Thread: 327 valve adjustment

Tweet

How do I adjust the valves in a 327 engine. I am rebuilding the engine from a 1964 Chevy Impala. The books I have tell me to adjust them according to #1 and #6 using the timing marks but it isn't working right.

Hi!
A guy just sent me this about lifters, shows you how to set the valves correctly too, helped me a lot:

http://www.cranecams.com/?show=tech...c7c4ece208e7e09

Of course the first thing to find out is if your lifters are hydraulic or solid. Read that article and do what they say and your done. Good luck!

The link you sent me isn't working. How do I find it at that sight?

This is what it says.

http://www.cranecams.com/?show=faq&id=3

Adjusting Hydraulic Lifters for Proper Preload
In order to adjust the preload the lifter must be properly located on the base circle or “Heel” of the lobe. At this position the valve is closed and there is no lift taking place. You will need to watch the movement of the valves to determine which lifter is properly positioned for adjusting.

1. Remove the valve covers, and pick a cylinder you are going to set the preload on.

2. Hand rotate the engine in its normal direction of rotation and watch the exhaust valve on that particular cylinder. When the exhaust valve begins to open, stop and adjust that cylinder’s intake rocker arm. (Why? Because when the exhaust valve is just beginning to open, the intake lifter will be on the base circle of the lobe, the correct position for adjusting the intake.)

3. Back off the intake rocker arm adjuster and remove any tension from the pushrod. Wait a minute or two for that hydraulic lifter to return to a neutral position. The spring inside the lifter will move the pushrod seat up against the retaining lock if you give it time to do so. (If you are installing brand new lifters they will be in the neutral position when they come in the box.)

4. Now spin the intake pushrod with your fingers while tightening down the rocker arm. When you feel a slight resistance to the turning of the pushrod, you are at “Zero Lash”. Turn the adjusting nut down one half to one full turn from that point. Lock the adjuster into position. The intake is now adjusted properly.

5. Continue to hand turn the engine, watching that same intake. It will go to full open and then begin to close. When it is almost closed, stop and adjust the exhaust rocker arm on that particular cylinder. (Again, when we see the intake almost closed, we are sure that exhaust lifter is on the base circle of the lobe.) Loosen the exhaust rocker arm and follow the same procedure described before in steps 3 and 4 to adjust this rocker arm.

6. Both valves on this cylinder are now adjusted, and you can move on to your next cylinder and follow the same procedure again.

This link has the same info.

http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/te...148_0303_valve

Here's another way for a Chevy:

- Find #1 top dead center (TDC)
- With a little dab of white paint, make a mark on the harmonic balancer at 90, 180 and 270 degrees.

- With the engine at #1 TDC and adjust the intake and exhaust. (see #4 above for how to adjust)

- Rotate the engine 90 degrees in it's normal rotation (clockwise) and set #8 intake and exhaust

- Continue rotating 90 degrees at a time, and set the intake and
exhaust rocker in this order: 4, 3, 6, 5, 7, 2

Using this procedure, you can set all of the rockers in only two rotations of the engine.

Thank you Henry Rifle! I got all the valves adjusted thanks to your articles. The second one was especially helpful. (They are hydraulic.)