QuestionQUESTION: My son has a 55 chevy p/u with a 350 engine and 700R automatic transmission. He purchased a set of heads that have a 2.02 intake and a .470/.480 lift cam that has a .268/.280 duration. Not for sure what all that is, but my question is, how do you adjust the rocker arms once we put this in? I've never adjusted anything with a cam in it so this is something new to me. I've heard that you can adjust everything before even starting the engine, but like I said, I've never done anything like this before. Any help would be appreciated.
Ronnie
ANSWER: Is he using hydraulic or solid lifters and rockers?
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QUESTION: He's using hydraulic lifters.
AnswerIt is impossible to adjust a hyd lifter until it has been ran with oil.
Presoak lifters standing upright in tub of oil over night. Make sure oil covers lifters completely. I usually tap the bucket on the ground ever now and then to loosen air.
Then with lifters installed and nuts just ran down slightly, if you rotate engine until each respective cam lobe is up, you can adjust that lifter real close. Do this on all 16. Then crank the engine and make final adjustment of 1/4 turn past zero lash (zero lash is where tapping noise just stops on rocker). I always adjust them twice, the second time after all are quite, I back each one off and reset it.
I understand the theory of pre-set, but I have worked on too many engines. Something always goes wrong. If the lifter is set and does not retract because it is dry, you immediately have a bent rod or worse.
