Roller Rocker adjustment??? HELP!!!

[BlownSmoke]

I bought a new 383 stroker motor for my monte SS and about 1500 miles later a tick started. I called the company and they said that the roller rockers were lose, i asked them if there was a torque spec and they replied with no. The mechanic told me to tighten the rockers till the ticking stopped and then go back half a turn. Some of the ticking stopped but now the car runs like total sh*t!!!!! it wont hold an idle anymore and out of no where i found oil in the plugs?? is there a specified gap??? is a feeler guage going to do any justice?

 

[anakputa]

I'd be worried about the cam lobe going flat. What kinda cam is in the the car?

 

[SafariWagon]

X2 on the cam lobe. ALL motor oil now is made with the zinc removed. You need to buy a zinc additive, or I know some people that have used 15W40 diesel motor oil because it's suppose to still have the zinc in it. (I don't personally know if I trust that). Unless you have a roller cam as well I would bet your cam went flat. It will need replaced if it did.

 

[anakputa]

Do have pressed stud or screw in studs on the heads? Maybe if your lucky the stud maybe pulling out of the head. (kinda rare). Unless you have an exotic valvetrain with locks on the adjuster's. I have seen those come loose on a race motor. If its running like crap, the valve maybe adjusted to tight and leaving the valve slightly open. Find the cam manufacturers webpage and follow the adjustment guide listed there. Every mechanic has a preference for adjusting valves etc..

 

[monte olrac]

Also there is a chance you may have a bad lifter, so if your valves look like they are are moving the same height that would be my next step....also check for exhaust leaks they can sound like valvetrain noise too.

 

[pontiacgp]

ALL motor oil now is made with the zinc removed

incorrect...

http://www.milwaukeesynthetics.com/ZINC_OILS.html

 

[shotgun]

"back 1/2 a turn" ?

Sounds like you are setting zero lash then backing it off, which is wrong.

Go back to square one and reset the lash with the engine off, go to zero lash and tighten a 1/4 turn.

What type of hardware up top poly locks, cinch/nylock nuts?

[quoteSafariWagon wrote:
ALL motor oil now is made with the zinc removed


incorrect...
][/quote]

You are both right and wrong. All street legal SM spec? has either removed or dropped the zinc level below what is needed for our "old" cams. This also includes diesel oils, they just had an extra year to do it, which has passed.

NAPA sells an "offroad" oil with zinc, Brad Penn does too. Read the labels, they are not legal for highway use.

So be carefull a cop may pull you over and ask for a sample ( oil that is).

 

[pontiacgp]

there's s few female cops around here that I would mind offering a sample...

and here's a link that'll save time adjusting valve lash

http://www.thedirtforum.com/chevyvalves.htm