Inliners International Forums General Discussion MOPAR valve adjustment with engine cold

Right. It's been awhile, and I'm now faced with a task that amazingly, I've never performed before, considering how many years that I've owned my '49 Wayfarer Coupe.

I asked one member (thanks Pete) about this via email, and he's never done it either, so I'm hoping to get info from some of the more experienced members here.

Valve adjustment. I have a factory shop manual which specifies that valves are to be adjusted with the engine warmed up and running. They are set to .008 thou for the intake and .010 for the exhaust, with a couple of extra thou added for extensive high speed use.
My problem is that with those fenton headers on there, I can't easily get at the tappet boxes without taking both the intake manifold and the exhaust headers off. This precludes both warming up the engine, and adjusting the valves while it's running.
My questions are:
#1 how much extra clearance should I allow for expansion when setting the valves cold, and...
#2 How the HECK do you adjust valves in a running engine when you have to set them to a specified clearance using feeler guages? Is one just supposed to guess at it? Do you stick the feeler in and out really-really fast? What?

Thanks for any help offered.

del? hudson? are you guys still hanging out here?
Hudson, I have a spare engine that I'd like to really work over. Is there any chance of sending the crankshaft to you (+$$$, of course) for a reworking of the oilways per your high rpm tractor pull engine? Let me know.

[This message has been edited by carlo (edited 11-21-2003).]

Carlo;
Post your valve adjusting question on the P-15, D-24 forum. http://merc583.addr.com/cgi-bin/webbbs/webbbs_config.pl?#33855

There are lots of folks there who have done it and can give you all the details.
Don Coatney

Thanks Don. I think I'm signed up over there, but it's been awhile, and I've got a new computer since I was last there. I'll have to recover my password.

Hi Carlo,
I am able to adjust the valves on my 48 Plymouth with the Fentons in place. Remove the right front wheel and the inner fender panel. You will then be able to work straight at the side covers and adjusters. I warm mine up a bit and let the manifolds cool off a little before I get in there. I then adjust the valves by turning the engine over by hand (remove the spark plugs). You can adjust valves with the engine running by sticking the feeler gauge in between the valve and the adjuster. It will go and can be moved in and out as the valve moves and clearance is obtained and taken up. Kind of jurkie, but you get used to it. Just wait until you try to get the wrenches on a moving tappet! It's just too hot that way for me, so I just leave an extra thousands or two for expansion.
Jim

Hello, Here is a something I have done over the years with just about every concievable motor combination.----warm the motor to operating temp and set one Intake and one Exhaust to specs( perferrably two that are easy to get to) then the let the motor go cold and check the clearance on those two valves. Presto!! You now have your cold valve setting for your given block and head combination. Of course on the flat motors the head being made from aluminum would not effect the valve setting but this will still get you a cold valve setting that will work time and time again for that motor. Maybe this will help--Paul