BASIC VALVE ADJUSTMENT TIPS FOR STOCK TO HIGH PERFORMANCE APPLICATIONS:
BACK IN THE DAY WHEN DINAUSAURS ROAMED THE AUTOMOTIVE EARTH....
A DESCRIPTION FOR THE EARLY DAYS OF AUTOMOTIVE RACING ENGINES.
THE CAMS USED HAD VERY SMALL LIFT AND DURATION SPECIFICATIONS THAT EVEN WHEN YOU MISSED THE ADJUSTMENTS BY A MILE.......?
IT PROBABLY DID VERY LITTLE DAMAGE OR DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THE ENGINES BACK THEN WAS CRUDE AND INEFFICIENT AND OF ALL THINGS LOW ON POWER THAT IT CAN NO WAY HURT ITSELF!
ENGINES FROM THE EARLY DAYS BASICALLY WALKED A MILE LIKE A CAMEL AND TODAYS ENGINES RUN LIKE A BANSHEE ON STEROIDS!
FAST AND FURIOUS THEY SAY AND IN THE REALM OF HIGH SPEEDS?
IT IS TOTAL DESTRUCTION WHEN IT FAILS AT TODAYS HYPER RPM's!
SO WE START HERE WITH THE BASICS AND EXPLAIN IT THROUGH.
OLD TIMERS LIKE TO SAY THAT WHEN YOU ADJUST THE VALVE CLEARANCES OR JUST PLAIN ADJUSTING THE VALVES?
DO IT ON THE "COMPRESSION CYCLE" OF THE ENGINE AND HOPEFULLY ON TOP DEAD CENTER ON THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS IS CORRECT AND HAS BEEN THE NORM FOR MANY YEARS AND HAS BEEN TROUBLE FREE FOR MOST OF US.
THE COMPRESSION CYCLE HAPPENS WHEN BOTH INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES ARE CLOSED & LOOKING AT THE VIBRATION DAMPENER IT SHOULD READ CLOSE TO OR @ "TDC".
(however very few people actually look at the timing mark and just stare at the valves when both are closed then they proceed with the check)
THIS IS THE POSITION TO START CHECKING YOUR ADJUSTMENT SPECIFICATIONS AND IT IS AS FOOLPROOF A WAY TO AVOID PROBLEMS!
PROBLEMS?
YES! AFTER THIS INITIAL POSITION IS WHERE A LOT OF US INCLUDING "I" IN THE EARLY DAYS OF MY BACKYARD ENGINEERING DEGREE FROM THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS THAT CONFUSES ALL OF US.......
IT IS STATED THAT TO LOOK FOR THE NEXT CYLINDER TO GO ON THE COMPRESSION CYCLE AND THIS IS CORRECT!
HOWEVER, LOOKING FOR THIS GUYS IS LIKE LOOKING FOR THE GUY THAT STOLE YOUR WALLET IN A CROWDED ROOM FULL OF VALVETRAIN GOODIES.
WHEN YOU SPOT THE INTAKE VALVE CLOSING AS WELL AS THE EXHAUST IT IS A GOOD START AND YOU KNOW YOUR CLOSE AS LONG AS IT IS AT "TDC" COMPRESSION CYCLE !
TDC WHEN IT IS NOT MARKED WILL THROW YOU OFF BECAUSE I SEE SOME GUYS WAY OFF FROM THIS POSITION AND GET AWAY WITH THIS BUT,
ITS DEFINITELY A DISASTER IF YOU HAVE SOME KIND OF PERFORMANCE CAMS WHERE THE CAM LIFT RAMPS STARTS EARLIER AND HAVE A MUCH MORE AGRESSIVE PROFILE AND YOU MAY THINK YOUR ON THE BASE CIRCLE OF THE CAMS?
BUT THE TRUTH IS YOU ARE PROABLY AT THE BASE OF THE LIFT RAMP!
MISADJUSTMENT IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY AND IF YOU HAVE AN 8 CYLINDER? OR EVEN A 4 CYLINDER YOUR ON WAY TO TOTALLY SCREW THINGS UP......
BEFORE WE PROCEED LET ME WARN EVERYONE TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT AT THE "OVERLAP CYCLE" (both intake and exhaust valves seems like they are closed but in reality they are not!)
AND I HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN AND IT WILL NOT WORK NO MATTER HOW ACCURATE YOUR LASH ADJUSTMENT CAN BE...
AVOID THE CONFUSION:
WE KNOW THAT ON A 4 STROKE ENGINE EACH 720* DEGREES OF ROTATION COMPLETES THE WHOLE 4 "OTTO" CYCLES. THEREFORE WE DIVIDE 720 BY 8 CYLINDERS=90*
NOW WE ALL KNOW THAT CONVENTIONAL V-8 ENGINES FIRES EVERY 90* ON THE CRANKSHAFT STARTING WITH #1.
TAKING NOTE OF THIS POSITION MAKE A BRIGHT PAINTED MARK AT "TDC" THAT WILL BE CLEARLY VISIBLE TO THE EYE....
ROTATE THE CRANKSHAFT EXACTLY OR CLOSE TO THE NEXT 90* DEGREES AND MARK THIS POSITION ON THE TIMING TAB ON THE BLOCK ADJACENT TO THE VIBRATION DAMPENER.
ROTATE AGAIN TO THE NEXT 90* AND DO THE SAME WITH THIS.
REPEAT THIS PROCEDURE TO THE NEXT 90* AND CONTINUE THIS UNTIL YOU END UP AT THE ORIGINAL "TDC" MARK AND MAKE SURE YOUR SPACED EVENLY APART TO HAVE SOME SEMBLANCE OF ACCURACY IN THE POSITIONS AS MARKED!
WHEN DONE THIS POSTIONS ARE NORTH-SOUTH-EAST & WEST.
THE REASON FOR THIS INTRUCTION IS TO AVOID ANY ERRORS WHEN ADJUSTING THE VALVES.
THE FIRING ORDER HAS TO BE FOLLOWED STARTING WITH #1 AND PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT ORDER OF IGNITION SEQUENCE AND ALIGNING TO THE NEXT 90* AND ADJUSTING # 3 IF THIS IS NEXT TO BE FIRED>WILL GUARANTEE TDC OR CLOSE TO THIS, JUST MAKE SURE YOUR NOT @ OVERLAP ON SOME OTHER CYLINDER THINKING IT IS ON COMPRESSION!
PROCEED TO THE "NEXT" FIRING SEQUENCE AND LOOKING AT THE DAMPENER FOR THE NEXT 90* MARK AND THIS IS THE SIMPLEST TROUBLE FREE WAY OF DOING THIS. THIS IS AS FOOLPROOF AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN ADJUSTMENTS DONE ON SUPPOSEDLY TDC-COMPRESSION AND IT WAS TDC "OVERLAP"!
TO APPLY THIS PROCESS TO A 4 CYLINDER USE 720* DIVIDED BY 4 = 180*
STARTING WITH THE FACTORY MARK OF "TDC", ROTATE 180* AND MARK CORRESPONDINGLY AND FOLLOW THE NEXT IN THE ORDER OF FIRING SEQUENCE AND ADJUST THE VALVES ON THAT CYLINDER! THE NEXT OR THIRD FIRING ORDER WILL LAND ON THE ORIGINAL FACTORY TDC MARK AND ADJUST THE NEXT ORDER OF CYLINDER ON THE NEXT FIRING SEQUENCE...
OTHER SIMPLER METHOD IS TO LOOK AT THE DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR AND IF ITS POINTED AT A CERTAIN CYLINDER ADJUST THIS!
VALVE ADJUSTMENTS ON FULL RACE CAMSHAFTS:
ICEO:
I ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS WORDS WHEN ADJUSTING VALVES> I CEE E OH!
THE DEFINITION MEANS
"INTAKE- CLOSING" IC
"EXHAUST-OPENING" EO
THIS AT FIRST IS SOMEWHAT CONFUSING UNTIL I FOUND A WAY TO SIMPLY REMEMBER IT WITH THE SAYING> I CEE E OH!
THE REASON FOR THIS IS WHEN THE CRANKSHAFT DAMPENER IS NEITHER DIVIDED AND MARK AS ABOVE OR IF YOUR ASKED TO ADJUST AN UNKNOWN ENGINE WITH A HUMONGOUS LIFT OR GIANT CAMSHAFT?
USING THE COMPRESSION METHOD IS A SURE WAY TO LOOSE POWER AND OR A MISADJUSTED VALVETRAIN CAN DO DAMAGED TO YOUR ENGINE & REPUTATION!
LONG DURATION AND HIGH LIFTS HAVE AGRESSIVE RAMP RATES AND IF YOUR SLIGHTLY OFF YOUR MARK YOU ARE DEFINITELY ON THE OPENING RAMP OR THE CLOSING PART OF THE LOBE LIFT AND ADJUSTING HERE INSTEAD OF THE BASE CIRCLE OF THE CAM IS A RECIPE FOR FAILURE AND ON THE MINIMUM A LOSS OF POWER.
THE ICEO METHOD GUARANTEES THAT YOU ARE ON THE REVERSE OF THE LOBE LIFT WHEN YOU ARE ADJUSTING IT! PLEASE FOLLOW CLOSELY THIS STEPS AND YOU WILL BE AWARDED A PROPERLY ADJUSTED VALVETRAIN WITH MINIMAL ERROR......
INTAKE "VALVE" IS CLOSING "IC"
+WHEN THE INTAKE VALVE STARTS TO CLOSE BACK DOWN ADJUST THE >EXHAUST VALVES!
EXHAUST "VALVE" IS OPENING "EO"
WHEN THE EXHAUST VALVE STARTS TO OPEN
>ADJUST THE INTAKE VALVE!
THIS SEQUENCE IS TO BE FOLLOWED TO HAVE ACCURACY IN ADJUSTMENTS AND IF IT IS WITH A SPECIFIED CLEARANCE LASH OR ZERO LASH ADJUSTMENT SHOULD FOLLOW FACTORY RECOMMENDATIONS.
DOING IT THIS WAY WOULD MINIMIZE ERRORS AND UTILIZING THIS TECHNIQUE I MAKE SURE CUSTOMERS OF MINE KNOW THIS TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN THE CLEARANCE LEVEL OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ENGINES FROM MILD TO WILD !
THE TEMPERATURE FACTOR:
ALL CAMSHAFTS HAVE INFORMATION AND GIVES TEMPERATURE SPECIFICATIONS FOR "HOT" OR "COLD" ADJUSTMENTS.
THIS "MUST" BE FOLLOWED AND NOTED TO PREVENT LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VALVETRAIN AT EXTREME RPMS AND OR VERY HIGH LIFTS!
THE REASON I STRESS THIS IS I SEE THIS NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAS CONTRIBUTED SGNIFICANTLY ON CAM/VALVETRAIN FAILURES MORE THAN I CAN COUNT!
ONE EXAMPLE I WILL GIVE YOU HERE IS AN OLD CUSTOMER OF MINE WHO WANTED TO STEP UP INTO THE BIG LEAGUES CONTRARY TO MY ADVISE AND WARNING THAT HE IS NOWHERE READY FOR THIS LEVEL OF COMPETITION....
HIS "CONFIDENCE" IN HIS ABILITIES HAS RESULTED IN NUMEROUS ENGINE FAILURES FROM ENGINES BUILT BY THE BEST RACING ENGINE SHOP HERE IN THE USA.
HE CAN NO MORE THAN DO 2 TO 3 PASSES PER ENGINE AND THE DOG-GONE THING WILL JUST COME APART FASTER THAN A PORN STAR CAN TAKE OFF HER CLOTHES....BUDDY! ITS TIME TO PAY THE BIG BUCKS FOR ANOTHER ENGINE!
UPON GETTING THE NEXT HIGH DOLLAR RACING ENGINE, I TOOK THE TIME TO WATCH WHAT WAS GOING ON....AND WHAT I SAW WAS EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT.
MISADJUSTED VALVES!!! GRENADING THE BEST PARTS MONEY CAN BUY....
MISADJUSTED VALVES = FAILURE!
WHEN IT IS TOO TIGHT OR TOO LOOSE?
BOTH CAN OR WILL DAMAGED YOUR ENGINE. THE CUSTOMER ABOVE FULL OF CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITIES WAS CORRECT IN HIS SEQUENCE OF ADJUSTMENTS....ITS JUST THAT HE WAS AT THE "WRONG" TEMPERATURE!
CAMSHAFTS THAT HAS LIFTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF .950 OF AN INCH REQUIRES UNDIVIDED ATTENTION ON CLEARANCES. THIS INDIVIDUAL WILL MAKE A PASS AND COME BACK TO THE PITS, SNUGGLE WITH THE TROPHY GIRLS AND SHOOT THE BREEZE> TALKING AND EVENTUALLY 15-20 MINUTES LATER STARTS TO CHECK THE LASH ADJUSTMENTS......
I DO KNOW THIS IS WHEN YOU CHECK THE CLEARANCES "IMMEDIATELY" AFTER A RUN?
AND PAYING ATTENTION TO THE TEMPERATURE @ THE MOMENT AND MAKING SURE IT STAYS "HOT" WHEN YOU ARE CHECKING & ADJUSTING ?
IS THE CORRECT PROCEDURE!!!
ON A TYPICAL V-8 WHEN IM DONE WITH 1 SIDE OR AT ANY MOMENT THE TEMP. DROPS LOWER?
I CLOSE UP AND REFIRE THE ENGINE TO BRING BACK TO MY CHECKING TEMPERATURE! REMEMBER THAT WHILE YOUR ADJUSTING AND ROTATING THE ENGINE GETS COOLED DOWN IN THE PROCESS...
(i make absolutely sure that they know and follow this procedure or else i am not releasing the engine to them @ the track!)
MANY TIMES THE EXAMPLES ABOVE IS WHEN THEY PROCEED TO ADJUST AND NEVER "RE-FIRING" OR NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN A TIGHT CLEARANCE AND UNKNOWINGLY LOOSENS HIS CLEARANCES THINKING IT IS RIGHT!
AND WHEN HE FIRES UP ON THE STARTING LINE AND GETS UP TO OPERATING TEMP?
HIS CLEARANCES WILL GET REAL WIDE!
TOO "WIDE" AND WILL BOUNCE HIS LIFTERS AND VALVETRAIN CONTROL IS GONE AND DAMAGE WILL RESULT!
THE ONLY EXCEPTION HERE IS IF THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR CLEARANCE IS FOR "COLD" SETTINGS!
TAKE NOTE OF THIS.... EVEN THE BEST PARTS ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR USE BY IDIOTS!
IDIOT PROOFING A DESIGN JUST MAKE FOR MORE AND BETTER IDIOTS !....LOL
(somehow they find a way to screw it up even more!)
ENOUGH FOR THE SMART COMMENTS......
THE REVERSE OF LOOSE CAN ALSO BE AS BAD. A "TIGHT" LASH WILL RESULT IN "BURNED" VALVES.
BECAUSE A BIG PORTION OF THE VALVES COOLING IS TRANSFERRED BY THE VALVES TO THE VALVE SEATS WHEN IT IS IN ITS CLOSE POSITION.
AS A REMINDER, A TIGHT "LASH" WILL CAUSE VALVETRAIN "SURGING" OF THE SPRINGS AND OTHER VALVETRAIN ISSUES MAY SURFACE ITS UGLY HEAD AND ALSO MAY RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC VALVETRAIN / ENGINE FAILURE!
ADJUSTMENTS FOR DOHC AND SOHC ENGINES ARE MUCH SIMPLER BY OBSERVING THE LOBE LIFT POSITION VISIBLE TO THE EYE.
BUT NEVERTHELESS ATTENTION TO A GIVEN TEMPERATURE "HOT'OR "COLD" CLEARANCE LASH SHOULD BE FOLLOWED.
SO WHEN WE CLOSE THIS SEGMENT MAKE SURE "TEMPERATURE" AND THE PROPER AND "CORRECT" LASH IS OBSERVE AND APPLIED "CONSISTENTLY" ON ALL THE VALVES AT ALL TIMES!
GRENADE ARTISTS NEED NOT APPLY MY FRIENDS....RACE SAFE!
BEN ALAMEDA @ PARA TECH, FB, BENALAMEDARACING.COM
Tech. in memory of friend and mentor Charles "DC"
BACK IN THE DAY WHEN DINAUSAURS ROAMED THE AUTOMOTIVE EARTH....
A DESCRIPTION FOR THE EARLY DAYS OF AUTOMOTIVE RACING ENGINES.
THE CAMS USED HAD VERY SMALL LIFT AND DURATION SPECIFICATIONS THAT EVEN WHEN YOU MISSED THE ADJUSTMENTS BY A MILE.......?
IT PROBABLY DID VERY LITTLE DAMAGE OR DIFFERENCE BECAUSE THE ENGINES BACK THEN WAS CRUDE AND INEFFICIENT AND OF ALL THINGS LOW ON POWER THAT IT CAN NO WAY HURT ITSELF!
ENGINES FROM THE EARLY DAYS BASICALLY WALKED A MILE LIKE A CAMEL AND TODAYS ENGINES RUN LIKE A BANSHEE ON STEROIDS!
FAST AND FURIOUS THEY SAY AND IN THE REALM OF HIGH SPEEDS?
IT IS TOTAL DESTRUCTION WHEN IT FAILS AT TODAYS HYPER RPM's!
SO WE START HERE WITH THE BASICS AND EXPLAIN IT THROUGH.
OLD TIMERS LIKE TO SAY THAT WHEN YOU ADJUST THE VALVE CLEARANCES OR JUST PLAIN ADJUSTING THE VALVES?
DO IT ON THE "COMPRESSION CYCLE" OF THE ENGINE AND HOPEFULLY ON TOP DEAD CENTER ON THE CRANKSHAFT. THIS IS CORRECT AND HAS BEEN THE NORM FOR MANY YEARS AND HAS BEEN TROUBLE FREE FOR MOST OF US.
THE COMPRESSION CYCLE HAPPENS WHEN BOTH INTAKE AND EXHAUST VALVES ARE CLOSED & LOOKING AT THE VIBRATION DAMPENER IT SHOULD READ CLOSE TO OR @ "TDC".
(however very few people actually look at the timing mark and just stare at the valves when both are closed then they proceed with the check)
THIS IS THE POSITION TO START CHECKING YOUR ADJUSTMENT SPECIFICATIONS AND IT IS AS FOOLPROOF A WAY TO AVOID PROBLEMS!
PROBLEMS?
YES! AFTER THIS INITIAL POSITION IS WHERE A LOT OF US INCLUDING "I" IN THE EARLY DAYS OF MY BACKYARD ENGINEERING DEGREE FROM THE SCHOOL OF HARD KNOCKS THAT CONFUSES ALL OF US.......
IT IS STATED THAT TO LOOK FOR THE NEXT CYLINDER TO GO ON THE COMPRESSION CYCLE AND THIS IS CORRECT!
HOWEVER, LOOKING FOR THIS GUYS IS LIKE LOOKING FOR THE GUY THAT STOLE YOUR WALLET IN A CROWDED ROOM FULL OF VALVETRAIN GOODIES.
WHEN YOU SPOT THE INTAKE VALVE CLOSING AS WELL AS THE EXHAUST IT IS A GOOD START AND YOU KNOW YOUR CLOSE AS LONG AS IT IS AT "TDC" COMPRESSION CYCLE !
TDC WHEN IT IS NOT MARKED WILL THROW YOU OFF BECAUSE I SEE SOME GUYS WAY OFF FROM THIS POSITION AND GET AWAY WITH THIS BUT,
ITS DEFINITELY A DISASTER IF YOU HAVE SOME KIND OF PERFORMANCE CAMS WHERE THE CAM LIFT RAMPS STARTS EARLIER AND HAVE A MUCH MORE AGRESSIVE PROFILE AND YOU MAY THINK YOUR ON THE BASE CIRCLE OF THE CAMS?
BUT THE TRUTH IS YOU ARE PROABLY AT THE BASE OF THE LIFT RAMP!
MISADJUSTMENT IS THE ORDER OF THE DAY AND IF YOU HAVE AN 8 CYLINDER? OR EVEN A 4 CYLINDER YOUR ON WAY TO TOTALLY SCREW THINGS UP......
BEFORE WE PROCEED LET ME WARN EVERYONE TO MAKE SURE YOU ARE NOT AT THE "OVERLAP CYCLE" (both intake and exhaust valves seems like they are closed but in reality they are not!)
AND I HAVE SEEN THIS HAPPEN AND IT WILL NOT WORK NO MATTER HOW ACCURATE YOUR LASH ADJUSTMENT CAN BE...
AVOID THE CONFUSION:
WE KNOW THAT ON A 4 STROKE ENGINE EACH 720* DEGREES OF ROTATION COMPLETES THE WHOLE 4 "OTTO" CYCLES. THEREFORE WE DIVIDE 720 BY 8 CYLINDERS=90*
NOW WE ALL KNOW THAT CONVENTIONAL V-8 ENGINES FIRES EVERY 90* ON THE CRANKSHAFT STARTING WITH #1.
TAKING NOTE OF THIS POSITION MAKE A BRIGHT PAINTED MARK AT "TDC" THAT WILL BE CLEARLY VISIBLE TO THE EYE....
ROTATE THE CRANKSHAFT EXACTLY OR CLOSE TO THE NEXT 90* DEGREES AND MARK THIS POSITION ON THE TIMING TAB ON THE BLOCK ADJACENT TO THE VIBRATION DAMPENER.
ROTATE AGAIN TO THE NEXT 90* AND DO THE SAME WITH THIS.
REPEAT THIS PROCEDURE TO THE NEXT 90* AND CONTINUE THIS UNTIL YOU END UP AT THE ORIGINAL "TDC" MARK AND MAKE SURE YOUR SPACED EVENLY APART TO HAVE SOME SEMBLANCE OF ACCURACY IN THE POSITIONS AS MARKED!
WHEN DONE THIS POSTIONS ARE NORTH-SOUTH-EAST & WEST.
THE REASON FOR THIS INTRUCTION IS TO AVOID ANY ERRORS WHEN ADJUSTING THE VALVES.
THE FIRING ORDER HAS TO BE FOLLOWED STARTING WITH #1 AND PROCEEDING TO THE NEXT ORDER OF IGNITION SEQUENCE AND ALIGNING TO THE NEXT 90* AND ADJUSTING # 3 IF THIS IS NEXT TO BE FIRED>WILL GUARANTEE TDC OR CLOSE TO THIS, JUST MAKE SURE YOUR NOT @ OVERLAP ON SOME OTHER CYLINDER THINKING IT IS ON COMPRESSION!
PROCEED TO THE "NEXT" FIRING SEQUENCE AND LOOKING AT THE DAMPENER FOR THE NEXT 90* MARK AND THIS IS THE SIMPLEST TROUBLE FREE WAY OF DOING THIS. THIS IS AS FOOLPROOF AS POSSIBLE BECAUSE I HAVE SEEN ADJUSTMENTS DONE ON SUPPOSEDLY TDC-COMPRESSION AND IT WAS TDC "OVERLAP"!
TO APPLY THIS PROCESS TO A 4 CYLINDER USE 720* DIVIDED BY 4 = 180*
STARTING WITH THE FACTORY MARK OF "TDC", ROTATE 180* AND MARK CORRESPONDINGLY AND FOLLOW THE NEXT IN THE ORDER OF FIRING SEQUENCE AND ADJUST THE VALVES ON THAT CYLINDER! THE NEXT OR THIRD FIRING ORDER WILL LAND ON THE ORIGINAL FACTORY TDC MARK AND ADJUST THE NEXT ORDER OF CYLINDER ON THE NEXT FIRING SEQUENCE...
OTHER SIMPLER METHOD IS TO LOOK AT THE DISTRIBUTOR ROTOR AND IF ITS POINTED AT A CERTAIN CYLINDER ADJUST THIS!
VALVE ADJUSTMENTS ON FULL RACE CAMSHAFTS:
ICEO:
I ALWAYS REMEMBER THIS WORDS WHEN ADJUSTING VALVES> I CEE E OH!
THE DEFINITION MEANS
"INTAKE- CLOSING" IC
"EXHAUST-OPENING" EO
THIS AT FIRST IS SOMEWHAT CONFUSING UNTIL I FOUND A WAY TO SIMPLY REMEMBER IT WITH THE SAYING> I CEE E OH!
THE REASON FOR THIS IS WHEN THE CRANKSHAFT DAMPENER IS NEITHER DIVIDED AND MARK AS ABOVE OR IF YOUR ASKED TO ADJUST AN UNKNOWN ENGINE WITH A HUMONGOUS LIFT OR GIANT CAMSHAFT?
USING THE COMPRESSION METHOD IS A SURE WAY TO LOOSE POWER AND OR A MISADJUSTED VALVETRAIN CAN DO DAMAGED TO YOUR ENGINE & REPUTATION!
LONG DURATION AND HIGH LIFTS HAVE AGRESSIVE RAMP RATES AND IF YOUR SLIGHTLY OFF YOUR MARK YOU ARE DEFINITELY ON THE OPENING RAMP OR THE CLOSING PART OF THE LOBE LIFT AND ADJUSTING HERE INSTEAD OF THE BASE CIRCLE OF THE CAM IS A RECIPE FOR FAILURE AND ON THE MINIMUM A LOSS OF POWER.
THE ICEO METHOD GUARANTEES THAT YOU ARE ON THE REVERSE OF THE LOBE LIFT WHEN YOU ARE ADJUSTING IT! PLEASE FOLLOW CLOSELY THIS STEPS AND YOU WILL BE AWARDED A PROPERLY ADJUSTED VALVETRAIN WITH MINIMAL ERROR......
INTAKE "VALVE" IS CLOSING "IC"
+WHEN THE INTAKE VALVE STARTS TO CLOSE BACK DOWN ADJUST THE >EXHAUST VALVES!
EXHAUST "VALVE" IS OPENING "EO"
WHEN THE EXHAUST VALVE STARTS TO OPEN
>ADJUST THE INTAKE VALVE!
THIS SEQUENCE IS TO BE FOLLOWED TO HAVE ACCURACY IN ADJUSTMENTS AND IF IT IS WITH A SPECIFIED CLEARANCE LASH OR ZERO LASH ADJUSTMENT SHOULD FOLLOW FACTORY RECOMMENDATIONS.
DOING IT THIS WAY WOULD MINIMIZE ERRORS AND UTILIZING THIS TECHNIQUE I MAKE SURE CUSTOMERS OF MINE KNOW THIS TO PROPERLY MAINTAIN THE CLEARANCE LEVEL OF THEIR RESPECTIVE ENGINES FROM MILD TO WILD !
THE TEMPERATURE FACTOR:
ALL CAMSHAFTS HAVE INFORMATION AND GIVES TEMPERATURE SPECIFICATIONS FOR "HOT" OR "COLD" ADJUSTMENTS.
THIS "MUST" BE FOLLOWED AND NOTED TO PREVENT LOOSING CONTROL OF THE VALVETRAIN AT EXTREME RPMS AND OR VERY HIGH LIFTS!
THE REASON I STRESS THIS IS I SEE THIS NUMEROUS TIMES AND HAS CONTRIBUTED SGNIFICANTLY ON CAM/VALVETRAIN FAILURES MORE THAN I CAN COUNT!
ONE EXAMPLE I WILL GIVE YOU HERE IS AN OLD CUSTOMER OF MINE WHO WANTED TO STEP UP INTO THE BIG LEAGUES CONTRARY TO MY ADVISE AND WARNING THAT HE IS NOWHERE READY FOR THIS LEVEL OF COMPETITION....
HIS "CONFIDENCE" IN HIS ABILITIES HAS RESULTED IN NUMEROUS ENGINE FAILURES FROM ENGINES BUILT BY THE BEST RACING ENGINE SHOP HERE IN THE USA.
HE CAN NO MORE THAN DO 2 TO 3 PASSES PER ENGINE AND THE DOG-GONE THING WILL JUST COME APART FASTER THAN A PORN STAR CAN TAKE OFF HER CLOTHES....BUDDY! ITS TIME TO PAY THE BIG BUCKS FOR ANOTHER ENGINE!
UPON GETTING THE NEXT HIGH DOLLAR RACING ENGINE, I TOOK THE TIME TO WATCH WHAT WAS GOING ON....AND WHAT I SAW WAS EXACTLY WHAT I THOUGHT.
MISADJUSTED VALVES!!! GRENADING THE BEST PARTS MONEY CAN BUY....
MISADJUSTED VALVES = FAILURE!
WHEN IT IS TOO TIGHT OR TOO LOOSE?
BOTH CAN OR WILL DAMAGED YOUR ENGINE. THE CUSTOMER ABOVE FULL OF CONFIDENCE IN HIS ABILITIES WAS CORRECT IN HIS SEQUENCE OF ADJUSTMENTS....ITS JUST THAT HE WAS AT THE "WRONG" TEMPERATURE!
CAMSHAFTS THAT HAS LIFTS IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD OF .950 OF AN INCH REQUIRES UNDIVIDED ATTENTION ON CLEARANCES. THIS INDIVIDUAL WILL MAKE A PASS AND COME BACK TO THE PITS, SNUGGLE WITH THE TROPHY GIRLS AND SHOOT THE BREEZE> TALKING AND EVENTUALLY 15-20 MINUTES LATER STARTS TO CHECK THE LASH ADJUSTMENTS......
I DO KNOW THIS IS WHEN YOU CHECK THE CLEARANCES "IMMEDIATELY" AFTER A RUN?
AND PAYING ATTENTION TO THE TEMPERATURE @ THE MOMENT AND MAKING SURE IT STAYS "HOT" WHEN YOU ARE CHECKING & ADJUSTING ?
IS THE CORRECT PROCEDURE!!!
ON A TYPICAL V-8 WHEN IM DONE WITH 1 SIDE OR AT ANY MOMENT THE TEMP. DROPS LOWER?
I CLOSE UP AND REFIRE THE ENGINE TO BRING BACK TO MY CHECKING TEMPERATURE! REMEMBER THAT WHILE YOUR ADJUSTING AND ROTATING THE ENGINE GETS COOLED DOWN IN THE PROCESS...
(i make absolutely sure that they know and follow this procedure or else i am not releasing the engine to them @ the track!)
MANY TIMES THE EXAMPLES ABOVE IS WHEN THEY PROCEED TO ADJUST AND NEVER "RE-FIRING" OR NOT PAYING ATTENTION TO THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE. FAILURE TO DO SO WILL RESULT IN A TIGHT CLEARANCE AND UNKNOWINGLY LOOSENS HIS CLEARANCES THINKING IT IS RIGHT!
AND WHEN HE FIRES UP ON THE STARTING LINE AND GETS UP TO OPERATING TEMP?
HIS CLEARANCES WILL GET REAL WIDE!
TOO "WIDE" AND WILL BOUNCE HIS LIFTERS AND VALVETRAIN CONTROL IS GONE AND DAMAGE WILL RESULT!
THE ONLY EXCEPTION HERE IS IF THE SPECIFICATIONS FOR CLEARANCE IS FOR "COLD" SETTINGS!
TAKE NOTE OF THIS.... EVEN THE BEST PARTS ARE NOT DESIGNED FOR USE BY IDIOTS!
IDIOT PROOFING A DESIGN JUST MAKE FOR MORE AND BETTER IDIOTS !....LOL
(somehow they find a way to screw it up even more!)
ENOUGH FOR THE SMART COMMENTS......
THE REVERSE OF LOOSE CAN ALSO BE AS BAD. A "TIGHT" LASH WILL RESULT IN "BURNED" VALVES.
BECAUSE A BIG PORTION OF THE VALVES COOLING IS TRANSFERRED BY THE VALVES TO THE VALVE SEATS WHEN IT IS IN ITS CLOSE POSITION.
AS A REMINDER, A TIGHT "LASH" WILL CAUSE VALVETRAIN "SURGING" OF THE SPRINGS AND OTHER VALVETRAIN ISSUES MAY SURFACE ITS UGLY HEAD AND ALSO MAY RESULT IN CATASTROPHIC VALVETRAIN / ENGINE FAILURE!
ADJUSTMENTS FOR DOHC AND SOHC ENGINES ARE MUCH SIMPLER BY OBSERVING THE LOBE LIFT POSITION VISIBLE TO THE EYE.
BUT NEVERTHELESS ATTENTION TO A GIVEN TEMPERATURE "HOT'OR "COLD" CLEARANCE LASH SHOULD BE FOLLOWED.
SO WHEN WE CLOSE THIS SEGMENT MAKE SURE "TEMPERATURE" AND THE PROPER AND "CORRECT" LASH IS OBSERVE AND APPLIED "CONSISTENTLY" ON ALL THE VALVES AT ALL TIMES!
GRENADE ARTISTS NEED NOT APPLY MY FRIENDS....RACE SAFE!
BEN ALAMEDA @ PARA TECH, FB, BENALAMEDARACING.COM
Tech. in memory of friend and mentor Charles "DC"
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