When I first got the motor back from the machine shop i had a service manuel from our neighbor chevy store and it says to set the number 1 cylinder on tdc and the number 6 the same way when adjusting them, I cant remember which one's you adjust when on number 1 and/or number 6, but you techs out there know what i mean. Well since that time ive had alot of people say my motor is running bad and has alot of problems because the valves are probably to tight. but im not experienced enough to know what "running good" is.

When i got the push rod right past the lash point i adjusted the rocker nut down 3/4 of a turn, is that to much?? Ive had people tell me many different amounts to tighten them. Can anyone help me out?

 

Assuming you have hydraulic lifters this is how it goes.

With the engine on #1 compression stroke it's intakes # 1-2-5-7 and exhausts # 1-3-4-8.

On #6 compression stroke it's intakes # 3-4-6-8 and exhausts # 2-5-6-7.

This is basically for a preliminary adjustment,they can be fine tuned with the engine warm and running.

One at a time back off the rocker arm nut slowly till it starts to clatter.
At that point tighten it back down very slowly till the clatter just stops.
Let the engine smooth out a few seconds then turn the nut nut down 1/4 turn at a time waiting about 10-15 seconds between turns so the lifters can pump back up till you have them tightened 1 full turn form the zero lash (when the clatter stopped)
This is by the book but sometimes a full turn is hard to figure so be conservative,you don't want them too tight.
It may take going over them a couple times to get it just right.
It's good to have an old valve cover with the top cut off to keep oil from going everywhere or at least a set of oil deflector clips attached to the rockers for oil control.
Good luck and if you have a friend that has done this a little help wouldn't hurt as it is a bit of an art form and experience helps.

 

well, lemme explain what happened today when i tried it, i "thought" i was on the compression stroke for #1. so i started adjusting the ones that are supposed to be adjusted when on #1, and turned the crank exactly 1 revolution and started adjusting the ones for #6. But when i went to certain rockers that i had adjusted on the #1 stroke, they were very loose, almost loose enough for me to pick the rocker arm off the push rod. Was I adjusting on the wrong stroke or is there something more wrong i need to address?

 

You will need to start over from the beginning with the engine on #1 compression stroke.
The rotor in the dizzy should be pointing to the #1 spark plug wire but you should pull the plug on #1 and feel for compression.
You may need a helper to "bump" the key a few times for you while you hold your thumb over the spark plug hole.
When it comes up on compression you'll know,the pressure should blow past your thumb.
At that point you should line the mark on your crank balancer up with the timing pointer at zero degrees and you'll be at TDC (top dead center) compression stroke.
Proceed to do the preliminary valve adjust on the cylinders listed for #1 TDC.
Be gentle looking for zero lash,without oil pressure the lifters will only have the internal spring pressure to work against.
3/4 turn past zero lash should be sufficient at this point
When you have those done pull the plug on #6 and repeat the procedure with the #'s listed for TDC #6 compression stroke.
Now you are ready to start the motor and let it warm up a bit,don't forget to put the plugs back in and hook the wires up,also a good time to make sure all wires are on the right cylinders and in proper order on the cap.
Once she warms up you can do the final adjustment as I posted with the engine running.

 

As mentioned, that 1-6 method is used only if you intend to follow up with a "running engine" adjustment. It's a "good enough" setting to get the engine running for final adjustment. But it's very inaccurate to use as a "set & run" adjustment, which is why your engine is running crappy.
If you don't want to mess with the mess of using the running method, here is a video showing a more accurate static adjustment procedure: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=89o5rLpbCgI
And here is an even more intricate one-on-one method, with a good description of what valve adjustment is all about: Valve Lash Adjustment

 

After work today i came home and started right away, i pulled #1 cylinder plug and began turning the crank. When i got to the compression stroke the mark on the harmonic balancer was nowhere near "0" on the timing cover marker. It was about 1/4 of a revolution going counter clockwise. This is what i would assume to be a serious problem. What options am I looking at here on how to deal with this.

 

If you were going by when you started to feel pressure on your finger, the piston isn't at TDC yet at that point. Keep in mind that one full revolution of the crank equates to one down and up cycle of the piston. So if the mark on the balancer is 1/4 turn before the timing tab, then the piston should be about half way up the cylinder. Turn the engine over clockwise another 1/4 turn, line up the marks, and the #1 piston will be at TDC, compression stroke. Take a chill pill, you don't have a serious problem.

 

The easy way is to put new unpumped lifters in first, then pull out spark plugs on the motor, put a toothpick in on the piston so you can feel it coming up( and won't scratch) on the number one cylinder turn the motor by hand until the piston reaches TDC, you will know this because neither intake or exhaust valve will move they will both be shut, tighten poly nut on top of rocker arm while you spin the pushrod with your fingers, when it stops spinning, tighten half a turn, on both intake and exhaust, now go to # 8 cylinder and repeat, remember firing order is 18436572, that way you will not have to guess and spin it alot. oh yeah, don't let the toothpick break, it is a "feel" tool. the unpumped lifters will make the valves right on when you fire it up.

 

As mentioned, that 1-6 method is used only if you intend to follow up with a "running engine" adjustment. It's ottawa escort a "good enough" setting to get the engine running for final adjustment. But it's very inaccurate to use ottawa asian escort as a "set & run" adjustment, which is ottawa asian escorts why your engine is running crappy.
If you don't want to mess with the mess of using the running method, here is a video showing a more accurate static ottawa escorts adjustment procedure:

 

Spam ^