Rotate the engine 360 degrees, so the balancer reads TDC again.

7) With a 1/4" ratchet, tighten these rockers (again, to zero lash):
Cylinder #5 intake,
Cylinder #2 exhaust,
Cylinder #4 intake,
Cylinder #6 exhaust.

8) Now tighten each of those 3/4 of a turn, and lock them.

9) Rotate the engine 90 degrees, and with the ratchet, tighten to zero lash on these rockers:
Cylinder #2 intake
Cylinder #7 exhaust
Cylinder #3 intake and exhaust
Cylinder #6 intake
Cylinder #8 exhaust

10) Now tighten each of those 3/4 of a turn, and lock them.





If you're using bolts, do it this way:

1) Install all 16 rockers and snug down the bolts by hand.

2) Rotate the engine until the balancer reads TDC on the compression stroke.

3) Check the rotor in the distributor, and verify that it is pointing at the #1 wire on the cap. If it's not, rotate the engine 360 degrees.

4) To find the point of zero lash, spin the pushrod between your thumb and forefinger while slowly tightening the bolt with a 1/4" drive ratchet. Tighten the following rockers until you feel the first bit of drag on the spinning pushrod:
Cylinder #1 intake and exhaust,
Cylinder #5 exhaust,
Cylinder #7 intake,
Cylinder #4 exhaust,
Cylinder #8 intake.

5) Now torque each of those to 20 ft.lbs.

6) Rotate the engine 360 degrees, so the balancer reads TDC again.

7) With a 1/4" ratchet, tighten these rockers (again, to zero lash):
Cylinder #5 intake,
Cylinder #2 exhaust,
Cylinder #4 intake,
Cylinder #6 exhaust.

8) Now torque each of those to 20 ft.lbs.

9) Rotate the engine 90 degrees, and with the ratchet, tighten to zero lash on these rockers:
Cylinder #2 intake
Cylinder #7 exhaust
Cylinder #3 intake and exhaust
Cylinder #6 intake
Cylinder #8 exhaust

10) Now torque each of those to 20 ft.lbs.

***If it takes more than a full turn to reach 20 ft.lbs. torque, after you have reached zero lash, you're gonna need shims. Thick shims represent approximately one turn.





Take care,
~Chris

Chris is right as usual
 

Chris is right of course as usual. Being very lazy, what I do with hydraulic lifters is just bump the crank until I have the I valve fully depressed for #1 cylinder and then knowing I'm on the base circle for the E valve, I'll just go to 0 lash + 3/4 turn and lock it. Then bump the crank until the E valve is fully depressed for #1 and do the I valve. Then on to #2 cylinder and so forth until complete.

That way I don't have to think very much and hurt my brain, LOL.

Rev

This is great info. Thanks for passing it on.