Hi everyone, This is my first post so I am hoping it is in the right place. I need someone near Spokane Washington to help me with setting my valve lash. I had a rocker making noise and paid someone to adjust them all. Sadly it was done incorrectly. I studied everything I could find for a couple days, rolled up my shirt sleeves and did it myself. I have never done it before. I still have a noisy rocker.Just now on the other side I went with Comp Cams instructions since the rocker arms are Comp Cams Magnum 1.6. I followed the instructions to the letter. But clearly my lack of experience is a problem. Does anyone know of a good shop or someone with experience in this area that I can hire to help me with this? Oh it is an 89 Firebird with a 5.7 tpi. The car has a non stock cam and rocker arms. I do not know any of the specs. I tried to find out when I bought the car and was given the runaround. Any help would be so very much appreciated. Thanks for listening to me cry

 

Adjusting rockers is easy and it doesn't matter what cam grind you have or what rocker ratio you use.

Watch the timing mark on the balancer and bar the engine over until the marks lines up to TDC. You're either going to be at #1 or #6 TDC. It doesn't really matter.

With the valve covers off, determine if 1 or 6 cylinder is at TDC. The simplest way is to look at the other rockers. When one rocker of a cylinder needs to be adjusted, the other rocker will be pushing a valve down except for the cylinder at TDC of compression stroke.

Normal firing order is 18436572

#1 TDC, you can adjust
INT 1,2,5,7
EXH 1,3,4,8

#6 TDC, you can adjust
INT 3,4,6,8
EXH 2,5,6,7

If you're on #1 TDC, 3,4,6,8 intake rockers will be depressing the valves
If you're on #6 TDC, 1,2,5,7 intake rockers will be depressing the valves

The best way to adjust hydraulic valves is by feel. Loosen off the rocker that you're going to adjust. You want the pushrod sloppy. Now wiggle the pushrod around and tighten up the rocker just enough to stop that looseness but don't overtighten. That now puts the rocker very close to zero lash. Hydraulic lifters generally require around 0.030" preload. To get this, you now tighten the rocker 1/2-3/4 more from zero lash. The pushrod will become tight as to tighten the rocker then become loose again as the hydraulic pressure in the lifter bleeds out. Don't adjust any more as this is normal with a hydraulic lifter.

Adjust the 8 rockers depending on where TDC is then bar the engine over one full revolution, line up the timing marks and adjust the other 8 rockers the same way.

If you still have noises, you have other issues like a collapsed lifter, pushrod rubbing in slot through head etc.

Solid lifters can be adjusted the same way except instead of putting preload in the lifter, you're adding lash to the rocker.

If you have a 4/7 swap cam, the firing order is 18736542

#1 TDC adjust
INT 1,2,4,5
EXH 1,3,7,8

#6 TDC sdjust
INT 3,6,7,8
EXH 2,4,5,6

The valve location on both sides is EIIEEIIE

 

Thank You for taking the time to answer me. I am headed out to the garage right now to get it done. I am stoked. Hope I don't screw it up!

 

Good luck and let us know how you did. Wonderful information Alky.

 

Yes! Compression looks good, no more lifter/rocker noise, engine sounds good. I took my time and carefully followed the instructions given by AlkyIROC. Thank you sooo much! Its midnight and as I was thinking of asking my neighbors forgiveness for the noise, I caught the distinctive smell of automotive paint coming from his shop lol. Off to test drive........

 

Yes! Compression looks good, no more lifter/rocker noise, engine sounds good. I took my time and carefully followed the instructions given by AlkyIROC. Thank you sooo much! Its midnight and as I was thinking of asking my neighbors forgiveness for the noise, I caught the distinctive smell of automotive paint coming from his shop lol. Off to test drive........

 

Yes! Compression looks good, no more lifter/rocker noise, engine sounds good. I took my time and carefully followed the instructions given by AlkyIROC. Thank you sooo much! Its midnight and as I was thinking of asking my neighbors forgiveness for the noise, I caught the distinctive smell of automotive paint coming from his shop lol. Off to test drive........

 

I hope everything ran good for you. As for your neighbor, late nights is when I prefer to paint during the summer.