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lifter adjustment

3K views 19 replies 3 participants last post by  **DONOTDELETE** 
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#1 ·
i need to adjust my lifters, what is the correct way to get it right. thanks again

77 cj5 sorta, V8, 4"lift, 33's, lotsa miss'n metal
 
G
#3 ·
Here is how I remember adjusting the lifters on a small block chevy. It has been a few years, so if anyone see's a mistake, point it out. I have a small block valve cover with the top cut out so I can get to the nuts, but they do make a clip that attaches to the rocker arm to limit the oil spray. The engine has to be running. Back the nut off until you start to hear a tap, and then run it back down until it is quiet, and give it one half turn more. Go through one rocker at a time until you are all the way through. I am not sure on the 1/2 turn for an AMC, but as I recall that is what it is for a small block Chevy. Have extra oil on hand (since it will be everywhere), and it also helps if you have someone handy with a rag to limit the amount of oil on the exhaust manifolds. This is for hydraulic lifters only. If you have solid lifters you have to set a clearance between the rocker and the top of the valve. The clearances will vary depending on the model of engine and modifications.

Cage Up, Wheels Down
Jeepfiend
All my Jeeps are in pieces!
 
G
#4 ·
i have a noisy lifter for sure. i am not sure if i have hyd. or solid lifters. i am a novice mechanic, but i want to do all the work myself- only one way to learn.
how will i tell what style lifters i have. my manual doesnt say a bit. thankfull for the help.

77 cj5 sorta, V8, 4"lift, 33's, lotsa miss'n metal
 
#5 ·
if its a stock amcV8 no lifter adjumstment, only tihten to spec during a rebuild.

its noisy its collapsed or the rocker/pushrod has loostened or come apart.


OzarkJeep

"Bare foot girls, dancing in the moon light..."
 
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#6 ·
ok, it is the 304, but has been rebuilt. what should i be looking for to correctly diagnose the noise, it isn't horribly loud but it is a definite-tap, tap, tap, tap....
i have been told by a few "mechanics" that it is my lifters??? and one said that the valves needed to be adjusted to sooth the beast??
i am bad (or good) about questioning peoples "ears for a motor". i know a few really good mechanics that can definitely give me posotive feedback, but of course they are extremely busy people.

77 cj5 sorta, V8, 4"lift, 33's, lotsa miss'n metal
 
G
#7 ·
If you really want to see if it is lifter noise, pull a valve cover while it is running and listen to the lifters. I have a low tech stethescope/wwwthreads_images/icons/laugh.gif (long screwdriver) that I will put the end of onto suspect parts and listen with my ear on the end of the handle. Just be sure not to let the screwdriver slip onto the rocker arm while it is against your ear/wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif. You can also get cheap mechanics stethescopes from Harbor Freigt and such places (slightly more high tech than the screwdriver). I am sure there are better ways to diagnose lifters, but that is the way I have always done it.

Cage Up, Wheels Down
Jeepfiend
All my Jeeps are in pieces!
 
G
#8 ·
thanks ,
onel ast thing, well 2 really. I have read a lot of your posts on "bad oiling" in the amc motors. the "noisy lifters" are on the passenger side of the motor. could the "loud side" be due to the pour oiling?
(how do you know if you have solid or hydr. lifters?)

77 cj5 sorta, V8, 4"lift, 33's, lotsa miss'n metal
 
#9 ·
Make sure your not hearing a slight exhaust leak, ive more than a few of those misdiagnosed as lifter problems, go up and down each valve cover ( over each rocker arm) with a brook stick held to your ear while the engine is running/tapping, and you SHOULD be able to pin down which is the culprit.

when you have found teh offender, pull the valve cover off and see if the rocker arm to pushrod mate up is good, then check the nut to make sire its torqued properly

if thats no help and it isnt an exhaust leak then its time to try some voodoo to free up teh sticky lifter, MAYBE you can get it to work again withgout having to replace them



OzarkJeep

"Bare foot girls, dancing in the moon light..."
 
G
#10 ·
Hi,
Most of the vehicles I have owned have had hydraulic lifters, and most of them have made noise at one time or another, and my voodoo has always worked.

Step 1:
Get a pint or quart of ATF (Automatic transmission fluid), drain that much oil out of the crankcase and add the ATF, and drive around for at least 10 miles, the faster the better. The detergent in the ATF really loosens things up well. It works for stuck oil rings sometimes, too.

Step 1a:
Get the best quality oil filter you can find. This can make all the differance. Good oil filters flow better and you will have a few pounds better oil pressure to the lifters. That is good.

Step 2:
Change the oil and use the good stuff. Some brands will make less noise than others. I like to use Valvoline Syntec in my Miata. It is a 4 valve per cylinder DOHC engine with hydraulic lifters and is famous for being noisy when it is cold or dirty because the engine has a 7k redline and the lifters have to stay pumped up. That means the oil passages are small. I use a Purolator filter that is for a Mazda 626. It is bigger but fits the same base.

Use the oil weight recommended for your engine, since that is what the lifters were designed for. Heavy oil will make the lifters noisy.

Step 3:
Change the oil when it gets dirty. This could be anywhere from 100 miles to 5000 miles depending on what kind of driving you do. Take a paper towel and put a dab of oil on it with the dipstick. Let it soak in for a while. Put a dab of new oil on another paper towel. After a few minutes, look at the pattern. There will be some concentric rings of differant shades. Compare the used oil with the new oil. You will see a fair amount of crud on the used oil side. If the differance is big between the used oil and new oil, change it. It's hard to describe exactly what you are looking for, but you will see black sludge on the towel in the used oil, and when there is a lot of it that is bad.

Step 4:
I run the ATF through about every 15k miles. 131k miles on my Miata, and nary a problem. I got 212k out of a Ford Ranger I had and 141k out of another Ranger that I sold with no problems.
Regards,
Josiah

Hillsboro, OR
1955 Willys CJ5 Buick 225 V6 160HP 270ft-lbs, T90 trans, Warn OD, PTO winch, Spicer 18 T Case, RS9000's, Dana 25F/ 44R,
5.38:1 gears, 11" brakes, Bestop Supertop, Hurculiner
 
G
#11 ·
oil weight?
i have read a few the guys here on the board using a heavier weight and was told by a few of the locals here to run this summer 20/50, that it would lube better???? its already pretty warm here (90degrees warm today) and i would normally run a bit heavier in the summer- but my cj is not normal :]
i didnt have time to do a stethescope check today, but i will tom.
it could be an exhaust leak, i was looking tonight at my gasket and it is warped a little.
one more thing??what should my lifter (retaining nuts) be torqed to when correct.??
thanks again,
ryan
i might just be able to wheel this weekend!!!!!!1st time since last summer.

77 cj5 sorta, V8, 4"lift, 33's, lotsa miss'n metal
 
G
#12 ·
It may be that the rocker pivot points are worn out. There is no adjustment but if there is slack in the pushrod, rocker, valve stem area you will have noise. Replacement of the small aluminum cast pivot will cure all but the most worn.

Mark Boden, '75 CJ-5, Stock.
 
#13 ·
/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif Don't be taken in by that old adage: "Heavier oil is MORE oil." The engine actually lubricates better with an oil which is right for it, and in your case that means 10W-30, 20W-30, or 10W-40. A heavier oil will not actually work as well, ESPECIALLY since the long suction pipe on that AMC makes oil flow to the pump a problem to begin with. We used to run 20W-50 in race cars, but that was an extreme application and we did not have hydraulic lifters./wwwthreads_images/icons/crazy.gif Many cars with hydraulic lifters were non-adjustable.....Chryslers were for years.....the GM stuff always had adjustable rocker arm stands and as some one mentioned you adjusted to zero click then add 3/4 turn......that's what the factory said to do.....those of us who build engines knew that 1/2 turn was a lot better./wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif

CJDave
Quadra-Tracs modified While-U-Wait by the crack moonguy/wwwthreads_images/icons/wink.gif Quadra-Trac Team./wwwthreads_images/icons/tongue.gif/wwwthreads_images/icons/smile.gif
 
#14 ·
Dave, I used to have a 1969 "general" GM manual. In it the specs for adjustment for the SBC were 1 1/2 turns from 0./wwwthreads_images/icons/shocked.gif It also had a small # next to it. A quick check reveiled a 3/4 turn revision. Do you think they had a burnt valve problem?/wwwthreads_images/icons/blush.gif LOL


http://home1.gte.net/rythem/davescj7.htm
"Get your finger outta there"
 
G
#15 ·
Hi fellow Okie,
What I would do it pop the valve cover off the side you are hearing all the noise from, make sure that the push rod and rocker are lined up like Ozark said, also make sure the push rod hasn't knocked a hole in the end of the rocker arm, then make sure that the bridge between the rocker arms isn't broken on any of them on that side. If all this checks out to be in good working order then torque the rocker nuts to 25lbs to make sure they are on factory specs.
Did this just start or has this sound just gotten worse since the rebuild.
I have had the rockers not flush up right after a machine shop did the vavle job. It was cause by not bringing the valve stems back to specs after grinding the angle on the vavle face. Also if you vavle retainers are worn it will let your valve stem slip just enough into the retainer that it will throw your vavle adjustment out of whack, I have run into that one also.
Hope this helps.
If you need more help you can e-mail me direct or call me at 580-767-1047

 
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#16 ·
thanks guys,
i will let you know what i see once i get out there and actually get to turn some wrenches. i had to do the "honey-dos" all weekend. i am going to pull the valve cover off now. i tried to listen to the noise via a stethascope but the tones were a little much. times like this i wish i were a "real" mechanic. thanks
ryan

77 cj5 sorta, V8, 4"lift, 33's, lotsa miss'n metal
 
G
#17 ·
i pulled the cover, everything looked as it should and the lifters nuts were all at 25#'s. I am not sure now??? exhaust leak?? how do you really tell? could it be noisy valves?? i know its tough w/o seeing/hearing it yourselves but any advice is helpfull and i am learning a little as i go, which isn't all bad.
also,
i get my camera back tom. from sony and will put up some pics of my jeep.
ryan

77 cj5 sorta, V8, 4"lift, 33's, lotsa miss'n metal
 
G
#19 ·
never mind about the pivots, should've just thought about it for a second, DAH. i am just always a little scared that i might mess something up, i wish i applied that to my driving :]

77 cj5 sorta, V8, 4"lift, 33's, lotsa miss'n metal
 
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