The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Can I adjust valves with HYD lifters?

Can I adjust valves with HYD lifters?
I have a 55 235 from a car in my 58 and I have a little miss when idling that you can see on a vacuum gauge.

Do you have a Shop Manual for the year of your car's engine? Have you tried the procedure for adjusting hydraulic lifters that is in there?

There is a Tech Tip with information on adjusting hydraulic lifters but the technique/setting is questionable. Here is a better article on adjusting valves. It has advice on adjusting hydraulic lifters at the bottom, as follows:

If your 235/261 is equipped with hydraulic lifters, the adjustment procedure is the same, except you carefully adjust each valve to zero lash when it is in position, then give the adjusting screw 1/4 turn more and lock the nut. After all are done you must run the engine and whilst it is idling, adjust any valve that clatters only just enough to make it stop clattering.

Some folks will tell you to set zero lash then 1-1/2 turns more on the adjusting screw; this is wrong, and will result in misfiring and burned valves.

Be aware that the 235/261 engine design isn't good for installation of hydraulic lifters, and once the engine is fully broken in, the oil pressure at idle will not be sufficient to keep the lifters pumped up at idle, leading to clattering valves again. Later blocks have larger oil galleries in the lifter areas to provide the increased oil flow required by hydraulic lifters but normal hot idle oil pressure in these engines is under 20#; this isn't sufficient to keep the lifters pumped up.

So don't be in a hurry to add hydraulic lifters when you're building your engine; they rob power and are usually unsatisfactory in service.

Had one that had a miss just like you described.After adjusting them twice,It was still missing,So I'm standing there scratching my head and decide to do the redneck thing,I started er up and pushed and wiggled the valves with my fingers,I think it was on number 5 the miss went away when I was applying pressure.Turnes out the valveguide was bad on the one cylinder.An easy fix and the motor was as good as new!!Tom

Tom,

You must have some secret method as I consider a valve guide replacement major surgery. Did you mean a sticking valve in a guide or more likely a valve lifter.

Stuart

Nope,I mean pulling the head and having the valves done up at a shop.I dunno,seems like a simple fix to me,it's just a 6 banger.Easy to pull apart and put together!Tom

Tom,

Yes, a simple fix. I did the same thing a few years back when I had a stuck valve (from sitting too long). Not too expensive, and it was quick and easy. However, the lower end of that engine gave out, about 4 years later.

Tim

Just a basic question here - are you sure you have hydraulic lifters? Here's an easy check, if your engine ID number, the one stamped just behind the distributor, ends with "Y", then yes, it has hydraulics. Anything else in '55 had solid lifters whether it was in a car or not.

It is nice and quite compared to other trucks that I have heard running and originally had a PG.
I bought the engine and installed it myself.