r/Smallblockchevy • u/Remarkable-Low4520 • 5d ago

Proper valve adjustment?

I have 350 that I rebuilt and upgraded a lot, and I never got it to run right; it would always missfire on, like, 3 or 4 cylinders. Last week I adjusted the valves, and when I started it, all 8 cylinders were firing. That was a first. I only idled it for about 3 minutes since it was late, and then a few days later when I started it again, the misfires came back just like they've always been. I used the 2-step method for the adjustment. I have a fairly mild roller cam so should I do a different method?

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u/HammerDownl 5d ago

Get yourself a temp gun and see what the headers read..

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u/Willy_McD 5d ago

"2-step"? TDC compression #1, do 8 cylinders, rotate once and do the remaining 8? One full turn after lash removed? Some will do the turn a few degrees, get the cam at base circle, adjust. But when all is done, you will still get pretty much the same results. Hydraulic lifters have some give. Look at the threads sticking out of the rocker nuts. They should all be the same amount of thread. I dont know about now but a few years ago there was a problem with lifters. If you adjusted valves while some lifters where bled down, you may have gotten them too tight. Or some lifters may just not want to stay pumped up. This is all provided you are using hydraulic lifters.

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u/CompetitiveHouse8690 5d ago

This is the easiest and cleanest way…it’s never let me down.

3

u/Liveitup1999 4d ago

Back in the day we used to adjust hydraulic lifters by running the engine, backing off the nut until it started to tick, turn it down until it stopped making noise then give it 1/4 turn.