223 valve adjusting question

Rmvr53

Member
hey guys

just bought a rebuilt 223 from a guy that said he couldn't keep the valves adjusted. I pulled the valve cover and I notice there are no cinch/pinch nuts on the adjusters. Are there supposed to be? If so, I think I found his problem!

Bill
 
These are from a Y-block but IIRC they used the same/similar rocker arms and the photo shows both kinds. The adjusting bolts with a screwdriver slot use a lock nut ('56 & earlier).
The self-locking type are partially hollow with a hex drive ('57 & newer).
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I thought at one time there were slightly oversize adjusters available. I remember buying one for a 427, but that was in the early 70's.
 
here floats a question - can I just take the rocker shaft and rockers off the dead 58 engine and install them on the 64? That eliminates the problem as I would see it. The dead 58 only had 87k on it and this shaft/rockers on the 64 have over 250k
 
- can I just take the rocker shaft and rockers off the dead 58 engine and install them on the 64?
Compare any casting numbers you can find on the rocker arms to see if they're the same.
IIRC in a previous thread you posted it was figured out the engines are the same generation(?) so you've got a good chance the rockers are the same.
 
I don't know about same generation as the 64 does not use the fuel-miser vacuum system with the carb/distributor, has a larger distributor drive shaft and some other odds and ends. What I believe I posted was in fishing out the part numbers for the rockers, I found in every search the part number for the 58 was the same as the part number for the 64. Now that may be using the 64 rocker as a replacement for the pinch'd screw setup on the 58. I have not been able to find a rocker shaft or pedestal part number to see if those interchange hence the push on the question.
 
I've never noticed a part number on pedestals or rocker shafts. If they look & measure the same and the oiling holes come up thru the same spots into the pedestals/shafts that would be a good thing. You've got a better than even chance they're interchangeable but I don't know for sure.
 
Last time I looked, Joblot Automotive in Queens Village, NY still sold the self-locking type adjusters. Just pull out your loose ones and install the new ones. Then re-adjust valve lash.
 
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