302 valve adjustment question.
Lead Driver
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 7,018
Likes: 210
From: SoCal
Even with no oil in the lifters, the plunger should be at full height from its spring pressure, and should take up all the slack before the nuts are bolted all the way down. The additional turn required to get the nuts to torque spec should push the plungers down about .03" for the preload.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Even with no oil in the lifters, the plunger should be at full height from its spring pressure, and should take up all the slack before the nuts are bolted all the way down. The additional turn required to get the nuts to torque spec should push the plungers down about .03" for the preload.
Tuned
Joined: May 2017
Posts: 414
Likes: 40
From: C-town,MD
With no oil pressure, the spring in the lifter should still push the plunger up against the retaining ring. Oil pressure is not going to make the plunger go any higher. The only thing oil pressure will do is make it harder to push the plunger down.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
"should" but they don't always do. The ones on the base circle of the cam can still be loose. Seen it even with a recently run engine.
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2004
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Loaded the engine on my truck and took it into the machine shop. They took a look at it and said there is excessive wear in the rockers and pivots and a little in the pushrods. Not too surprised the E200 i took it from was pretty beat. I ordered up a new set of rocker arms and pivots $$$ and some new pushrods. They will be in next week so I'll know then. Thanks for all the replies they are appreciated at least I'm learning more about these engines. Lol.
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2004
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So i put in brand new rocker arms, pivots and pushrods and i still have slop in the rocker arms. One in particular was very loose after I had torqued the nuts down to the 20 lbs as per the manual cylinder by cylinder at the cams BDC for those valves. I took all the rockers off and put the nuts only back on and torqued them all down to the 20 ft lbs. I then measured with a micrometer the distance between the bottom of the nut on each stud and the machined top of the mount the stud goes into on the head. Most only varied by a 5-10 thousand of an inch but the loose one was off by 30 thousand. I called the machine shop and they told me to tap in the stud by the 30 thousand as that is what they do. It took significant force to do - like a bfg hammer and a piece of brass. It did take out the slop but i'm concerned..I reset the valves and some don't appear to be preloading the lifter at all although there is no slop in the pushrods. I hope it doesn't sound like a bunch of clams when i fire it up lol. I'm pretty frustrated with this motor this positive stop valve thing seems nuts.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
So i put in brand new rocker arms, pivots and pushrods and i still have slop in the rocker arms. One in particular was very loose after I had torqued the nuts down to the 20 lbs as per the manual cylinder by cylinder at the cams BDC for those valves. I took all the rockers off and put the nuts only back on and torqued them all down to the 20 ft lbs. I then measured with a micrometer the distance between the bottom of the nut on each stud and the machined top of the mount the stud goes into on the head. Most only varied by a 5-10 thousand of an inch but the loose one was off by 30 thousand. I called the machine shop and they told me to tap in the stud by the 30 thousand as that is what they do. It took significant force to do - like a bfg hammer and a piece of brass. It did take out the slop but i'm concerned..I reset the valves and some don't appear to be preloading the lifter at all although there is no slop in the pushrods. I hope it doesn't sound like a bunch of clams when i fire it up lol. I'm pretty frustrated with this motor this positive stop valve thing seems nuts.
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2004
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Thanks for the info. I'm at a bit of a situation now. I've just about got the engine ready to go into a mint 74 Econoline to swap out from a 240 suffering six that can barely pull it along. This will not be an easy swap. So do I gamble and hope the valves are ok or bite the bullet and swap in threaded studs. I assume a machine shop is involved with such work. Are there any guides around for reading up on this, and where would I source the parts? Any thoughts appreciated.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Thanks for the info. I'm at a bit of a situation now. I've just about got the engine ready to go into a mint 74 Econoline to swap out from a 240 suffering six that can barely pull it along. This will not be an easy swap. So do I gamble and hope the valves are ok or bite the bullet and swap in threaded studs. I assume a machine shop is involved with such work. Are there any guides around for reading up on this, and where would I source the parts? Any thoughts appreciated.
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2004
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Cam is a a Melling MTF-5. The shop called it a RV cam I suspect it is pretty mild. IM just wondering about pinning vs threaded studs wouldn't it be better to put in threaded studs and have adjustable valves if i have to pull the heads off and take them to a shop. Appreciate the response.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
Cam is a a Melling MTF-5. The shop called it a RV cam I suspect it is pretty mild. IM just wondering about pinning vs threaded studs wouldn't it be better to put in threaded studs and have adjustable valves if i have to pull the heads off and take them to a shop. Appreciate the response.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2003
Posts: 11,141
Likes: 25
From: south louisiana
You might be OK with the pressed in studs and that cam, but don't be surprised if some studs work loose over time.
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Freshman User
Joined: Sep 2004
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Thanks...it surprises me that the studs would back out given the force that was needed to press that one stud down .025 - it literally took a medium sledge hammer and a large piece of brass with a number of very solid hits to move it. Despite my best efforts at hitting straight the very top of the stud bent a bit but did not appear to affect the alignment of the rest of the stud.
I guess I'll install the engine and fire it up and listen for the clams. It will be a pain in the butt to deal with it after installation but I don't see any realistic options right now. I'll cross the fingers and hope for the best.
Thanks for the responses.
I guess I'll install the engine and fire it up and listen for the clams. It will be a pain in the butt to deal with it after installation but I don't see any realistic options right now. I'll cross the fingers and hope for the best.
Thanks for the responses.