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Valve adjustment after getting a valve job.

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stipton

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hey guys I just took the heads from the 87 k5 to a machine shop today to have it looked through for cracks and such. To have it resurfaced and to have a valve job done. They guy there told me that I will have to adjust the valves after he is done with it. just looking to see what you guys have to say about it and maybe some direction on adjusting them. Thanks ahead of time.
 
The way i do mine is by following the firing order. I place #1 cylinder at TDC and adjust both the intake and exhaust vlaves by tighting them to where the pushrod can be turned but has no up and down movement, then give it another 1/4 to 1/2 turn. Now move on down the firing order doing the same thing.

There are many other ways in which you can achieve this by turning the engine 2 or three times rather than 8, but i've always get confused and lost so this is the way i do mine. Maybe someone else will post the other method and you can give it a try.
 
That doesn't sound to bad but i have a few questions any tips on finding TDC and should I put the distributor back in when I do this so I don't lose the timing on that? Thank you for the advice.
 
I prefer EO IC but seeing as it is your first time do it the GM way.
 
TDC, if you have the spark plug adapter for it, it helps. Otherwise, the idea is to turn the engine wheter by hand or bumping it until the #1 cylinder is at it's upmost position. If you have the spark plug adapter, it helps. The way i do it is i take out the #1 spark plug, put a clean shop towel in the hole just enough to cover it completely then bump the engine until it the towl pops out. I then insert a plastic screwdriver in the spark plug hole to check if the piston is up (make sure its up, otherwise you'll be off 180 degrees and will never get your timing.

Once the piston is up, you will be pretty close and should be able to fire up right away. You can now install your dizzy and wires.

If you don't have an engine bump button don't connect the positive wire to the dizzy so you can bump the engine with the key.

Repeat the TDC procedure on each cylinder and ajust the valves following the firing order.

Like i said this is more work but less confusing for me, i'll try to dig up the other way in which you can adjust most valves in about two turns.
I've done all my engines my way and never had any problems.
 
and since your dizzy was intalled while doing #1 cylinder you don't have to worry about at the end, just tune your timing and you're set.
 
Hydraulic lifters?

Once all the components are back in place, the easiest way to set lifter preload is to use the exhaust opening/intake closing method (EO/IC). With the valve covers off, rotate the crank clockwise by hand until the exhaust valve starts to open. You can identify the exhaust valve because it will line up with the header pipe. When the exhaust valve is roughly one-quarter open, stop and set the preload on the intake valve. A typical preload value for a street engine is between 1⁄4 and 1⁄2 turn after all the clearance between the pushrod and the rocker is removed.
 
I think I have a grasp of it now. You guy really helped paint the picture for me. Thank you. I just picked up my heads from the machine shop. so my next day off Ill get started on it. Thank you guys again
 
Great link, I'm saving this one. I learned from old schoolers and nothing has ever gone wrong but I'm gonna give this a shot on my engine and see if performance changes
 
obviously there are a couple ways to do it, both static, and running... my current BB, I don't trust the lifters, so I do those running...

anytime I'm doing a short block at work, I set em up static... I love the gen 6 non adjustables, makes my day go much faster... :haha:
 
I love that my gen Vi is adjustable. Only took a set of 781s to make it perfect. EO IC and the Mercury Marine Mag cam was preloaded perfect.
 
my stuff vs work stuff are 2 totally different things... ;) trying to figure out/justify how to come up with $3500 in the spring for a sweet gen 6 roller 502 long block..... :whistle: :haha:
 
Do you ever get a chance to buy cores when someone puts in a new one?
 
well, when I get em, they're free.. or for a small favor... it's not always easy tho, as most are sent in for cores on the new long blocks.. but we do have a gen 4 BB and a couple sb's kicking around that I could have as cores right now...

that's my biggest issue at this point, is not having an actual gen 6 as a core right now, only the gen 4.. well, actually 2 gen 4's, one at work, and the one in the truck.... I'm sure, they'd take the gen 4, but might not get full core price...
 
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