valve adjustment

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MSeriesRebuild
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Re: ? for Charles

Post by MSeriesRebuild »

52m37Hal wrote:Charles
In your post above you mention facing the adjusting screw.
Please describe how this is done. Does the head need to be removed or is there another way to access them?
Thanks
Hal
The tappets have to be removed from the block in order to face the screws on a valve grinder. The cam shaft must be removed in order to get the tappets out of their bores. This is a step that should never be overlooked during an engine rebuild. It isn't feasible to remove them unless the cam is out, that's why I gave the procedure for valve adjustment with worn or indented tappet screw faces.
Charles Talbert
www.mseriesrebuild.com
drowe44
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Re: valve adjustment

Post by drowe44 »

When doing the valve adjustment (cold) is here an easier process than the one outlined in the TM (i.e. remove front wheel, inside fender well, etc)? Doing it cold is already much easier than trying to do it with the engine hot and running.

Thanks
just me
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Re: valve adjustment

Post by just me »

Yeah, remove the entire fender and inner fender as a unit. With that and the wheel off, it is very easy to access the valve boxes to make adjustments. It only SOUNDS like a lot of work. It really only takes about 15 minutes to remove the fender assembly.
Support truck and remove wheel.
Open hood and secure
Remove side panel
remove splash shield
unclip wire connectors from inner fender
disconnect headlight and marker lamp wiring
It's seems it was 5 bolts to remove the entire assembly. Been a while since I did it.
Adjust valves
Reverse procedure

Not removing the sheet metal makes it impossible or hours of painful contortion longer to do.
"It may be ugly, but at least it is slow!"
drowe44
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Re: valve adjustment

Post by drowe44 »

Excellent, thanks.
NAM VET
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Re: valve adjustment

Post by NAM VET »

I set my new valves using Charles' cold setting, motor on a stand. My valves make no clicking sound at all. So it must be good.

NV
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Re: valve adjustment

Post by Cal_Gary »

I just finished my valve adjustments this past weekend since we had decent temps, having picked up a bit of chatter since I last did them several years ago. I set them "cold" using this thread for guidance and it seems to have made a big difference. Maybe it's all the 230's but my valve tappets have to be adjusted "just right" or the engine won't want to start, and if it does then it doesn't want to idle. Using the measurements above then sliding the feeler gauge in while running allowed me to tell by the sound if anything was still too loose or too snug. Once that was done it starts easier, has a smooth, steady idle, and seems to have a bit more power.

Oh, and I found yet another demon that was driving me nuts and fixed it. My truck when running has this intermittent ticking sound, at random but only when the truck was running. I thought of the usual stuff-loose valve or something in the water pump, alternator, etc. When doing my valve adjustments I had the engine running and heard the tick again. Not really looking for it I reached over the radiator support to grab a rag and suddenly the ticking stopped! Would you believe it was the doggone hood support rod (w/o boot) that was folded down against the radiator support rod?! As soon as I lifted it up the ticking stopped and never reappeared! Glad it was once more something minor and stupid that was fixed at no cost, and I now have peace of mind that another mystery has been solved!


As always I appreciate these historical posts-more accurate than the TMs that weren't written for 60+ year old trucks, so thanks Everyone for your many contributions!
Gary
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1954 M37 W/W
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NAM VET
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Re: valve adjustment

Post by NAM VET »

I am in the midst of resetting my valve lash after about 600 miles. Truck was running great, just time to see what the run-in had changed. Popped off wires from their holders, tied them up with string (did not unhook anything), splash shield off, jack stand under axle, removed tire, popped off valve covers, and kneeling on a pad, all was visible. But tedious to get to the rear 6, with the PCV line there. Recorded before and after settings, and found intakes were still per Charles or tighter only a thousand or so, exhausts were tighter, some as much as 3K. My valves and springs new, tappet nuts resurfaced by machine shop. Charles puts in 30K spring "washers" to reduce heat-set of the springs. I don't have that. Used both flat and bent tip feeler gages, bought several new sets of both, the NAPA and Craftman's were the same, a cheaper one was a thousand different. I suggest using quality gages. I also found it vital to be sure each valve was fully closed, as if not at TDC for that cylinder, it could vary several thousands. There must be a tiny valve overlap on the cam or something. I have watched video's of checking them hot and running, and can't imagine doing it without the risk of a burn, or hot oil in my face, or trying to use a feeler gage with all the motion.

For my rebuild, I had straightened the tiny bends in my valve covers, used cork gaskets, and had just enough seepage to have some oil film on the side of the block, so I have purchased new OEM covers from a vendor, and OEM rubber gaskets, which seem about the same firmness of the cork ones. Will use a little Permatex #2 on the cover/gasket side, not on the motor side, so won't be hard to pull the covers next time. I had talked with Charles who told me not uncommon for lash to close a bit with run-in, perhaps from the valve settling in on the seats (mine has new exhaust seats, re-cut intakes), if they weren't lapped in with great precision.

I have been away the past week, so haven't been home to close it all up and run it.

I have thought about running the motor to temp, and pulling the covers off to check them hot, motor off, and holding a stethascope by the valves to see if any sound "different" from the others. But I just have this fear that somehow the truck will launch itself off my jackstand and complicate everything. My motor started quickly and ran quietly before so not sure if it will be different now.

all the best for 2018!!

NV
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Re: valve adjustment

Post by keyslammer »

Ok...I am in the same situation that so many of the rest of you have been...splash shield off, valve galley exposed...ready to cold set my valves (some significant 'ticking' when idling back near the #6 cylinder). I have prepared a USEFUL guide based on Charles recommendations. Including the valve order and some basics for non-mechanics (see attached).

One question:
The TM states that the HOT setting for the valves is 0.010 and 0.014", yet the cold settings recommended here are the same or tighter. I am concerned that I might burn a valve with the tighter settings. Is there a history here on how these values were established?

Keep up all the useful posts! GREAT resource for all of us.

73
keyslammer
Attachments
Cold Setting the Valves on a 1953 Dodge M37 Power Wagon.pdf
Updated cold valve adjustment - nod to Charles!
(352.96 KiB) Downloaded 102 times
Last edited by keyslammer on Sat Jan 13, 2018 4:51 pm, edited 1 time in total.
NAM VET
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Re: valve adjustment

Post by NAM VET »

My engine machine ship showed me the shallow circular wear indentation on the adjustor nuts, and he resurfaced them flat before he reinstalled them, and put my valves and springs in my block for me. I don't think you could get them flat just by trying to file them in the block, and besides, there would be a lot of metal getting into the motor.

NV
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