My valves are a little noisy and the vacuum gauge flutters so I'm going to check the rocker arm adjustments. The manual says to adjust them with the engine warmed up and set the intake at .006 and the exhaust at .008. Can someone tell me which valves can be adjusted at what point? Also is there anything else I should be looking for (such as weak springs) while I have the cover off?

The old original way is to adjust them with the engine well warmed up and running at a slow idle,and with either a valve adjusting tool or a boxend wrench (5/8")and a short slotted screw driver and a feeler gauge.

The valve adjusting tool has the box end and screwdriver in one tool. I found one for $2.00 in an antique shop in Arkansas.

There is an article either on the Stovebolt site or the inliners international site that shows a sequence for doing several valves , engine not running, then rotating the engine a bit and doing several others, I haven't used that method since I am old school.

Thanks MrMack, I didn't want to do it with the engine running because of the mess the oil would make. I tried the sites you mentioned but couldn't find the article, so I either have to do each cylinder individually or do it your way. Your way is probably the most accurate so here goes. Thanks.

rwolf, ths is the first time that I tried to copy and paste a link on this forum, so I hope this will work and answere your question. Bill


http://www.stovebolt.com/bboard/cgi-bin//ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=2;t=005186#000001

Got this from the stovebolt site:

#3 General (Engine NOT running) -- "I have a trick I use every day at work to set valves on inline 6 cyl. motors. Chevrolet and John Deere firing orders are the same: 153624. Set the motor to fire on #1. Set the lash on 1E, 1I, 2I, 3E, 4I and 5E. Then rotate crankshaft one revolution. #6 should be in firing position. Set lash on #6E, 6I, 5I, 4E, 3I, 2E. Your valves are all set, and it only took about 5 or 10 minutes. Remember exhaust valves are on the ends of the head, and they look different than intake valves, so it is easy to identify the valves for cyls. 2,3,4,5. I hope this will help someone. Again, thank you!"

RWOLF, actually the inline six doesn't make a mess like the v/8 engines do. I do it in the shop without a drip pan, just don't rev the engine up to a high R.P.M., if you do the fan may throw some oil droplets onto the windshield.
I don't get in a hurry, I usually take 30 minutes to do the job on a 216 or a 235 with mechanical lifters.
It is more of a hastle for me to turn the engine by hand or using a remote starter switch. I only have an elcheapo 12 volt job that does not work very long on a six volt starter, and then only if all the sparkplugs are removed.
I intend to try the method posted above, one of these days.
As to the vacuum gauge fluttering, that could very well be an indication of some of the valves being too tight and others too loose, I have found that is often the case, also when there is a need to grind or reface the valves.
Also the mention of the rocker arm faces being smooth are true, you can't get an accurate lash adjustment with rockers that are worn on the faces. You will just eat up the blade on your feeler gauge.

I was taught a novel way at Coventry Climax engines how to adjust valve clearences to perfection, it improved performance & reduced exhaust emissions.
Use a feeler guage one thou higher than required. Tighten the adjuster untill you are able to rotate the valve spring seat collar back & fore, lock up, check with the correct size feeler that you can't move the collar.
Your clearance is now 100% accurate.
This method eliminates the guess work of what's tight & what's loose.

(No funnies MM,JG But Bl**dy Boring)

Sorry!
Posted twice!

Ok.... let me see if I can, put this in Wackey words...You adjust the tapping tappets one thou loosee goosey, then grab onto the Valve sprang seat collar and twist it to and fro to see if it is jest a tad loosey goosey then set her to the right feeler, and check to see that you have closed the gap jest another thou, as indicated by the collar not having any slack,and you is right on the spec? sounds okie doakie to me!

OH....(Whut is a Valve sprang seat collar?????)

Don't you know better than to just throw out a statement about no funnies, around here, by now??

Hey guys, did it MrMack's way. Took about 30 mins with my daughter in the car starting the engine about 100 times. I had rags around the engine but really didn't need them. I guess if I had the right tool I could keep the engine running while adjusting. Thanks to all for the help.

rwof, glad you got the task done, there is always several ways to skin a cat. I like to hear the different ways and then try them and decide which works best for me. it works better for me to do a really precise tune up, set the points, timing , clean and gap the plugs, and the idle mixture and speed, and eliminate all the vacuum leaks etc....then after a warm up drive of 20 or 30 minutes do the valve lash adjustments with a very slow steady idleing engine, I hate having to do it over a hot engine, but it just seems that I get better results this way.

Kipper Sarne, all kidding aside. I think your tip has a lot of merit. It looks like that it would improve the job by having another check on the process.

Sprang seat collar?

Did they never teach you men "Proper" English?
I mean to say....You even took the "U" out of humour!!

The spring seat collar becomes a sprang seat collar when you 'ain't got the collets in place & you have to go looking for it amongst the junk in the work shop. The transition period, while in the air, it's called a sprung seat collar.
If you don't duck quick enough & it hits you it's called a *$%£*#" &*@#~ing sprung seat collar.

Did you know JunkYardDog would be SYD here in the UK. We have scrap yards not junk yards. Junk is what you sell on eBay.

I feel better for that.....Thanks MM

O=O=o= soon

Good one kipper-sarnie!

kipper-sarnie,

what makes you guys over there think that you know how to speak english more correctly than us?..


epi

'cause we IS!!

(English that is)

To quote :- "More correctly" Is that good English? It's either correct or it's wrong ....Can it be "More correctly?"
It's like "Thats a good guess but it's wrong!"
Surely the only good guess is the right one?

Now I really gotta lay down!

To be honest..
Nobody abuses the English language as much as the English!

Well, ..I resemble that there statement abought Anglish, Anglish it tis' and if you axe me Anglish it will remain!
I never did speak Movie style Anglish, I did almost get to understand the Austrailian Version.... What me and these people in Texas speak is Anglish, and is more than likely to remain Anglish.. Our Politically Correct, I mean Politickly Sick culture is trying their best to get our language in the USofA switched to Spanish here in tha Southern Sector (below the Mason-Dixon line) since we never really spoke the same correct Anglish anyway.

Thanks MM, that puts a new Angle on the subject!

Well, our village is too small to have a regular one, we all have to take turns......

Whut wuz it we wuz a'talkin' about anyway?

.. Oh yeah! Valve lash adjust-a-menting, Shucks I done done all that I know how to do anyhow!

Next!

Good one MM !


Or should I say "Touch down" what ever that means??

Touchdown, I know what it means, but have no clue why scoreing six points in American football by crossing the opponents goal line is a Touchdown!...it makes more sense to me,to be used or spoken when an aircraft lands back on Terra Firma, or the deck of an Aircraft carrier.