I have a 1967 Chevelle with a 396 in it. We recently bought it and I am getting ready to change the valve cover gaskets. Should I adjust the lifters at this time?

I have noticed, especially with the engine is hot, a clicking sound coming from (what I'm sure are) the lifters. It isn't too lound, but noticable at times. I figured I should check and adjust the lifters with the engine cold since I'm changing out the valve cover gaskets.

What should the gap be checked/adjusted to, please?

Also, I presume I can leave the tranny in neutral (4 speed) and put a breaker bar on the harmonic balancer crank bolt to turn the engine over clockwise without hurting anything, correct?

Thanks in advance for your feeback and any tips. :D

"Also, I presume I can leave the tranny in neutral (4 speed) and put a breaker bar on the harmonic balancer crank bolt to turn the engine over clockwise without hurting anything, correct?"

Eeee - you can but the question is do you really want to? Thats how the previous owner of my 400 cid stripped the bolt. Luckily he only damaged the first few threads of the crank so a new, longer bolt and tap took care of it. I made a little tool to turn my crank though - pretty easy if you have some basic metal fabrication tools. I took a piece of 1/8" plate and cut it into a rough triangle shape that would fit inside the pulley and drilled the holes for the three bolts that hold the pulley onto the harmonic ballancer and then welded a 3/4 nut to a bit of scrap shaft i had sitting around which it then welded to the plate. Help distribute the load better and prevent stripping or over-tightening the crank bolt. Also, i'm sure you know this already, make sure you take out the spark plugs so your not fighting the engine's compression

Hydraulic lifters???

Warm the engine. Pull one valve cover. Start the engine. Loosen each rocker nut until it starts to click, then tighten until it JUST goes away. Go to the next one--same deal--loosen until it clicks, tighten until it just stops. Continue through all 8 on that side of the engine. Shut off engine. Tighten each nut an additional 1/4--3/4 turn. I like 1/2 turn, but whatever suits you. Install valve cover.

Repeat on the other side of the engine.

You can avoid a lot of oil mess by using a valve cover that has the center cut out of it so it provides an oil shield but still allows access to the rocker nuts. Pull off the real valve cover, install the "special tool" cover, then adjust as above.

I agree with Schurkey, do a running adjustment. I've found it helpful to temporailly set the idle as low as it'll go for the adjustment. Besides reducing the amount oil flowing, it also makes it easier to hear the individual valves.

Thanks for the replies. So, I'm taking it I cannot really adjust these well unless I have it running? There is no "cold" setting I can do?

Right now I don't have any "special" valve covers I can cut up so I can adjust it while it is running. Maybe I need to find some at a swap meet.

Thanks again for your info.

Actually, not to disagree with anybody but I prefer the EOIC method.. A search on this will turn up more info then you bargained for, but here it is in a nutshell..

First off, pull the spark plugs out to make it easier to turn the motor by hand.. Turn the motor over (on any given cylinder) till the exhaust valve just starts to open, then adjust the INTAKE valve till there is NO up & down movement in the push rod (zero lash) then give it an additional 1/2 turn.. Then rotate the motor till the intake valve (same cylinder) just begins to close & adjust the exhaust valve in the same fashion..

Repeat this till all cylinders have been done..

Scott

Actually, not to disagree with anybody but I prefer the EOIC method.. A search on this will turn up more info then you bargained for, but here it is in a nutshell..

First off, pull the spark plugs out to make it easier to turn the motor by hand.. Turn the motor over (on any given cylinder) till the exhaust valve just starts to open, then adjust the INTAKE valve till there is NO up & down movement in the push rod (zero lash) then give it an additional 1/2 turn.. Then rotate the motor till the intake valve (same cylinder) just begins to close & adjust the exhaust valve in the same fashion..

Repeat this till all cylinders have been done..

Scott
So, are you saying to turn the engine via the front pully bolt after I take the plugs out?

Yep, or better yet, get yourself a crank snout tool so you don't strip the bolt out..

Yep, or better yet, get yourself a crank snout tool so you don't strip the bolt out..
Got a link to a tool like this, say from Summit Racing? I order from there all the time.

Thanks for your time.

Got a link to a tool like this, say from Summit Racing? I order from there all the time.

Thanks for your time.

This is what you want if your balancer is already installed

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=PRO%2D66782&N=700+4294925139+4294925138+4294859814+115&autoview=sku

Or this one if it isn't..

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2DG1061&N=700+4294925139+4294925138+4294859814+115&autoview=sku

This is what you want if your balancer is already installed

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=PRO%2D66782&N=700+4294925139+4294925138+4294859814+115&autoview=sku

Or this one if it isn't..

http://store.summitracing.com/partdetail.asp?part=SUM%2DG1061&N=700+4294925139+4294925138+4294859814+115&autoview=sku

Awesome. Thanks!

I thought that valves were adjusted intake opening exhaust closing to get on the base circle. Getting old did I forget?

Actually, not to disagree with anybody but I prefer the EOIC method.. A search on this will turn up more info then you bargained for, but here it is in a nutshell..

First off, pull the spark plugs out to make it easier to turn the motor by hand.. Turn the motor over (on any given cylinder) till the exhaust valve just starts to open, then adjust the INTAKE valve till there is NO up & down movement in the push rod (zero lash) then give it an additional 1/2 turn.. Then rotate the motor till the intake valve (same cylinder) just begins to close & adjust the exhaust valve in the same fashion..

Repeat this till all cylinders have been done..

Scott
I picked up the crank tool from Summit. Thanks again for that.

If there is already no lash/up and down movement on the push rod, do I need to losen the rocker until I get some again, then tighten slightly to remove the lash, then do the final 1/2 turn, or, if I check and there already is no lash, do I leave the rocker alone?

Thanks for the feedback.

Yes , if you want to adjust them you will have to loosen and then remove all lash and then tighten another 1/2 turn