Archived Valve Adjustment Gone Bad

[Kernel]

My 1st Gen was overdue for a valve adjustment, so I started on it today. Found TDC (#1 cylinder valves loose, felt like timing pin went in) ran the 1st set, 360* ran the second set. Started it up and had a chatter with blueish-white smoke at idle. Made a phone call to the first person I thought I could get a hold of, JaMan, he threw some ideas at me, then I figured out I got the engine clockwise and my clockwise mixed up and ran the second set of valves wrong. The engine was mostly cool to touch-not hot-turned it 360* started over, ran the 1st set, 360* in the correct clockwise, ran the second set, and started it up. The chatter turned more to a peck and still had the smoke at idle, it never did idle rough, miss, and started right up. I can try to drive it about 25 miles to Cummins and pay the labor so they can undo what I did, but what did I do? I have been up since 5:00 yesterday evening, worked all night, been up all day. The truck has whipped me, my knuckles are bleeding, my arms are skinned up, my pride is hurt. Somebody help me out... PLEASE.



Scott

 

[BPonci]

First you need to verify #1 tdc. Once you do that the valves should be loose in order. #1 intake and exhaust, #2 intake , #3 exhaust, #4 intake, #5 exhaust. Then mark your dampner and bar it over 360 and align your mark up. Then the valves to set are #2 exhaust, #3 intake, #4 exhaust, #5 intake and #6 intake and exhaust. Hope this helps you out. Best of luck... ..... Brad

 

[Kernel]

After you turn the motor 360* the timing pin shouldn't fall into the same hole you used for TDC right? I can't remember on my 2nd Gen, that's how long it has taken me to put 20,000 miles on it.



Any tricks for finding the TDC by yourself without a barring tool? The 1st Gen is harder to get on the crank pully than the 2nd Gen due to one of the front crossmembers.



Scott

 

[Alan Reagan]

The easiest way to find TDC without using the pin is to rotate the engine until both valves are closed on #1. You can see them close (rocker pressure off the stems) while rotating the engine. As the engine comes up on TDC, the lash on both rockers will be equal (both valves closed) and you can then start your adjustment. If you take white out (or something similar) and mark a reference point on the crank pulley, you will then know where TDC is. On the 2nd gens, I put the white out on the damper right at the crank position pickup.



Once the first set is adjusted, rotate the engine 360*. That means come back to the point you marked. You may be able to use the alternator nut to rotate the engine. I have a barring tool but can't see the valves and hold all the extensions together at the same time so I use the crank nut.



Don't rotate until the timing pin goes back in. That puts you back at TDC which is really 720* rotation and you are then adjusting the second series with the engine at TDC.

 

[Heepdriver]

I almost hate to pipe up and put my two cents in. But, Some times when wear has occured the valve ajustment changes the contact pattern for the valve stem to the rocker "pad". I believe this can cause a click as the rocker pad slides over the end of the valve stem as it travels through its arc. I have found this to be more likely on older vehicles with higher mileage and greater wear, of course. as most hardened for wear items are harder on their outer shell than toward the center of the part. Over time as we wear through our outer hard shell and wear increases we become slack on valve adjustments and this in turn larger opening allows for the forces that cause wear to increase on an already worn part. thus at times the job seems to get worse as we try to make it beter. I hope for your sake that you spun it 720 degrees and not the excessive wear situation.



good luck

 

[Kernel]

I was concerned that I actually had not gotten TDC the first time and second guessed that the pin going in was not in the hole exactly the way it should, I started over this morning and after turning the engine over and over again I got tired of bleeding all over the place and swore I was going to sell the truck. I finally said to Hell with it and took the truck to Cummins. I guess I was close to TDC and had an intake too tight and 2 exhaust too loose, the rest he said were pretty close if not correct. I give up on adjusting valves, I will rather pay somebody then to go through this crap again. Thanks for the help guys.



Scott

 

[truckstom]

Dang Scott,

Get down out of them thar hills where the air is to thin to breathe. ;o

 

[Kernel]

Hey Tom, long time no see. It's the dust and God knows what that blows over from Juarez that must be messin' me up.



Scott

 

[truckstom]

Sounds like you been crossin' the border with Poppa Smurf...