I know this has been discussed over and over again. I set my lifters with the engine off and in # 1 cyl. there is half of the lifters ( valves ) set, then I turn it 1 more revolution too # 6 and set the rest. Now once you are in one of these here cylinders firing wether it be # 1 or # 6 how far do you tighten down your set screw once you have determined no wiggle or rotation of the pushrod? I have heard 1/2, 3/4, or 1 full turn. My 235 6cyl. has a bout 60,000 miles on it.
It's somebody else's turn to read the service manual- - - -I'm all talked out! Once that procedure fails, PM me for one that actually works! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
I set my lifters with the engine off and in # 1 cyl. there is half of the lifters ( valves ) set, then I turn it 1 more revolution too # 6 and set the rest. Meaning that only 2 crank positions places every one of 12 valves at zero lift? That statement hasn't been discussed, it's completely wrong. No 2 cylinders are doing the same thing at the same time (but every pair of 2 pistons always are), it just looks that way.
There are really only 2 methods, follow either one. 1. know what the 4-stroke combustion cycle is, and what it means for valve position vs. crankshaft rotation. What kind of 4-stroke engine (OHV, SV, OHC, lawnmower, L4, V12, H-D) doesn't matter. Do the valves in any order, makes no difference. 2. follow a "recipe" of "do this, then do that" (without knowing why), which works well unless you screw up, decide to do a step out of order, forget where you are, or follow one intended for a different engine (L4, V6, V8). Most recipes rely on the fact that, in an L6 engine, each piston is doing exactly what its opposite piston is doing with regard to crank rotation (but their valves never are). Many attempt to do all 12 valves in the smallest number of steps, but this requires the greatest attention.
The other way with a 235 and hydraulic lifters, when the static methods fail (and they sometimes do, and I know some do not care for this method), is to set the valves with the motor running. This takes some getting use to. Turn the idle down until the motor is just barely running. Get a wrench and screwdriver (I use a Vaaco screw holding screwdriver), loosen the jam nut (yes it takes some practice, lol), loosen the adjusting screw until the valve taps. Turn the adjuster in until the tapping stops, turn anywhere from 1/4 to 1/2 more, tighten the jam nut and move to the next cylinder. Sometimes, these motors for whatever reason, just will not adjust statically. In those instances, or not, this is an alternative.
I always do the companion cylinder way, throw a degree wheel on the crank and put it on top dead center. For our 235s, I will start by putting it on number 1 top dead center with the valves rocking on 6, adjust number one intake and exhaust, rotate the crank 120 degrees and do the valves on 5, rotate the crank another 120 degrees and do the valves on three, then another 120 degrees and so on through the firing order. 1.5.3.6.2.4
1953 Chevrolet 3100 261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done In the DITY Gallery Video of the 261 running
1964 GMC 1000 305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration
Interestingly enough, Thexton made a little tool to do exactly that but instead of indexing the balancer, the tool installed on the distributor. You tapped the motor until the rotor pointed at the cylinder you want to adjust.
Brilliant, I want one Mike! Then went looking and bought a NOS one on fleabay for 18 bucks. Thanks for the plug Mike
Last edited by sstock; 12/24/201811:01 PM.
1953 Chevrolet 3100 261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done In the DITY Gallery Video of the 261 running
1964 GMC 1000 305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration
I bought a felt tip marker and put six lines on the distributor housing in line with the spark plug towers- - - - -didn't need to go searching for a fancy antique tool! Of course, I could have also watched the points and the distributor cam and adjusted a set of valves every time the points opened. Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
Fancy vintage tools are really cool. Your magic marker, not so much Jerry.
Last edited by sstock; 12/25/20185:27 AM.
1953 Chevrolet 3100 261 cu inch, sm420, 3.55 rear, torque tube still,omaha orange, still 6 volt, RPO green glass, side carrier spare, all done In the DITY Gallery Video of the 261 running
1964 GMC 1000 305 Big Block V6, sm420, the next cab off restoration
i was curious how many degrees of margin exist when finding the positions where half the valves can be adjusted, so i plotted it and it turns out you need to hit the center of a 38 degree window with enough margin so that the camshaft isn't about to hold one of the valves in the set you choose.
at TC on cylinder 1, (top of compression stroke) cylinders 3, 6, and 2 can be adjusted, then add one turn (360 degrees) and adjust 4, 1 and 5.
the same patters exist for the other possible groupings cylinders 1, 5 and 3 can be adjusted at 480 degrees, then add one turn to get to 120 degrees to adjust 6, 2 and 4. cylinders 5, 3 and 6 can be adjusted at 600 degrees, then add one turn to get to 240 degrees to adjust 2, 4 and 1.
that was fun
when i have bent pushrods i gently pound them straight with my favorite hammer, roll them on the steel table to check for remaining curvature. this service requires me to check the valve clearance because hammering on a push rod makes it longer, never shorter -s
Really appreciate the replys I am recieving here on my thread, but one of my main questions was once you are setting a lifter ( valve ) and have deteremend there is no wiggle or a pushrod rotating, from there are we adjusting the set screw down a 1/2, 3/4, or 1 full turn? I can't remember what Mellings cam I had installed in it, I know it is not a stock cam. Now you Bolters are going to think this here Ol Flight test aircraft mechanic is a little out there, but I cut the top off an old cracked distributor and now use it to set my valves, just install your rotor put the cut off cap back on and rotate the engine to each cylinder and set them. I pull all the plugs out so you can hand turn the engine over. Hopefully now I'm not answering my own question, It was really about the amount of turns you apply to the set screw. anyway you all have a Merry Merry.... Thank you
You'll need to do some measuring of the travel of the lifter plunger to determine how far you need to set the preload. Start with a lifter out of the engine, and measure the distance from the top of the lifter body to the cup-shaped pushrod seat with something like the depth gauge end of a dial caliper. Record the measurement. Then compress the plunger to the bottom of its travel by gently squeezing it in a vise with a bolt or some other type of extension piece bearing against the plunger and measure again. The difference in the measurements is the total travel of the plunger. The preload on the lifter needs to put the plunger at the approximate midpoint of its travel. You'll need to figure how many turns of the adjusting screw will be required to accomplish this and adjust accordingly. Fortunately, most lifters will give you a little wiggle room, maybe half a turn +/- of the adjuster from the sweet spot. Good luck! Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln Cringe and wail in fear, Eloi- - - - -we Morlocks are on the hunt! There is nothing noble in being superior to your fellow man; true nobility is being superior to your former self. - Ernest Hemingway Love your enemies and drive 'em nuts!
