Valve adjusting

tubman said:
Sorry gentlemen, those risers may exist, but I don't believe they were ever intended as a way to adjust the valves. They were probably intended for display or observation purposes only.
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Tubman you're right. I knew the risers existed. The actual purpose escaped me. Probably rare for a reason.

I have adjustable lifters in my 36 and 38 motors. Rebuilt of course....


Adjusting flathead lifters when running would be quite the feat of impossible.


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I had Chevy 6's back in the day, which were easy peasy to adjust while running. The last one I did was in a '55 tudor, back in 1968. As I recall, the only real messes were due to being too cheap to install a new valve cover gasket when you're done.
 
I have a couple of the KD valve guide replacement bushings for lapping flat heads, both have light duty springs on the top to make the valve rise off the seat. Both of mine are made of white metal, but they work very well. K R Wilson also made a replacement guide for lapping, in cast iron. Nice to have old tools.

Could never understand how to do a hot valve adjustment on a flat head. By the time the intake is removed the engine has cooled and your fingers are burned.
 
Me either Terry! By the time you get to the valves the temperature is a little more than room temperature. The specs should have been provided for "cold" i.e., room temperature instead.



Terry said:
Could never understand how to do a hot valve adjustment on a flat head. By the time the intake is removed the engine has cooled and your fingers are burned.
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AHA! Now you know the reason for the KRW risers. Run the engine, locate loose valve adjustment and adjust while engine is still warm. Will still cause burned fingers.
 
It looks like a lot of people here have never adjusted the valves on a stock engine. With a stock engine, the whole valve assembly has to be removed, disassembled, and the stem ground (or the face ground depending on whether you are loose or tight). I can't see how the heat can be retained in any way given this situation. KR Wilson made tools for people working on stock engines, not hotrodders with their fancy adjustable tappets.

The only thing that I can see those risers are for is detecting a noisy tappet. Once detected, it can be corrected the conventional way. A hotrodder with adjustable tappets may be able to adjust the valves hot, but that's not what they were made for.
 
You can measure the clearance when hot, then make the appropriate adjustment and run the engine again to retest. Sort of an ordeal.
 
I have machined an adapter for the cam for a 1/2 reversible variable drill. It runs rpm
wise as if it was at idle, not only that its a positive oil pressure check. Using go no go
feelers I positively know whats going on with the lash. Thats my last step on a rebuild
before butting it up. Then on the test stand with muffer & tail pipe water and fan.Instant
start then re torque heads. Thats done next we have a EAB with automatic thats going to
be cool / reserved for a 49 4dr but maybe cause another EAB with OD may be the deal...
 
You guys want to adjust valves hot just come on down to the dez. It has been around 110/120 degrees lately. Just leave your engine set outside for a spell & it will be hotter'n you can touch. LOL
 
Keep in mind that the heads have to come off during all this as well. You can't remove the valve assembly without removing the heads.
 
any one who thinks you can adj the valves on a flathead while running has never adjusted them. even with adjustable lifters how are you going to hold the lifter from turning while you turn the screw.next thing some one will say you can change the fly wheel ring gear while the eng is running
 
richard crow said:
any one who thinks you can adj the valves on a flathead while running has never adjusted them. even with adjustable lifters how are you going to hold the lifter from turning while you turn the screw.next thing some one will say you can change the fly wheel ring gear while the eng is running
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Richard, I'm working on this. You do have to remove the starter, however, to access the ring gear. With engine running, you can pull the new ring gear on as the flywheel rotates to even the fit in the flywheel groove. May do a UTube video later once I get this down!!:eek:
 
If someone comes in with a noisy lifter and wants it fixed, before you can fix it, you must, first check the valve clearance, correct?

This would be a great time saver, the head/s and intake has to come off, no matter what, unless you have adjustable lifters, to fix it.

With adjustable lifters, you first stop the engine, then adjust the loose lifter and then, start the engine again to see if you found all of the offending lifters.

And then, you can start it, one last time, to make sure it's quite, before giving it back to the customer.

So, this is part of the process of adjusting the valve clearance.
 
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A nice mix of opinions here.


I've never adjusted valves hot on flatheads or yblocks. They seemed to run okay cold.


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There are instructions for adjustable lifters I used once (can't find them now), spark plugs out, carb blocked open, one rear wheel off the ground, ****** in reverse, adjust two valves per position, helper turns wheel to next position... Well, I guess you don't really need those instructions, but helpful to know which 2 valves to watch per position. Or was it 4 valves per?... :confused: I do remember it seemed easier to do one bank complete, then move to the other side. :D
 
It's two valves, maybe for 4 with exhaust valves. Like 1 and 6 intake. It's has been shared. Dial indicator is nice to find the lobe.
 
Thanks, the sequence was handwritten for me by an old timer. Now I'm the old timer and I got CRS.
 
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