Adjusting valves....

[Irishman999]

We used to put a case of Beast in the creek to keep it cool, but it wasnt near cool enough for most people's taste. So warm beer dont bother me too much. Beer flavored tobacco, sounds like a good idea!!!

They tried making that copenhagen tasted like whiskey A few years back.... tasted like absolute **** to me.

 

[HotRodPC]

I didn't read all posts, so it may have been said already. And everyone does it a differant way too, so I'll just say how I adjust HYDRAULIC lifter valves. BTW, "The Book" calls for 1 full turn.
I back them off till they clatter real good. Then tighten down til clatter stops, then 1/4 turn. Do all of them that way on that bank. Then I go back and start at the front again, and add another 1/4 turn to all of them, and done. Book calls for 1 full turn, but personally, I feel hydraulic lifters make up for some space. And overtightening then causes premature cam lobe wear. I've never had a problem with 1/2 turn.

 

[nxtlevl]

Update.....
With the nice weather, I pulled the valve cover off to adjust the rocker arms...Backed them off..tightened until they stopped....then went 1/2 turn further....All stopped with the exception of the 2nd one on the number 3 cylinder....It stopped briefly but went right back to ticking...
So, looks like a new set of lifters are in order which will have to wait until I get money saved up...

While the cover was off, I got the casting number off of the head (3973487 X) which with a little research turns out that they were made from '68-79....have 76cc chambers...and either 1.94/1.50 or 2.02/1.6 valves....The "X" casting supposedly denotes that the heads have 10 more intake cc volume.....

For *****-n-giggles, I called a local guy to see what he would charge to put a new set of lifters in, and he quoted $500..(parts/labor)..!!!!!!!

Here are a few pics, since I know you guys are pic junkies.....

 

[Old77]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm pics



Is this a job you can do yourself and save the $500? I'd bet this is something that HRPC could do with his eyes closed. Maybe he'd come over and do it for you for a case of beer!

 

[nxtlevl]

mmmmmmmmmmmmmmm pics



Is this a job you can do yourself and save the $500? I'd bet this is something that HRPC could do with his eyes closed. Maybe he'd come over and do it for you for a case of beer!

I could probably do it, but I have no heat in the garage..(supposed to snow tomorrow)...It would take me forever because of the lack of experience...and this is my only form of transportation right now. And with my luck, I would end up causing more harm than good, which in turn would end up costing me twice as much... I'm going to ask around and try to find somebody cheaper...In the parts that I got with this truck, there was a box of lifters, but I'm not sure if they are any good or not.............

 

[Swims350]

you took the valve covers off, that's 1/3 of the job or more right there, just remove the throttle cable, kickdown, if you have one, plug wires, plugs to dist., remove the fuel line, then take the dist. clamp loose and pull it, then remove the intake bolts and yank that off. Only other thing is maybe the alt bracket, and of course the heater hose and upper rad hose.

Down side is maybe the cam has a bad spot? and if you do new lifters won't help anything. Di you try to turn it down further and get it to stop?

 

[nxtlevl]

Down side is maybe the cam has a bad spot? and if you do new lifters won't help anything. Di you try to turn it down further and get it to stop?

Yeah, I thought about the cam as well.........
I went another 1/2 turn with it and it quit but came right back...didn't want to crank down any more than that...Should I try a little more?

If the cam is bad, any suggestions on a replacement?

 

[89Suburban]

Great post NXT. I am not looking forward to yanking my intake either, and I need this truck to run every day so it's got to be done in one afternoon. But that leaning over the grille **** just KILLS my back. And resetting the distributer in right and setting the timing is a pain in the balls. I think I god a bad intake gasket so I got to get to it soon.

 

[Irishman999]

It does not sound like your cam is bad, it wont wear out that quick. Changing your lifters wont be complicated, just soak those ones you have extra in motor oil and get after it. Only parts your gonna have to buy are the intake manifold gaskets.

 

[HotRodPC]

Update.....
With the nice weather, I pulled the valve cover off to adjust the rocker arms...Backed them off..tightened until they stopped....then went 1/2 turn further....All stopped with the exception of the 2nd one on the number 3 cylinder....It stopped briefly but went right back to ticking...
So, looks like a new set of lifters are in order which will have to wait until I get money saved up...

While the cover was off, I got the casting number off of the head (3973487 X) which with a little research turns out that they were made from '68-79....have 76cc chambers...and either 1.94/1.50 or 2.02/1.6 valves....The "X" casting supposedly denotes that the heads have 10 more intake cc volume.....

For *****-n-giggles, I called a local guy to see what he would charge to put a new set of lifters in, and he quoted $500..(parts/labor)..!!!!!!!

Here are a few pics, since I know you guys are pic junkies.....

Hey, I got a set of the X heads !!! And they happen to be the ones that have damage due to unleaded fuel. So keep in mind, it may not be a lifter. It could be a recessed valve. Measure your valve stem and make sure its the same height as the rest of the valves. If its intake valve, rule that out, its the exhuast vavles that will recess. Isn't it crazy the prices people charge?? $500 my ass??? I'll do it for $250. I never heard the X denotes 10cc volume though. I think there are only 2 or 3 casting #'s that add the X and been told they are the same head without the X.

 

[89Suburban]

Hey, I got a set of the X heads !!! And they happen to be the ones that have damage due to unleaded fuel. So keep in mind, it may not be a lifter. It could be a recessed valve. Measure your valve stem and make sure its the same height as the rest of the valves. If its intake valve, rule that out, its the exhuast vavles that will recess.

Damn that's a good tip.

 

[nxtlevl]

It does not sound like your cam is bad, it wont wear out that quick. Changing your lifters wont be complicated, just soak those ones you have extra in motor oil and get after it. Only parts your gonna have to buy are the intake manifold gaskets.

The only bad thing is that I don't know what the original owner did when he put this motor together....I know the truck as a whole was put together in 2000, and it runs pretty strong..but whether or not the motor was something he had sitting around or something he put together for this build is something I have no idea about.....

 

[nxtlevl]

Hey, I got a set of the X heads !!! And they happen to be the ones that have damage due to unleaded fuel. So keep in mind, it may not be a lifter. It could be a recessed valve. Measure your valve stem and make sure its the same height as the rest of the valves. If its intake valve, rule that out, its the exhuast vavles that will recess. Isn't it crazy the prices people charge?? $500 my ass??? I'll do it for $250. I never heard the X denotes 10cc volume though. I think there are only 2 or 3 casting #'s that add the X and been told they are the same head without the X.

Thanks!...Never even thought about that..(not that I would know anyways.)...I'll check that out........and if you lived closer, I'd be dropping this thing off right now, and kicking in an extra Benjamin for your time...

 

[nxtlevl]

Great post NXT. I am not looking forward to yanking my intake either, and I need this truck to run every day so it's got to be done in one afternoon. But that leaning over the grille **** just KILLS my back. And resetting the distributer in right and setting the timing is a pain in the balls. I think I god a bad intake gasket so I got to get to it soon.

That's my whole deal as well....This is my daily, and if I were to tackle this it would take me longer than it actually should...I can deal without transportation for a day or so, but not any longer than that....

 

[Swims350]

everybody says with flat tappet cams and no zddp they'll wipe out fast.

You need to pull the intake either way, so what I would do is do that, pull that lifter and check the bottom of it. They are supposed to be slightly dished out or convex, if it's flat no dish out or if it's dished in/convex, the lifter and cam needs replaced.

If the lifter turns out ok on bottom, could just be a bad one, next step i would yan all the other lifters, check them, and if they are all good buy a new set, throw em in and be done.

If you find the cam bad, not a big deal, remove the front accs. like water pump, alt. pulley etc. then you need a puller tool for the balancer, remove it, loosen up the front oil pan bolts, or take them all out, but would require new pan gasket, usually you just take out the first couple and loosen the rest or loosen half, everyone says something different, yank the timing cover, take out the 3 cam gear bolts pull it, and the chain off, then pull the cam after all the lifters are out.

It would also be good to set the motor and tdc before tearing it apart, that way dropping the dist. back in is easier, and should be done with either a cam swap or lifters only change.

Take the no.1 plug out, unplug the coil, have a buddy tap the key while you hold your thumb over the hole, when it blows your thumb off stop, insert a screwdriver or something to make sure the piston is up, if so good, if not try to move the crank pulley/balancer by hand to get it all the way up, you can also check the timing indicator, but there's a chance it could have slipped or something and be off a tad or alot. Then when you go to the drp dist. you can drop it pointing the rotor button at no. 1 cylinder, You can also leave it where it is for a lifter only change, but mark the rotor to dist. and dist. to intake or rotor to intake, and line it back up once you drop it back in. This is by far the hardest part for sure, trying to get it set right, sometimes you have to pull and drop it over and over. You can also reach down with a long flat tip screwdriver or needle nose and turn the il pump shaft to help it line up better and faster.

You're gonna need more then intake gaskets lol, you'll need or want valve cover gaskets, and new lifters, then an intake gasket set. it aint bad though they are cheap and sometimes the valve cover gaskets can be reused, but if you have it apart and buy a kit or something might as well change them.