Quickin

What are the symptoms while driving/idling that let you know the valve lash needs to be adjusted again?

Can anything catastrophic happen if it gets out of adjustment while driving?

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Ben R

If your lash is constantly needing to be adjusted, something is about to go horribly wrong. Lash doesn't just 'change'. If your lash is changing every time you check it than you're losing a lifter or you've got a pushrod problem or something.

ty_ty13

iTrader: (42)

unless its totally new right... it takes a few warm ups and cool downs to let every thing settle i do believe... atleast on BBC that ive messed with.

Quickin

Well, the reason I ask is: If I go solid roller I will learn to adjust the valve lash myself when its needed. How do you know when to adjust it? What lets you know they're ready?

Just wondering if its worth the hassle or possible engine damage?


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Ben R

Maybe you're referring to 'cold' lash and 'hot' lash. Once the engine has warmed up the lash will get bigger than it was cold.

Ben R

Well like I said, your lash shouldn't change, but if you drive your car on the street then I would recommend pulling the valve covers off every time you change the oil. Once you do it a few times it will be like second nature and won't take more than 30 minutes.

Indicators that your lash is changing are generally a nice ticking noise coming from beneath the valve covers. If you have any oil pressure problems re-check the lash, or if you find any metal shavings in your filter you should check it then too. But generally when something goes wrong there will be a nice loud ticking noise coming from the valve covers.

Quickin

So everything won't be running perfectly smooth and quiet, than all of a sudden kaboom!!!

I would have to drive it hard, for awhile, well after I heard any ticking noises, right?


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ty_ty13

iTrader: (42)

if its a street car just pop the valve covers and chech it once 1-2 weeks... its not hard to check just grab some feeler gauges... then if they are off adjust them....
if you have a sollid roller it would be a good idea to put a start button on the inside of your hood to rotate the motor over to the place you want it.

Ben R

The ticking noise will start the instant something goes wrong. You should be able to hear it at idle. But like I said, if everything is right you won't have these problems.

Quickin

You mean if its built right, adjustments will not need to be done at all, ever?


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Phate

iTrader: (2)

No, you will still need to adjust it now and again even if everything is perfectly assembled.

Ben R

The only reason lash should ever change is because your parts are wearing out. You either have a lifter that is being chewed up, a pushrod that is bent or isn't properly seated on the lifter/pushrod cup, a stand bolt coming loose, or a rocker assembly coming loose.

'Running the valves' is simply good maintence, just like changing your oil every 3,000 miles. Sure you could probably run your oil for 10,000 miles before changing it, but it's a simple and cheap thing to do to keep your cars maintence up. Same thing with pulling the valvecovers off to check your lash.

If your lash constantly needs adjusting, you're either setting the lash incorrectly or your parts are failing.