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Valve adjustment.. no locknuts??


Jim2

Well-Known Member
Joined
Feb 6, 2012
Messages
85
City
Honolulu HI
Vehicle Year
1988
Transmission
Manual
I'm sorry to post this here, but I have a slim chance of getting this Ranger ready for the races tomorrow... 27 hours to go, and I still have a lot to do.

I just changed the heads. I followed the instructions I found on this forum, and they worked great.
Then I got to re-installing the rocker arm.. and the valve adjustment..

I understand the part about "1 1/2 - 1 3/4 turns past zero lash".. but...

Is it normal to not have any locknuts on the tappets?
Also, what's better for racing? 1 1/2 turns, or 1 3/4 turns?

It looks like someone used locktite on the tappets..
Two of my lifter rods are bent.
@ 10 am tomorrow, I should have the replacement lifters in hand.
... that leaves about 4 hours to get everything else buttoned up.

Should I use locktite again, or am I missing some locknuts?

Thanks in advance,

Jim

ps, this is the kind of race I'm talkin about..
http://www.youtube.com/user/Jim1457a?feature=mhum#p/u/15/5fwJuj0NiYc
 
I could be wrong,but every adjustable rocker arm ive ever seen has 2 nuts,i would go to an auto parts store or hardware store and pick up some nuts verses using locktite,but thats just me.i would feel safer considering you race your truck
 

Wow...I took a boo at it and at first thought it was a Friday night sale at Wal-Mart in Uxbridge...lol

Looks like fun though...can't help you with the problem since I've never even seen under the VC of a 2.9...but I know the 2.3 doesn't have any adjustment at all...probably a good thing considering I'm prone to either over or under tighten things...

But if you have a place to put extra nuts like suggested I'd do that...maybe even put a lock washer between them...what I'd do in that case...
 
I agree if the room allows for the use of a lock nut.. do it! I have seen a few engines that dont use one but I also have not ever seen one of these specifically
 
I picked up the lifters this morning, and I showed the guy one of the tappets.
He said it's a locking thread, and it's used on exhaust systems too. You can recognize it by the thin shallow threads. It almost looks like a stripped bolt.
No lock nuts required, but I could use a little bit of blue locktite if I don't trust it. I didn't have blue, so I used a drop of red.

I got the valves done, but didn't get the truck done... didn't get to run today..
But I did get some good vids from the infield, the back stretch was harsh. I'll have some vids posted soon..


Here's a better picture of the tappet
IMG_0586.jpg


The replacement lifter is much heavier than the originals..
IMG_0593.jpg


IMG_0595.jpg
 
I would imagine it dont matter how many turns as long as they are all the same. My guess is with the higher rpms you would lean toward the 1 1/2 so the valves close all the way.
 
I would imagine it dont matter how many turns as long as they are all the same. My guess is with the higher rpms you would lean toward the 1 1/2 so the valves close all the way.

1 1/2 is what I went with. I marked them with a sharpie before the final turns to make sure they're all exactly the same. :icon_thumby:
 
No Lock Nuts.

A)Oddball thread

b)Unique "truncated root" thread to promote self locking

AD
 
No Lock Nuts.

A)Oddball thread

b)Unique "truncated root" thread to promote self locking

AD

I found that, after I cleaned em all up, some were more "self locking " than others. I guess they're getting worn out.

"Finger tight", for most of them, was as soon as the ball was clear of the female thread.
-but some of them went quite a few turns further before a wrench was needed.

I decided not to chance it, and went ahead and put locktite on all of them.. I'll pay the piper later I guess..
 
Baaa adjusting valves is more personal than how many turns. Thats ballpark n yea be ok ish.
 
Baaa adjusting valves is more personal than how many turns. Thats ballpark n yea be ok ish.

??? I'm not sure I understand...

This is the first time I adjusted valves on a truck, but I did my bike a couple times..

Any tips on how to get them better than "ok ish"?

I was tempted to go with 1 3/4 turns, in order to let more air get thru..
..but I went with 1 1/2 turns because it seemed less likely to break that way.

It's always a battle of attrition out there, and traction is more important than maximum horsepower anyway..
 
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