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| | | | Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 328 Member | | Member Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 328 | After a long time that I couldn't figure out what was wrong, I believe I've found it. A guy told me my valves were tapping and they needed adjusting. It's a V-8, and it's been acting very sluggish in 1st, sometimes low-rpm 2nd gear.
I think he's right, but how do I adjust these? Is this an easy job?
Thanks guys, I feel like I haven't been here in months...good to be back. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 Extreme Gabster | | Extreme Gabster Joined: Oct 2001 Posts: 3,458 | Which V8 is this? Most of them have hydraulic lifters, and if they are tapping and you are getting poor performance that means the camshaft is probably shot.
It is a pretty easy job to adjust them, but you need to find out if they are hydraulic or solid because the procedure is just about opposite between them.
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A lone amateur built the Ark. A large group of professionals built the Titanic. | | | | | Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 328 Member | | Member Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 328 | alright, i'll check and be back with more information about the hydraulic or solid lifters... | | | | | Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 328 Member | | Member Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 328 | 85 305 V8, I think they're hydraulic. | | | | | Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 226 Cruising in the Passing Lane | | Cruising in the Passing Lane Joined: Jul 2005 Posts: 226 | Could be a collapsed hyd lifter but i doubt it... could be a busted rocker too, Probably flat cam... older small block cheyvs are notorious for flat cams... thats one reason for a roller cam...  and after rereading ur post, yeah im sure its a flat cam... uhhhhhhh careful wrappin that engine out... youll start bendin pushrods next.. pull the valve cover,,and watch the rockers..bet one or two wont hardly move,,,,or do a compression check,,it will probably show up there too....
What it will say on my Tombstone: "Boy, that guy sure owed alotta people Money"
| | | | | Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 328 Member | | Member Joined: Nov 2004 Posts: 328 | so installing a roller cam wouldn't be a problem?
So, if a couple of you have agreed it sounds like a cam problem, do I need to worry about the valve thing? I don't really know if it is the valves, but that guy said that's what it sounded like when I talked about it.
FYI: Here's some symptoms:
Sluggish in 1st gear, feels like as I'm revving up it's running out of gas, even though I've got a full tank. 2nd gear it doesn't do it that often, but occasionally. 3rd gear, never does it. I didn't hear anything "tapping" but I could be deaf
So you say a compression test would yeild results huh? I may go get one of those and check it out. | | | | | Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 445 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Oct 2003 Posts: 445 | do as fatweed said.check the action of the rocker arms.have to remove the valve cover to check.Check rocker arms and for bent push rods.When ya find the noisie one.Use a piece of hose.One end to you ear the other end to the tappet.You'll hear the loose one.The valve clearance is 0. on intake$exhuast valve.Tighten down till engine starts to miss,then back off 1/2 turn.your set.If this makes no differnce.Could be a bad lifter OR cam lob is worm.Usually its the cam. .So new cam and lifters are in order.Summit has cam &lifters priced right.A roller is going to cost ya some bucks
dan-pa
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