NumberDummy, I have a question

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Apr 17, 2007 | 09:49 PM

White_Knuckles

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 201

Likes: 1

From: Spokane WA

NumberDummy, I have a question

What is the valve lash spec for a 292? I have seen everything from .012 to .027. If you could give me a good cold spec that would be great since my coil and battery keep me from getting my valve cover off quickly. Thanks.

Apr 18, 2007 | 01:33 AM

56efffie

Elder User

Joined: Sep 2002

Posts: 503

Likes: 0

From: Edgewood, NM

.019 hot, I couldn't find anything for adjusting them cold, everyone said you have to do them hot. I would just take the covers off after the engine is warm and then fire it back up to adjust them.

Apr 18, 2007 | 02:16 AM

White_Knuckles

Thread Starter

Senior User

Joined: Dec 2006

Posts: 201

Likes: 1

From: Spokane WA

Well with the overhead oil system I cannot run the motor for any time without either eating the motor or the oil pump without the valve covers.

Apr 18, 2007 | 02:25 AM

NumberDummy

Ford Parts Specialist

Joined: Nov 2006

Posts: 88,826

Likes: 785

From: Simi Valley, CA

56effie: Thanks for answering, I haven't a klew. I'm just a dumb number person, but I can phone a friend who would know...he's a night owl too.

Apr 18, 2007 | 11:10 AM

49fordpickumup

Elder User

Joined: May 2006

Posts: 907

Likes: 1

From: Kansas City, Mo

Valve adjustment

Back in the day!!!!! We took one old valve cover and cut the top out so we could adjust valves hot. This contained most of the oil in the cover. I don't know the availibility of old valve covers for your engine or how over head oil works, but this is only food for thought. Have a great day, chuck

Apr 18, 2007 | 11:49 AM

cobraguy

Posting Guru

Joined: Dec 2000

Posts: 1,793

Likes: 2

From: San Diego CA

White Knuckles set them for .022 cold. Run the to get it up to temp. take of the easiest valve cover and check your hot lash. It should only be a couple thousandths different. Let it cool off and recheck to confirm that it still has .022 cold lash. once you know how much your lash grows or shrinks from cold to hot you can compensate for temp. Your engine once up to temp will hold the heat for quite a while. If the battery and coil interfere that much loosen them up before you warm the engine to minimize time to remove them.

Apr 18, 2007 | 12:23 PM

brucewolff

Elder User

Joined: May 2004

Posts: 553

Likes: 2

From: MN - NW of Twin Cities

I would do both intake and exhaust valves for one cylinder "hot". Then let it cool down. Then check the valve lash for those you did "hot". Now you have the "cold" lash setting.

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Apr 18, 2007 | 03:28 PM

scottjo

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Joined: Aug 2005

Posts: 129

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From: East Liberty, OH

Well this is an E-mail My dad has sent me on the subject I haven't tried it yet so I cannot say for sure, but I'll be willing to bet it'd get you close.

I can't figure how to delete the huge gap at the bottom of my post

so sorry

Y-Block enthusiast, let’s talk valve lash. As y-blocks have no hydraulic lifters, it is necessary to adjust the tappets quit often. Unfortunately, the use of a feeler gauge is satisfactory only if the rocker faces are in good condition. If the rocker faces have wear pockets, from contacting the valve stem, the use of a feeler gauge will provide results which are little better than calculated guessing, as the gap will always be greater than the thickness of the feeler gauge due to said condition.

About fifty years ago when solid lifters were most common, a tool was developed for adjusting valve lash, utilizing a dial indicator, called a P&G Valve Gapper. These tools were supplied with specific adapters for different makes of engines, including y-block Fords, by P&G manufacturing co. of Portland, Or., but to the best of my knowledge they no longer exist. Can anyone expand on the existence of this company or a source of this tool, or parts thereof? I have found a few at swap meets but not in the last decade. This is the finest tool ever developed for adjusting solid lifter equipped overhead tappets as anyone who owns one would testify.

For those of you without the luxury of such a precision tool, may I suggest a very satisfactory method alternative to feeler gauges anyone can perform without special tools.

The tappet adjust screw is 20 threads per inch thus 1 full turn represents .050” of linear travel. It works just like a micrometer. Multiply 1 turn of travel times existing rocker ratio. Example, .050” X 1.54 = .077”. As you can deduct, one full turn of the adjust screw used in a 1.54 ratio rocker will represent .077” of tappet clearance. Now divide one turn of tappet clearance i.e, .077” by 60 as in the 60 minuets of a clock face. This number is .001283” = 1 minute of clock face rotation. Thus 15 minuets of rotation will =.0192” Very close to .019” which is the specification for valve tappet clearance on 292 and 312 engines. 15 minutes clock rotation = 90 degrees rotation, an increment most auto enthusiast can easily estimate quit closely.

Get into the engine, with the lifter all the down obtain some tappet clearance then carefully rotate the adjust screw clockwise to obtain .000’ valve lash. Just touching but not depressing the valve. Now rotate the adjust screw counterclockwise 90 degrees. The resulting clearance should be very, very close to .019” regardless of rocker arm face wear.

If adjusting 1.43 ratio rockers rotate the adjust screw 16 min. of rotation ccw. To obtain .01906” clearance. Very, very ,very close.

In order to determine the ratio of said rocker, observe the # on the side. 1.54 rockers are marked ECG 6564-B2 or –B1. I am led to believe any rocker with a B1 or B2 suffix will be a 1.54 ratio rocker and all those without suffixes will be 1.43 ratio.

Walt Nuckels 12/31/00

Last edited by scottjo; Apr 18, 2007 at 03:35 PM.