<VV> Greenbrier..? valve adjustment

[Marc Sheridan]

Uh..oh, here we go again :o). Adjust them cold, just like it says in the
shop manual. A better way to explain it is to re post Ken Hands excellent
post on how Corvair valves should be adjusted.

Good luck,
Marc Sheridan

>From Ken Hand:
I will try to answer what you are saying/asking with my opinion. First a few
parameters, when I replace lifters I use SBC lifters with the disc valve,
when I adjust valves, even corvair original, I use 3/4 turn, and I adjust
one cyl. at a time at TDC.

My turn to ask a question; Why do you adjust valves hot and running? I think
the answer may lie in the OLD DAYS when you had to adjust mechanical valves
running and with a feeler gauge, I still have some of the tools. Also to let
everyone know I vary quite a bit from the shop manual when it come to
certain things -- see above 3/4 turn, and SBC lifters -- so to me the shop
manual is a guide not the Bible. Now for some specific reasons, hydraulic
lifters, wonderful things that let you take all the clearance out for quiet
movement and not have to be perfect or exactly on the money for best overall
performance. You can adjust SBC lifters on the corvair from as little as
1/16th of a turn or all the way to 1 1/2 turns and the lifter will still
perform the same way it was designed. You ask "why adjust cold"? Most of it
has been said before but I will reiterate some and add some new, maybe. The
list, ease of working conditions, cleanliness, open the engine up once, or
on a rebuild never, you don't have to destroy a part to make a shield you
won't burn yourself!  (GRIN) The cold adjustment can be more precise and the
BIGGIE, it takes less time.

I have found over the years that people are to impatient for the running
method and won't or don't wait for things to settle properly. Here is an
example someone puts lifters in an engine, they preadjust, run the engine
for a few minutes, open up the rocker cover, make a mess with dripping hot
oil, start the engine, now you have hot spraying oil all over, back the
adjusting nut off until it clatters (or is that the one next to it?), then
you tighten slowly until the clatter stops (but the others are making noise,
are you hard of hearing?), once the clatter stops on that valve you adjust
slowly, no more than a 1/4 turn until the engine smoothes out again, the
clatter is still there, you adjust another 1/4 turn, this continues until
you get nervous about how far down you've taken the nut, ( or you don't know
any different), then pretty soon, finally QUIET!  BUT GUESS WHAT? You've
bottomed out the lifter to make it quiet and now the lifter cannot function
the way it was designed. Now you think you have the cat by the tail because
the engine is running OK and pretty quiet as far as lifter noise goes. You
then put rocker covers on and clean up the mess that was made by all the oil
splashing everywhere. Now you drive your car and all is well.

Next time you go to drive the car there is this funny little thing happening
in the engine that wasn't there before and you check and check and finally
do a compression test and find you have low compression on one or two cyls.
And you ask why and find out that you need to adjust valves all over again!
The way I adjust valves, new or used is this way; If the car is driven to
you LET ENGINE COOL! Jack up one side of the car kinda high and use jack
stands, Then pull off the corresponding valve cover Watching the valve
motion of the cyl you wish to adjust bring that cyl to TDC or very close,
loosen the rocker arm until there is movement up and down. With oily fingers
on one hand pinch the pushrod and twist back and forth as you tighten the
rocker down, do not hold to tight on the pushrod, once you get to the spot
that, with light pressure you can't twist the pushrod remove your adjusting
tool and move the rocker slightly side ways to see if it was off center of
the valve and now the pushrod may move easily again so go and tighten the
nut some more while twisting the pushrod until it stops again, double check
the rocker for being straight and if so then you are at ZERO LASH. From here
you adjust the nut to 3/4 of a turn, I find it easy to do 3,
1/4 turns. Repeat this process on the adjacent valve. Now go to the next cyl
find TDC and repeat the whole process on the remaining cyls. INSTALL THE
ROCKER COVER PERMANENTLY! Let the car down on that side and Jack up the
other side and finish the job as stated earlier. Now the kicker that
everybody hates, start the engine and you will probably have some lifter
noise! GO HAVE A COFFEE, SODA, OR TEA but walk away, do not jump right back
in and want to adjust some more, when you come  back the magic is done, and
if done properly the engine will be as quiet as new. The reason for
adjusting one side at a time is when you jack up the one side all the oil
goes to the other side and when the cover comes off there are only a few
drops to take care of instead of 1/2 quart. I don't know if this answers all
of your questions, but hope fully this has taken some of the mysticism out
of the cold adjustment. I will add that if you try this and it works for
you, you will never again adjust valves running and hot! I must also add
that we all know there are bad parts out there even out of the box new.

Ken Hand HANDY CAR CARE
97 Peach Pontiac, Mi., 48342
248-613-8586

From: "Nikki and Simon" <simonico@webtv.net>

>    Corvair friends...I have recently put a '66 140 in my '61 8 door
> Greenbrier. I've got the engine running though the lifters are clattery.
> My  question is: What is the best way to adjust the valves on this
> engine?
>     If anyone can help me with this I would greatly appriciate it.
>     Thank you,
> Simon