Inliners International Forums General Discussion Engines 261 valve train geometry questions-HELP LOL

ok so this engine is finally coming together and I am getting ready to break it in-and pretty terrified about it. So, question is this, it is a later model 261 58-62, I had the head decked 50 thousandths, turns out the guy that did the 7 angle intake valve job, and 5 angle exhaust valve job with porting and polishing-the head looks great by the way! Well it turns out that he only seated the intakes 30-35 thousandths and I am concerned about intake valve to piston clearance issues with my cam-specs below. Well since the head was decked 50, and the valves seated 30-35, and the valves were tipped to go with it- I need to check that value. But I am really worried about the geometry, the whole head (rockers/valves) moved down 50 in relation to push rods, and then there's this valve to rocker difference of 15-20 thousandths. So should I shim the towers 50 and then use lash caps to fill the difference, or just shim the towers 15-20 to correct valve to rocker geometry-I think multiple things might have to happen to order to fix this unless its no biggie, So all you gurus out on here that know this rocker stuff, I really hope ya guys could help me figure this out for sake of mind so that I can find the best set up for this engine so something does not blow up lol. If cam specs are necessary to know its a delta 3/4 (I know that's kinda vague and Archean lol) I think its 268 mechanical, .455....458? intake and .475 exhaust, thanks in advance guys
Oh and the block was not surfaced or cut on rebuild.

oh and since I am at it what kind of oil should i use to break this motor in, I have the nice brush on stuff that's pink all over the cam lobes, I am gonna prime it before firing with a drill in the oil pump, and I think I might dip the tips of the rockers in lucas additive sticky stuff unless that's a bad idea? I am definitely gonna use an oil that has ZDDP in it like valvoline VR1 racing oil-still has the additives in it-it even says it on the back of the bottle! But what grade of oil should I use, patricks in arizona a few years back told me 20w-50 "cuz it takes a whoppin in the first 20 minutes" but that seems really heavy for an engine that has tight clearances from the rebuild, what ya guys think?

Not sure about your geometry. I like to use GM EOS for startup of a new engine. 1 jug dumped in with the oil you will run.

Go back to the old way of hand turning one cylinder valve train with clay on the piston top. See what indentation shows up on the clay. It's simplistic and not overly accurate, but it'll give you a general idea of valve to piston clearance before your start up. I used 30 weight on start up, but made sure I had primed the engine first.

First you need to check the rocker to valve stem contact.Rotate the engine slowly while watching the rocker on the valve tip,it "wipes" back and forth on the stem. Ideally it should be as centered as possible,I bet it's fine.Then there's how much the rocker travels from under center to over center as lifts and closes the valve.Don't worry about it so long as the contact on the stem is ok unless you like a lot of fussing around.
Intake valve clearance check? Been discussed in great detail on every performance website and book.....Is the head torqued down and you didn't check it? Well,the following will work if you're careful...pull the an intake valve spring using the compress air trick...put a spring clamp on the valve stem right up against the stem seal,you are using positive seals,yes? release air pressure,then gently move valve down the the minimum valve to piston clearance,.080 or so. Then slowly rotate the engine a few turns while watching the valve stem.No contact? good to go.
Less work is just redcing the intake lash to zero plus tightening it .080 and rotate the engine very carefully.This can be a bit tricky on a fresh a bit stiff to rotate engine because valve heads can bend easy.Or just pull the head and do it with clay.
I use Comp Cams break in oil available in several grades.About 6 bucks a quart from places like Summit Racing online.Some engine shops and parts stores locally sell Brad Penn hi zinc oils.
Good luck and just start the damn thing

the head decked 50 thousandths
he only seated the intakes 30-35 thousandths Meaning, sunk the seats .030"?
I am concerned about intake valve to piston clearance
Yes, it's going to be tight. It won't be the difference between the old and new lift because the overlap lift is very different.
the valves were tipped Meaning he shortened the stem tips by .030" also?

The new lift alone requires a minor adjustment: the valve-side lever must begin higher by 1/2 the lift change, or about .025" on the intakes. This is much less (duh, typo1) than any lash cap thickness, which begin at about .050".
Shimming the rocker stands is going the wrong way.
The mill alone requires no adjustment, unless you run out of pushrod adjustment, and then the fix is a new pushrod.
If the valves have been sunk by .030", deduct that amount from the height correction above. If the stems are shorter, that adds to the correction.
As you see, some of these things cancel each other out, and some are small enough to work as-is.
Confirm questions above?

ok so most of this does make me feel better, lol it has been like 3 years since I rebuilt the short block, but I just finished college and now its time to get back to the ol tank, I am going to run higher zinc/ZDDP to any oil I use to break it in no probs there, I am more interested in what GRADE of oil I should use that would be most appropriate for a break in, so is 10W-40 better, 15w-40, straight 40, 20w-50? I just don't know if thicker is better or thinner for a break in is all lol. As it turns out I called Delta and I guess I am getting cam specs all messed up lol, its a 264 mechanical with .450 at the intake, and .470 on the exhaust, at least that's what the guy said, I thought it was a 268 but I guess I was just dreamin, at least that helps on the cam duration to assist valve to piston clearance right lol, thanks for everything thus far guys. Oh and I do not have the head on yet, guess I can do a clay trick, but I would have to trash a good head gasket just to find out right, take it back apart, check, then use a new head gasket?

The head gasket only crushes about .005...Just lay on the head and snug up a few bolts,all that's needed,gasket is still good to go.
I just started my 261 build a few weeks ago and I used 10-30 Comp Cams break in oil.This engine has forged pistons,bearings,.005 wall clearance , .002 on rods and .025 on the mains.Oil pressure is fine,pistons are quiet...Once it gets a few hundred miles I'll use a slightly heavier oil.

holy moly update time, ok after about 5 straight hours of cylinder head mock up, and lifters-valve train etc. So on initial hand turning to check clearance between intake valve and pistons, so I roll it over by hand and I hit some bind-freaked me out so I thought it was getting jammed up with intake valve smacking piston, but after backing off the intake valves to try again to try and verify if it was the intakes, my rational being if theres hardly any lift due to lots of clearance by loosening them then this would confirm it-but it didnt seem to help, bind still occured. After much cussing and throwing shop towels (im still in my 20's, it happens lol) So then I figured why not pull the head again to check the clay that was in there, seemed ok, hard to decipher but it wasnt crushed flat, so I said forget about it and pulled the head and rolled it by hand again-Worst fears realized, whatever it is its in the bottom end, any ideas what could hit anything else? after the head was removed I got it to pass the bind, but it still does it about every one rotation I figure-is it a counter weight rubbing/touching the oil pump maybe? Kinda lost here, sorry if it sounds like I am rambling just kinda PO'd at the moment and losin interest in this thang lol

The first thing I would look at is if it stops in the same position rotated either way, and if there is more than 1 stopping point.
It could be as simple as a rag left somewhere, a screw between the cam gears, etc.
If inconclusive, back off all the rockers as far as possible to remove lash and coil bind as variables.

yeah I totally removed the head after all this and it still does it at the same point in rotation but only at that one point, so I was figuring maybe oil pump interference but IDK im going to have to pull the oil pan.......again, but now in the truck.....I hate this thing lol