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Need help with lifter preload - and rocker arm bolt TQ

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Old Dec 22, 2002 | 02:41 PM
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Default Need help with lifter preload - and rocker arm bolt TQ

I need some TQ advice about rocker arms on stock lifters and rockers.. I am using 22 ft lbs of tq – but I have also read to finger tighten the bolts and then make sure you tighten them 1 full bolt turn + ¼ turn.

My issue is – that once they are finger tight – some of them turn more than others – and I have tediously centered them on the retainer then finger tightened them..

What is the issue here? Should I just tighten them with a tq wrench @ 22 lbs and not look back or make sure the bolt is finger tight then 1 full turn which will be way more than 22 lbs of tq?????

Thanks for your input
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Old Dec 22, 2002 | 02:49 PM
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Default Re: Need help with lifter preload - and rocker arm bolt TQ

Torque them all to 22 ft/lbs,then turn the motor over 180 degree's and go over them again at 22 ft/lbs.Then your done.
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Old Dec 22, 2002 | 02:49 PM
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Default Re: Need help with lifter preload - and rocker arm bolt TQ

If your heads, cam, rockers and pushrods are stock, just torque them to 22 ft lbs and go. Sometimes with aftermarket parts, the rockers need to be shimmed.
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Old Dec 22, 2002 | 03:52 PM
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Default Re: Need help with lifter preload - and rocker arm bolt TQ

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by Slowhawk:
<strong>Torque them all to 22 ft/lbs,then turn the motor over 180 degree's and go over them again at 22 ft/lbs.Then your done.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Ditto! Definately turn the motor over. This will give your lifters a chance to bleed down, and also ensure that you have no piston/valve clearance issues(assuming you're installing a cam also). I did the "TQ them and go" method once, and wound up replacing an engine because my valves smacked the pistons...

Josh
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Old Dec 23, 2002 | 12:12 AM
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Default Re: Need help with lifter preload - and rocker arm bolt TQ

Well I spent about 4 hours today trying to get ALL of the rocker arms TQ'ed properly and I must say that it has paid off.

The car idels better - less surging - less ticking - better throttle response - maybe some of this is just in my head but it really did make a difference.

I do still have some valvetrain noise but it isnt nearly as bad as before..

Thanks for all of your help.
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Old Dec 23, 2002 | 02:15 AM
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Default Re: Need help with lifter preload - and rocker arm bolt TQ

4 hours? It should take 10 minutes to torque them all to 22.

The reason some go more than 1 turn past finger tight is because the cam has some valves open! Think about it, and you'll figure it out. And you'll never hit 22lbft of torque until the rocker seats so you can just keep turning as many turns as it takes past finger tight until you hit 22lbft.
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Old Dec 23, 2002 | 02:20 AM
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Default Re: Need help with lifter preload - and rocker arm bolt TQ

Well it took so long because I was slowly turning the motor over by a socket valve by valve and it wouldnt "turn over" very quickly.. then after I re-torqued all of them down - I decided to remove the shims I was experimenting with - so there I go and removed all of them again.. rotating the motor for each valve etc..

Then I was missing a shim and it appeared that somehow I left one shim on - thus I had to start ALL OVER yet again to find the one rocker I forgot to remove the shim from..

I did all of this inbetween watching some football and working out, hence the 4 hours.. <img border="0" title="" alt="[Big Grin]" src="gr_grin.gif" />

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Originally posted by jmX:
<strong>4 hours? It should take 10 minutes to torque them all to 22.

The reason some go more than 1 turn past finger tight is because the cam has some valves open! Think about it, and you'll figure it out. And you'll never hit 22lbft of torque until the rocker seats so you can just keep turning as many turns as it takes past finger tight until you hit 22lbft.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">
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