Mechanic Recommendation in WA???

[Rockdriller]

Originally Posted by AndrewJoey

I agree, but here's where I show my inexperience, what the heck is a valve lash?

It sure is OK to admit ya don't know everything....
That's also known as valve adjustment....(solid lifters)...
A bit too tight and your engine will spit combustion either into the intake manifold or down your exhaust..
Shouldn't be the problem if you're sure nobody has been dinking around under the valve covers.

[Ed Snyder]

Valve lash is simply the clearance between the underside of the rocker arm and the top of the valve stem. To adjust, get the engine warmed up, take the valve covers off, get a wrench to fit the adjusting nuts on top of the rocker arms, and you'll need a feeler gauge. You can turn the nuts with the engine running. The valve lash hot is .012 for the intake valves, and .018 for the exhaust.

[AndrewJoey]

Originally Posted by Rockdriller

It sure is OK to admit ya don't know everything....
That's also known as valve adjustment....(solid lifters)...
A bit too tight and your engine will spit combustion either into the intake manifold or down your exhaust..
Shouldn't be the problem if you're sure nobody has been dinking around under the valve covers.

Ok cool, no one has messed with the valves, I replaced the gaskets and that's it. How do I find and loosen that valve adjustment? Or is this beyond my expertise, I've done ok so far, I need to learn this stuff. Thanks for the advice, that sounds like it might the issue.

[AndrewJoey]

Originally Posted by Ed Snyder

Valve lash is simply the clearance between the underside of the rocker arm and the top of the valve stem. To adjust, get the engine warmed up, take the valve covers off, get a wrench to fit the adjusting nuts on top of the rocker arms, and you'll need a feeler gauge. You can turn the nuts with the engine running. The valve lash hot is .012 for the intake valves, and .018 for the exhaust.

Ok, I may need my father in law to help, but I think I get it actually, I have a feeler gauge, but what difference between the intake valve and the exhaust. Sorry, I appreciate the lesson.

[Rockdriller]

Originally Posted by AndrewJoey

Ok cool, no one has messed with the valves, I replaced the gaskets and that's it. How do I find and loosen that valve adjustment? Or is this beyond my expertise, I've done ok so far, I need to learn this stuff. Thanks for the advice, that sounds like it might the issue.

You're welcome....but if nobody has messed with the rocker adjustment, I can say with a good deal of certainty.....that is probably not the problem.
You may however have a chunk of carbon build-up, causing a valve to hang open a little. This condition can be detected with a compression gauge, and easily remedied if that proves to be the prob.
Or......
It takes patience...
We need more patience....and fewer patients.

Whatever.

[AndrewJoey]

I'll try the compression gauge, thanks.