valve adjustment

[sorryofficer]

i have an 87 jimmy with a 350 tbi i need to adjust my valves and i was wondering if there was a quicker way than the chilton or haynes would tell me....i heard that you can take off the covers turn on the engine and loosen one at a time and adjust it...but i dont know where to start...please help..thanks

 

[Storm Trooper]

Yes you can. Start with a trip to the auto parts store or HP store and pick up a set of valve adjustment clips. These clips snap on the end of the rockers so your garage doesn't turn into a oil squirting test zone (They clip over the oil holes on the rockers). Next, make sure your timing is good. Then, take the valve covers off and build a U shaped oil dam with a peice of cardboard on the low side of the heads to keep the oil running back into the motor and not on to the exhaust. It only needs to be a little higher than the rockers. (I use the cardboard that the valve cover seals come with). I'm not sure on the spec.s of the newwer motors but I would back off a rocker until it started to clatter then take it back in just until in got quite. Hope this helps. Some mech. out there might have a better idea on the setting then me but I hope this helps.

 

[k30gambi]

Back off until it clatters then tighten until the clattering stops then slowly tighten it a half turn. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif

 

[ntaj*ep]

OK, don't know how the Haynes manual says to do it but this is how I do it on every engine I've ever built. (if its the same as the manual sorry in advance) StormTrooper, just between us............I've done that too, sshhhhh quiet.LOL

Take the valve covers off, Turn the engine to top dead center #1 cylinder (get the timing mark on the dampner to the timing tab on the front of the motor, If your not sure its #1 take your ignition cap off and see if the ignition rotor is pointed to the #1 post) Using your manual to show cylinder location your ready. Now with the engine on #1 TDC adjust the INTAKE #1,2,5,7 cyls.
EXHAUST #1,3,4,8 cyls.
Now turn the engines timing mark only one revoulition, your now on #6 TDC you can now adjust the INTAKE #3,4,6,8 cyls.
EXHAUST #2,5,6,7 cyls.
Now the adjustment on a motor that has been run I back the nut off the rocker until the pushrod has some up and down movement, I then turn the nut in till I get no movement and go one quarter to one half more and then I'm done. There are more varitions to this but I think you will be fine with this information. Again if you already have known of this before sorry. /forums/images/icons/grin.gif But I do hope this helps.