Alright little info about my engine

350 with aluminum heads and intake (Holly Street Dominator kit)
Hydraulic Cam

Had my car on the road for 2 months now, and noticed some ticking from the valves and decided to adjust them

Not knowing how to do so I found this thread: http://www.hotrodders.com/forum/val...ment-52345.html

I followed TurboS10's procedure, now I have no noise from the valves. BUT my engine doesn't like to start or idle anymore.

I'm new to this, I want to learn, what do I do now?

you got the valves too tight, might need new pushrods now too.

so.. back them off 1/4 turn??

the way i like to adjust mine rockers is take one of the valve covers off at a time. when the engine is running loosen the rockers one at a time until the rockers start making a tapping noise, then tighten it little by little until the noise goes away, then go a 1/4 turn tighter. thats it go on to the next one. it will be allittle messy but i think it is the easiest way.

i'm just about to go try the engine on method, first i have to get it to idle again. i'll keep this updated

turn in the idle screw if it stopped idling when you messed with the rockers then your problem might lye there.in the rockers

can't get it to idle, it only kinda runs at 1000 rpm, then gets smooth at 1200, anything above that is ok as well.

A mechanic friend of mine is going to look at it for me tomorrow afternoon (he origionally set up the valves, timing, and carb.)

sounds like a vacuum leak.

I cant believe all you crude people telling someone to adjust valves with the engine running. This hasnt been the accepted practice for decades. Follow this and your preload will be perfect.:

1. Remove the valve covers, and pick a cylinder that 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 quarter to one half 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.

There will be oil spewing all over the place, no stink, and no asphixiation!!

i could have adjusted all 16 rockers in the time it took you to write your little editorial. just trying to use the old k.i.s.s. method have a nice day greg.

Maybe you could have. But mine would be adjusted correctly.

turns out its not the valve adjustment

carb is messed up - looks like my float is full of fuel, cause the carb is pissing fuel everywhere

right on glad you found the source of your problem.