[leginfantry]

How to adjust solid lifters in sbc can't find out cam specs. Supposed to be 600 lift cam.

 

[dreis454]

I think I read that. .026 is safe and to start there.

 

[Stokerboats]

Run the valves and get an average of where they are. Just because they are solid doesn't mean they are all loose.

 

[427L88]

If its an "old school" cam, Dan 1 is about right. 25-26 thou are fine places to start, maybe a little tighter like 22-24. Tight is good! But not too tight! I would also do what dan2 recommends, check a few. Many old school grinds had looser exhausts.

THNX for your service you nasty leg! ( as was I, attached to SOG - no end of ridicule)

 

[forcd ind]

theres no way to set them per specs for that cam, anything else is a guess-.018 is ballpark, but loose if they should be .012, tight if they should be .030

 

[427L88]

If its a older cam, .018" is bit tight no? If the ramps arent "tight lash" it may never cool well.

fwiw, my old skool Crane cam ( .024/.026) ran best with lash LOOSE, opposite of what one may expect. assume the loose lash gave much quicker valve action is all.

 

[leginfantry]

Thanks for your service also 427L88. I'm an old school leg, 9th Inf Div Vietnam 68-69.

Can't find anything about the cam. So I'll follow all the advice. Thanks all.

 

[rel3rd]

Like said, it's definitely a trial and error thing. I was in same situation after the idiot I bought my car from told me it was a hydraulic cam, when it clearly is not, lol.

Having no idea of whether it was tight lash, or old style, or anything else, you have to experiment. I started at .028" and car was actually hard top start and sounded horrible. I tried .022" next and engine sounded like it had no oil in it, it was clacking so loudly. I ended up at .012" and that's where it makes the most vacuum and idles/runs the best, so that's where I stayed. Still have no idea what cam, who's cam, or whatever info about it, but it runs good and is rather quiet for a solid flat tappet cam.

Good Luck.:beers:

 

[Tom Mobley]

What Stokerboats said. Use the EO/IE method to go through the valves, all of the, I & E. write down the numbers as you go. throw out the loosest and tightest from I & E, average the other numbers. Now with that number in hand go back through and set the valves per EO/IE.

over the years I've found stuff like a 69 Z/28 302 with a hydraulic cam adjusted to 30-30. Nice, huh?

 

[77 cruiser]

over the years I've found stuff like a 69 Z/28 302 with a hydraulic cam adjusted to 30-30. Nice, huh?

Did it clatter a bit?
A guy I know put hyd. lifters on 30-30 cam, that didn't work out either.