I have a 54 chevy 5 window and have replaced the original cracked block with a 62 235 engine. I have had trouble starting the engine and I have learned thru this forum that it is probably the valves that are out of wack and the timing that is off. I attempted to do this hot valve adjustment (while engine is running) My question to everyone is how do you tighten the screw while the valve is jumping up and down? There is a screw that is in the middle of the bolt on each valve. I was told that you back off this until you here a clicking noise and then tighten until it goes away. Also if all the valves are clicking how are you suppose to hear the valve clicking anymore than the next one? Any help would be great guys. Thank you, Scotty and his 54 truck
Hi Scotty, The answer is...you don't. You can not do a proper valve adjustment while the engine is running. Our mechanical mentor, Nate, is probably having fits right about now after reading your post. Go to Deve's most excellent website (just "Google" it) and print out the valve adjustment procedure as outlined by Nathan Hall. Follow that and you will be absolutely amazed at how easy it is and how well it will run when you are done. Don't forget to reset the dwell and timing after the valves are adjusted as well. Also, clicking valves are not a bad thing. To quote Nate, "A noisy valve is a happy valve". Set the valves to specs as outlined by Nate, look in the archives here for proper intervals to reset them and once you are done, it's a matter of just keeping on top of it. Welcome to our happy little bunch of truck fanatics. If you can't get ANY answer you're looking for here, you can't get it anywhere. As Zig would say...pictures please. We all like to see what each other is working on. Oh yeah...get a factory shop manual. It will be your truck's bible. Andy
Click on this link www.speedprint.com/deves50/valveadjust.php This is the site that Andy mentioned. BTW, welcome to the group!
Another '54 ! WELCOME Scotty ! . What you can do is : adjust the valves whilst cold then re-check them after you've started the engine and fully heated it up setting dwell & timing , the engine must be fully HOT not just warm . Expect to need to re-check and adjust them in 1,000 miles or so . The method of adjusting valves with the engine running , is a holdover from the Flahead days and it wasn't much fun . you need to have the engine idling less than 500 RPM's , this way you can indeed , hear each tappet click . Dodge used solid lifters in thier Slant Six engine all the way to the 1980 model year and they expected you to adjust them with the engine running . Don't sweat doing it that way . BTW : when you're looking through tool sales , new or used , look for "stepped" feeler gauges , they have the tips ground a couple thousandths thinner than the inner portion of the blades and this allows you to work much faster and more accurately too . Have a new Rocker Box gasket on hand before you begin . Enjoy your truck ! .
Andy, Ken & Nate Thank you guys!!!!!!!! This is great. I have had my truck for about 31/2 years now and try to do as much work on it as possible. I am by no means a mechanic but I learn best by doing. You guys are great for responding so fast. I actually logged back on to take another look at a post I read earlier and saw that I already had answers. I just hope that I don't ask too many stupid questions. I printed out the valve adjustment by Nathan and will now have something to do in the next few days. I pulled my truck out the garage yesterday and attempted to drive it around the corner. I got only about 10 houses away and in second gear when it stalled on me and in trying to restart it drained my battery. Had to have my dad tow it back home. What else was I going to do on a Saturday night anyway....... ps i will try to send pics next time.
One quick question. After reading Nathans valve adjustment procedures. He mentions at the end of his procedure that if your engine has hydrolic lifters, which I believe mine doe's that you adjust them to zero lash and then give a quarter turn. Is zero lash when the screw touches the rod and there is no gap (so I don't need to use a feeler guage and adjust to .006" and .018") or is zero lash when you can not spin the rod? Thanks again guys!
Yes BUT ...Even if your engine has hydraulic lifters (few do) it'll make some noise . To test : set any cylinder to TDC and adjust the tappet to zero lash ~ now tighten the adjuster screw one full turn (360°) whilst closely watching the _valve_ ~ if it goes down , even a tiny bit , you don't have hydraulic lifters . Look in garage sales for an old Dwell / Tachometer , it'll be cheap and can be used to make sure your old truck runs tip - top like Generous Motors Corp designed it to . As far as your stalling problem , never trust the fuel gauge below 1/4 tank (if at all) ~ disconnect the fuel pump's _inlet_ line and observe the fuel that should come _gushing_ out in a stream as big around as the diameter of the pipe ~ if only a dribble or weak stream, there' crud in the tank outlet , if can be carefully unscrewed and cleaned .
Tune Up Not a problem . As you'll soon see , these guys know everything about your old truck and are anxious to share. Parts too , they know where to get 'em . Really good detailed tune up info has been posted , look up ' tune Up ' , ' Distributor " " Dizzy " " Dwell " , ' Ignition Timing " and so on... it's all very simple on these trucks and makes a HUGE differance .
Thanks Nate, I will seach these topics. This site is really cool. I am glad I found it. I knew there were guys out there that knew these trucks like the back of there hands I just needed to find them. Scotty
Scotty, I feel the same way! You said a mouthful there! I feel the same way every time I log in. We have a lot of fun here, we joke around, but there's a lot of knowledge to be gained on this site. Enjoy it and learn all you can. I've learned alot here and hope that I give and teach a little on the way!
