how to adjust valves?
 

I had to take the heads off my 460 due to a leaky exhaust manifold with broken bolts. When I put the heads back on, I can't seem to get the valves adjusted. I brought each piston to TDC and tightened the rocker bolt down 1/2 turn past where the push rod got "tight". After fifteen minutes of running, two lifters popped out of their holes, and another two rockers were extremely loose. What am I doing wrong? They are hydraulic lifters, with stock rockers & push rods. I am using the nuts that came off each rocker. This truck was running just fine with a little bit of lifter noise before I touched it. THanks for any help! Dan

how to adjust valves?
 

this is from my 1988 ford light truck service manual
position no.1 piston at tdc on compression stroke
install the rocker arm, fulcrum seat,oil deflector and fulcrum bolt on the following valves
1-in 1-ex
3-in 8-ex
7-in 5-ex
8-in 4-ex
{rotate crank 360*clockwise }
2-in 2-ex
4-in 3-ex
5-in 6-ex
6-in 7-ex
ensure fulcrum seat base is inserted into its slot in the cylinder head before tightening the fulcrum bolts
tighten fulcrum bolts to 18-25 ft. lbs.

I believe this is for the stock non-adjustable valvetrain sorry if it does not apply to your engine.

how to adjust valves?
 

EFI460 is correct, use a manual for your particular engine.

how to adjust valves?
 

Dan what year is your 460 is it stock or modified. Eric

how to adjust valves?
 

I was told it is a from a 73 lincoln. I went ahead last night and tightened the rocker nuts until the push rods were tight, and gave them an extra 3/4 turn. THey worked loose with in ten minutes of running. I was talking to an engine builder today, and told me a few things. My rockers are stud mounted. The fulcrum is a full circle with the bottom rounded. The studs have a small taper at the bottom of the threads. He told me to just tighten them down about 20 ft/lbs like the previos response I got from you guys. I will try this tonight. If it is wrong, I'm sure that I will be bending all of my push rods. This is the only thing that makes sense at this point.

how to adjust valves?
 

QUote from the tom monroe book rebuilding your ford v8

A valve train must be adjusted when it's valve is in the fully closed poisition.how this adjustment is made depends on the type of rocker you have. It will have the non-adjustable stamped steel rocker arms or the cast iron rocker arms with positive stop studs or the rarer adjustable stamped steel rocker arms.( the non adjustable use push rods that are +0.060 or -0.060 stock size for adjustment )
as for the adjustable type how the adjustment is made depends on whether you have the mechanical liftered 429scj, 351boss, or 351c ho engines or the 429 cj with its hydraulic cam.

this is my own non expert opinion
if you had an adjustable valve train you should also have a lock nut with a free running nut on the stud not a self locking nut
and also push rod guide plates.

how to adjust valves?
 

There's a diagram on the valve adjustment sequence for your engine in the referenced Tom Monroe book. If someone would be so kind as to post it (I don't have my copy handy), that's what you need. With non-adjustible studs, all you're doing is following the sequence to adjust lifter preload. If not:

V8s fire every 90 degrees. I've used a string to measure the the diameter of the balancer, divided it into four sections, or 90 degrees for each mark I make on the balancer, with the timing mark as a mark. Starting at TDC on #1, adjust the valves on that cylinder. Then rotate the engine (breaker bar on dampner nut) 90 degrees to the next mark, which should be the next cylinder in your firing order. And so on. Making absolutely sure you find #1 on the combustion stroke is important. I have a fuel fitting the same size as a spark plug thread I plug into #1 cylinder. I slip a 2' length of fuel line hose over that, turn the engine with the breaker bar while watching the distributor rotor point to #1 and hear the air being expelled from #1.

If you're going to keep the engine, buy a $30 set of Crane Kool Nuts or other brand. They replace your stock rocker arm nuts and, with an Allen screw in the nut, give you an adjustible valve train to accurately adjust lifter preload.