valve adjustment

[skipvair]

Recently got a 65 corsa with headers, webers, and a fairly hot cam. Great smooth idle because of webers, but noisy valves. Tried adjusting hot and running; too noisy to do right.I tried, but couldn't tell when the one I was on was loose because of header noise and too much other lifter noise. Then adjusted warm and turned off. 1/2 turn past when pushrods wouldnt spin. it was quieter but not quiet (at rockers). Today just added 1/8 turn more. Still a little noisy but better. My question is 2 fold. First, should I be able to eliminate ticking? (I think so). Second, if I install 1/3 valve covers, do they stop dripping well enough to allow mw to get the engine hot (10 minutes or so) so I can adjust them right? I think it is quiet enough now to hear the rocker I am working on.

[terribleted]

You should be able to get it quiet IF there is nothing wrong . Possible issues would be worn parts or poor valve train geometry caused by big cam and or machine work not compensated for with custom length pushrods. 1/3 valve covers do a pretty good job of containing oil during warm up and running valve adjustment. Headers make this adjustment difficult due to noise and heat. I have resorted to temp installing a couple manifolds and a basic dual exhaust hanging under the engine in the past:)

[gnrand]

Harbor Freight sells a listening device that looks like a stethoscope. If you place the end on the rocker arm you are trying to adjust it should isolate that rocker arm and filter out the background noise.
Jeff

[rfw66]

You don't have to adjust them running! Chevrolet didn't !
"Static" valve lash adjustment, as outlined in the shop manual, is all that is needed. But it needs to be done correctly.
No need to put up with the mess and getting burned by the exhaust and hot oil.
If a static valve adjustment did not work well, the engineers would have specified it differently.
At TDC 1i 1e 3i 5e 4e 6i
Turn the crank 360deg counter clockwise then adjust
2i2e 4i 6e 3e 5i
After all are at "zero" lash turn them in another 1/4 turn
Works for me every time, for 45 years of working on these and SBC engines.
Give it a try.




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