I used a large Isky cam and I was wondering if valve clatter at idle was normal and if so , how loud? Should I go back and readjust the valves? Jeff
I think mine are .018, that would make some noise ,huh? Looks like I need to get some wrenches and do some adjustin.
Bible may not be right for Isky...aftermarket cams oft had different specs from stock. If you don't have Isky paper, post what cam it is here--I and about 50 other people can checkitout in the ISKY Bible, which differs in many ways from the FORD scriptures.
thanks for the specs. That is what I used for the lash, but I have some valve chatter and was wondering if I need to go back and readjust ( maybe I have a couple valves out a little) or is the chatter normal?
I've always ran mine tighter than .018 - on every dang cam I've used. I really don't think it makes much of a difference on who ground the cam - if it is a cast blank, it will probably expand when hot about the same from one vendor to the next. I used to use about .013 on intakes and about .015 on exhausts. If you have the engine nice and hot and can easily/rapidly pull the intake, then you can go about .011 on the intake and .013 on the exhausts. When they're cold, you need to leave a bit more. Just make sure the exhaust is nice and loud . . . makes all valve noise go away!
I prefer to run the lash that the cam manufacturer recomends. Isky says .018 then I will run it. I would like to think they would know whatis right for their products, right? I ran to get pizza for the family tonight ( that is risky, the last time I ran to the store for the family with the hotord, I didnt make it back) and got to thinking that maybe my clatter is possibly the fuel pump? Has anyone had that ? Could it be the push rod? just wondering. by the way how valve clatter should you hear? It is audible, not hammering but you can hear it. Thanks for all the help so far. I was hoping to get an idea IF I have a problem before I tear into it.
I've never used a cam with clearances that large, but flatheads are generally nearly silent in terms of valves. Everything is in an iron box, afterall. If you get in there again, look at valve tips...just pry a couple up and see if you can look with a mirror, perhaps. Maybe either lifter adjust screws or tips of valves are not square to the world...partial contact here is noisy.
i've heard that gapping them a couple thou looser will give you a little more bottom end, and that tighter gaps will give more higher up.
Note that the Isky spec is HOT...give THAT one a try! When you see something like that you have to wonder a bit about who was writing and editing the catalog. I'll see if I can locate an older catalog and if the spec is the same or at least without the HOT designation.
What's with a 5 year old thread? Good luck setting a flatheads valves hot!! The spec sheet says .014 for both. I set mine at .012/.016. Seems fine. Thanks for the spec sheet Ol Deuce!
You can set them hot--- if you can get one of those towering intake manifolds that Ford had as a special tool number. Good luck finding one of those.
I actually have the risers...my flying guess is that no one anywhere ever has tried to use them in an adjustment! Ford actually meant them for diagnosis of weird noises, not adjustment, which would not even have been possible that way on a stocker... But the noise angle is of interest here, since the racket MIGHT be caused by out of square valve tips. Valve chamber is so isolated by heavy metal a real racket is a cause for concern. If things are square, I would believe the clatter means that running tighter gaps would be fine, but of course cautious approach to a good setting is difficult here since considerable work is needed for each adjustment.
I have a 400jr cam set to .016 and sounds good. When I put it together initally it got noisy very fast and one of the adjustables had backed out to .038. Staked threads and put it back together and has stayed quiet for now. The junior has a lot more lift and you have to turn screw out a long ways and the locking thread goes away.
Hot lashing a flathead, hahaha, thats a good one. Make sure you check the blinker fluid when your done.
yeah,setting flathead valves while hot. Maybe warm but not hot. Never could get the manifold off that quick..
Same subject 2 new questions... Read a couple of adjustment directives over the years. Each one was slightly different. Do you adjust these valves.. both intake and exhaust at the compression stage of the valves (closed)? Next question... I have the adjustable valves in my pickup that needed adjusted. Is there a good tool to get into this this tight area that works? I tried the cheap Chinese tool and it wouldn't even turn them without bending.
You can adjust them at any point so long as your on the base circle of the cam and not at any point on the ramp. Best bet is to rotate it till the valve is full open and then rotate the motor till the cam is 180 degrees from full open. this should insure you're on the base circle. That'll work with any motor. I forget the exact procedure for the flat head but you should be able to adjust half the intake and exhaust at one time then rotate the crank 360 and do the other half. Take some old wrenches and grind em down to fit. Just make sure you don't get em too hot or you'll ruin the temper.
There are several wizard formulas on setting the engine to a few selected rotational points and setting a certain combo of valves at each; these are great time savers for the pro mechanic needing to thrash out a job rightdamnnow, but the slow way is easiest for amateur work without great time value. Also the formulas can get screwy with hot cams and lots of overlap... Easy but slow way: Turn engine over with wrench on pulley till the valve is all the way up...turn cam 180, if engine is fully assembled this is 360 at crank. Eyeball measurements are more than adequate on lift and rotation, as you are heading into the middle of a fairly wide base circle. If engine is not fully assembled, you can leave off the cam gear (only 4 bolts) and swing over the cam alone using a big screwdriver/draglink socket tin the distributor drive slot, which will make this job very fast as well as clear and simple. A further tip for those with a crab or 59A distributor: Glue a catfood can to a spare distributor rotor. Paint it white. Each time you line up a valve, draw a sharpy line on the can in line with the little register bar on the distributor and mark it to the valve, as in "#2 intake". Remember tradition here so your written grammar is correct...this would have been written as "2X" and "2N" back in the day. Once you have your catfood rotor marked, in the future you can pop it back on and run your valves quickly and accurately with no need for careful calculating. The crab with catfood can on it actually replicates a common old school tool that was commercially produced... On this engine, the '32-48 distributor shaft is accurately and solidly registered to the cam.
When I was a kid I used to watch my dad do the valves on the older flat head engines that didn't have adjustable lifters (i don't remember the model). He would move the car over close to the valve grinding machine to save steps and then it was check and grind, check and grind. He could do the valves on an old Ford faster than than I could do the ones that had adjustable lifters. Experience at work, he was amazing to watch. Dave.
i had the same problem years ago with that cam because i used the stock ford valves and a set of "standard length" johnson lifters. nowadays chevy valves and/or "extra length" lifters will solve the problem.
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