LostX

iTrader: (1)

To start off the engine is a SBC 350 from the early 90's with a .480 lift cam. The heads are 10110810 casting numbers and everything inside the head appears to be stock.
I just adjusted all rockers to zero lash plus one half turn . i did exhaust 1,3,4,8 and intake 1,2,5,7 at TDC and the others after 360 degrees turn of the crank.
The problem with the car before this was that it spit out blue smoke all the time and burnt alot of oil. After adjusting the rockers it now puts out no smoke but one or two of them are chattering real bad.
I can trace it down to the passenger side either cylinder 6 or 8. And there is an unusual popping noise coming from the exhaust.
Should i let the car warm up and see if the problem persists or should a track down the chattering rocker?

ibmtech

iTrader: (1)

Is this a hydraulic roller or solid lifter cam?

There are a couple of reasons that it will blow blue smoke. Rockers won't clatter unless there is a problem

1. with the torque of them or the rocker stud is loose,
2. There is a bent pushrod or the guideplate isn't right
3. the lifter(s) hasn't fully pumped up with oil or they are defective
4. the cam has lobes that have excessive wear.

Can anyone else think of anything else?

LostX

iTrader: (1)

from what i've been told it is a hydraulic roller cam but im unsure on how to verify that

ibmtech

iTrader: (1)

Without pulling the intake it don't know it is possible to pull the pushrod and see down through the head to determine this. I would almost bet that you have a defective lifter though especially if it is a hydraulic roller. I did find a defective cam in one a long time ago and I don't think that is very common especially on a properly broke in cam. A machinist used a dial indicator and it was beyond my left of expertiese at that time.

If it was me, I would pull the intake and inspect the lifters.. An engine shouldn't clatter cold let alone when warm.

LostX

iTrader: (1)

will any damage be done allowing the car to drive as it is.
I saw a horizontal bar going across the top of one of the lifters so i think i can assume its hydraulic.

LilSki

iTrader: (1)

Link bar means that they are roller. Whether they are hydraulic or not that is a different story. Most likely they are hydraulic but the easiest way to check is when you add that extra 1/2 turn.

On a hydraulic lifter you will notice the pushrod move down as you add that extra 1/2 turn.

If it is a solid lifter you will not see the pushrod move down at all but you may see the valve start to open during the 1/2 turn. if that is the case then you set valve lash with a feeler gauge as they are NOT to be preloaded with that extra 1/2 turn.

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

when I put ls1 lifters in my engine I adjusted them like this said to and it worked perfect.

http://www.compcams.com/Technical/In.../COMP4-115.pdf

LostX

iTrader: (1)

i dont think they are roller lifters the bar im talking about looks like the one on the left in the picture
http://www.moparmusclemagazine.com/t.../photo_08.html

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

That worthless "Chilton's method" you described up there, DOESN'T WORK.

It's no wonder they make noise if that's all you did; they're not adjusted right AT ALL. Nowhere even close.

Do it right.

Take off the valve covers; start the engine; back each one off, one at a time, until it clatters; tighten it back up until it just barely shuts up; go through all 16 as fast as you can (to minimize the mess); shut the engine off; tighten each one ½ turn more; put the VCs back on.

If you haven't done that, they're not adjusted right.

ibmtech

iTrader: (1)

That is how I adjusted mine but only giving mine 1/4 turn and it ran fine.. So what about EOIC though..

Exhaust Opening Intake Closing method which is what I have read about but don't perfer as it takes way too long. Has anyone done this or found any benefit to doing it that way.

Orr89RocZ

iTrader: (20)

Its the only way i do mine and has worked great for me. I dont find that it takes to long at all.

Some lifters like less preload some like more. All depends and where you set them up can determine how much power you make. Also some cams are just goin to have noisey valve train. Just the way it is

Anti-Venom

I've done it the chilton way for years and have never one single issue, curious as to why this method doesn't work for you?. Bring the valve up closed, tighten until you just feel drag when you spin the pushrod, tighten an additional 1/2 to 3/4 turn. Just make sure you are in fact on the base of the cam (valve completely closed) when you adjust. And you won't have oil burning off of your headers when your done.

I find it more accurate to be able to tangibly feel when you've hit the point of no lash at the valve, rather than trying to distinguish the sound of one rocker over the clatter of 15 others.

Nothing wrong with the way sofa is suggesting though and his method does work.

ibmtech

iTrader: (1)

So this is where I find the problem for me.. Using EOIC the engine is not running and I always had clatter after I adjusted for 0 Lash and then gave it 1/2 turn. Even presoaking the lifters, I was unable to get full clatter out until I did what sofakingdonm discussed ealier in this thread about running the engine.
When I had my current engine built, They deterred me away from Hydraulic lifters all togethor. I still really don't know what the reasoning was except they were the building it, so I listened. I finally after 30 years purchased the tool for measuring pushrod length's. So now I have to use the feeler guage which I now know takes considerably longer.

skinny z

For what it's worth it appeared as though Comp Cams had some trouble with their 853 lifter which was the retro-fit hydraulic roller. More than one person (myself included) posted on the Comp tech page complaining of lifters that wouldn't quiet down no matter what the adjustment procudure. I've done them all from one lifter at a time (rotate engine, next lifter) to the running engine method. The latter method is especially helpful when trying to locate which lifter or rocker is causing the noise. Even brand new lifters failed during my install and I think Comp suspected a batch problem. They refunded my money and then discounted the price of their newer short travel 15853 lifter. Problem solved.

bestracing

I've always used EOIC and never had a problem. I have verified the settings using a dial gauge as well.

Some problems I have seen is how people determine 0 lash. The other problem is people leave the rockers tightened on cylinders not adjusted yet and then they rotate the motor which depresses the the lifter and can throw off the 0 lash setting when they get to that cylinder to adjust it.

Adjusting the preload while running the motor insures that the lifter stays pumped up and helps you to determine 0 lash easier which eliminates the two problems stated above.

sofakingdom

iTrader: (1)

EOIC is absolutely dead reliable, in and of itself.

However the operator is not... specifically, the operator's skill in locating zero lash.

The usual mistake is "tighten til you can't spin the push rod with your fingers", then tighten a half-turn more. Which often ends up with EVERY LIFTER BOTTOMED OUT because ... the push rod still could be twisted, all the way through the lifters' preload range.

Best, most foolproof, most reliable, least error-prone, most likely to succeed for anybody in any engine at any time on any cam with any push rods and any rockers, is to do it with the engine running. It's idiot-proof. Hell it's SO RELIABLE, it's even sofakingdom-proof!! And THAT'S saying something.

TreeFiddy

As no-one's mentioned it - that's not a link-bar lifter. The 'bar' you are referring to in that pic is just the clip that holds the guts of a hydraulic lifter in place.

The lifters in that pic are flat tappet. The 'link-bar' or 'retrofit' style is two roller lifters, joined together by the link bar across the top, to prevent each other from rotating in their bores.

one92rs

iTrader: (5)

EOIC is the best way. when I did mine after the ls1 lifter installation in my 305 it made noise for about 1 minute. after that it all got perfectly quiet. this method has been used and proven for years. and remember one thing. NO QUICK FIX IS USUALLY THE CORRECT OR BEST FIX!