302 Valve lash adjustment?
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When I had 289's in my '65 Mustangs, the procedure for adjusting the hydraulic lifter based valves was first to get some old valve covers and cut the tops off. Install one and start the engine running (should be warm before doing this). Doing 1 valve at a time, loosen the lock nut until the rocker tip starts knocking on the valve stem/push rods, then slowly tighten until it just stops making noise, and then tighten 1/4 turn further. Do all 16 valves and you're done.
Now, there were other setups/engines that had solid lifters - those require lash setting. Other engines did have a fixed height and were torqued down as wizard mentioned above. You need to find out what type of valve train setup you have (sorry - I don't know too much about the '71 302's configuration assuming yours is stock).
Good luck,
dagger
Now, there were other setups/engines that had solid lifters - those require lash setting. Other engines did have a fixed height and were torqued down as wizard mentioned above. You need to find out what type of valve train setup you have (sorry - I don't know too much about the '71 302's configuration assuming yours is stock).
Good luck,
dagger
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If you have the rocker arms that are held on with nuts (not the bolt down type like on '79 heads for instance), I can recommend Comp Cams 4610-16 adjustable rocker kit. It's not rockers themselvs, but machined spacers that allow for adjustment, and a set of jamnuts to keep it there.
I run a Crane Energizer cam and it recommended having adjustable rockers. Seems to work great, it was my first valve lash job & I didn't know you had to preload them so much (more than 1/8 turn), so I think I can hear a loose one.
My contribution would be, re-assembling from a head swap or head gasket r&r, don't use silicone on the valve covers until you've run it & satisfied with it.
I run a Crane Energizer cam and it recommended having adjustable rockers. Seems to work great, it was my first valve lash job & I didn't know you had to preload them so much (more than 1/8 turn), so I think I can hear a loose one.
My contribution would be, re-assembling from a head swap or head gasket r&r, don't use silicone on the valve covers until you've run it & satisfied with it.
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Originally Posted by fordguy76
I dont have any extra valvecovers to cut up, so is there a way to do it without it running? When you torque them down to do you have to have a certain cylinder to top dead center?
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That's good, I know there's got to be people on the forums w/the bolt down ones so I won't tell you how errr, lacking, they are . The Comp kit is a good fix for these heads.
ga302's right about running it with the valve covers off, it won't spray out. Might slowly overflow out the lowest point if you leave it running for a while.
ga302's right about running it with the valve covers off, it won't spray out. Might slowly overflow out the lowest point if you leave it running for a while.
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Comp cam nuts 4610-16
That's good, I know there's got to be people on the forums w/the bolt down ones so I won't tell you how errr, lacking, they are . The Comp kit is a good fix for these heads.
ga302's right about running it with the valve covers off, it won't spray out. Might slowly overflow out the lowest point if you leave it running for a while.
ga302's right about running it with the valve covers off, it won't spray out. Might slowly overflow out the lowest point if you leave it running for a while.
I guess my oil pressure is high. Rockers were shooting oil 3 ft
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