Adjusting the valves tomorrow - any heads up/tips appreciated

[Joe Mc]

I have a real Shop Manual, tools, new cover gasket and the day off. Only thing I "think" I need is some beer.



Anything you all have learned from doing this that I should look out for? Hoses, wires etc that should be removed or if removed will make it easier? Is the cover hard to get off burried under the cowel? Any heads up items and/or tips appreciated.

 

[Jim Fulmer]

Joe, I just changed the valve springs tonight an I thing adjusting is half the battle, put some padding on the bumper, my knee is sore right now.



Jim

 

[Joe Mc]

Jim,



Why'd ya have to change a valve spring? Failure ? ? ??



Also, see my post regarding the crankshaft barring tool #7471b. Did you use one? If not, how'd you rotate that sucker????



Bummin out cause I wanted to adj valves today and looks like I'll have to work on the house instead

 

[LSMITH]

Joe, no real surprises on the valves. It is pretty straightforward. I bought two paint pens in different colors so I never have to mark the rockers again. Just clean them up good where you are going to mark them and paint a big dot. Next time you just yank the cover and adjust.



The barring tool is a royal PITA, I used the starter to turn mine. If you have a remote starter to clip on it works a lot better. Just bump it over until you get the TDC, and then 180 out from that on the pump gear. My method is a PITA too because it is really hard to get TDC and 180 accurately, but if you work at it a while you can get it. Barring it over by yourself involves a lot of trips up and down, at least this way you can stay up top. You can also turn it over a couple revs to recheck the valves when you are done.



Take an hour and you can get the valves done, it really does not take any longer than that. Save the valvecover gasket too, you won't need it unless the one on your truck now leaks. It is reusable.



Too bad you are so far away, I like to work with people on this kind of stuff.



EDIT: PM me for my cell # if you want, if you have a ??? while you are working on it you can give me a call.

 

[Motorhead]

Put a piece of cardboard or thin plywood across the A/C condensor fins to protect them from getting bent by your knees on the bumper while leaning over the engine adjusting the valves. .

 

[Randy J]

Originally posted by LSMITH

Too bad you are so far away, I like to work with people on this kind of stuff.



LSmith, where you located at? I could use someone in the south central Texas location to help me out adjusting my valves.

 

[LSMITH]

Randy, if you came to my house you would need another adjustment when you got home I am in SE Wisconsin.

 

[1tuffram]

Originally posted by LSMITH



The barring tool is a royal PITA, I used the starter to turn mine. If you have a remote starter to clip on it works a lot better. Just bump it over until you get the TDC, and then 180 out from that on the pump gear. My method is a PITA too because it is really hard to get TDC and 180 accurately, but if you work at it a while you can get it. Barring it over by yourself involves a lot of trips up and down, at least this way you can stay up top. You can also turn it over a couple revs to recheck the valves when you are done.





I only have to crawl under the truck twice, once to insert the barring tool and a second to remove it. What I did is went to a welding shop and had them make a bar out of 1/2" rod which reaches from the flywheel housing up to the front of the engine compartment, then put a handle on the end to turn it. On the end when it attatches to the barring tool I had them weld a small 1/2" socket extention (From Sears). To make the connection between the barring tool and the rod I had welded-up I bought a 1/2" swivel extention/connector (from Sears also). Now I can stand on topside by the alternator and barr the engine over while watching the valves. I have a mark on the harmonic balancer and timing cover so I know when I'm getting close to TDC so I can engage the timing pin. Unfortunatly my arms are not long enough to reach the timing pin while barring the engine, so it takes a bit of slightly barring the engine then checking if the timing pin will engage. It definitly works better if you can have someone slowly barr the engine while you push on the timing pin until it engages (when my marks are close I will get my better half to barr the engine SLOWLY while I push on the timing pin, this usually only takes a few minutes at most).



If I was to do it again I might have the barring tool, swivel connector and rod all welded together as one unit. This would make it easier to disengage the barring tool from the flywheel housing.

 

[LSMITH]

Tuffram, that is a great idea, thanks for the info.

 

[Joe Mc]

Ah, now that I'm done

What is this timing pin I hear everyone is pushing? Is it a 12 valve thing?

 

[Randy J]

Originally posted by LSMITH

Randy, if you came to my house you would need another adjustment when you got home I am in SE Wisconsin.

Well, not that I wouldn't enjoy that, I love Wisconsin. Where abouts in SE Wisconsin? I have an Uncle that teaches at UW - Whitewater. As a matter of fact I have an interview with a company in Madison about a job there this week. Only problem, cost of living seems to have gone up around Madison. Couldn't see hardly any houses in the $100,000 to $150,000 range!



Randy

 

[LSMITH]

Joe, it is exactly that, a 12v thing. It is a pin that will push into (maybe, they get hard to push LOL) a hole in the pump gear at TDC.



Randy, I am in Racine, just south of Milwaukee. The cost of living is really high in Madison, but if you go away from Madison a half hour or a little more in just about any direction it gets a lot better. Good luck with the interview, if you get some time while you are up here let me know. If our schedules match we could meet. Howard.