I did a head swap a few weeks ago, and just now realized that I never moved my motor to TDC before I torqued the rockers tight. I just just left the motor in the position it was in and torqued to specs.

My question is should I remove the valve cover and plugs and turn the motor to TDC and re torque? Or should I let it be. I do hear what sounds like tapping at very high RPM, almost like a diesel engine if you will.

Any info would be great s I dont want to screw up my brand new head and at this point solid motor....

 

No one has any input or is everyone at work...

 

I honestly dont know how it being on top dead center would make a difference in tourqe. I just swapped my head and pretty sure I did not do it at TDC. I did however have a collapsed lifter that fails to pump back up so...I am gonna have to remove the head again to replace the lifters. If you are worried about one being loose just take the valve cover back off and recheck them and then feel for any loose rockers that could indicate at failing lifter.

 

I think I am going to go to Napa and get a new set of rockers, I think it was around $60 for all new lifters. That way I know they are good and I can get them where they need to be then.
The small noise I am hearing is all that has me worried now. Wonder if i over tightened one or under tightened one. Dont want to mess up my block.

 

the head has to come back off to replace the lifters

 

My bad, I meant rockers, new rockers from Napa....lol.

 

I believe the only reason to torque while at TDC is to make sure there is no valve spring pressure on the rocker shaft which could skew your torque readings. It's not much trouble to take the cover off, move to TDC and re-check the torques as a double check. I doubt in reality it would make a huge difference in your readings.

 

I think Ill hit that this weekend, I just want to make sure either Im not over or under torque, did that once before on a Camaro, and the rockers knocked the seats out of the head, I was hoping it wouldn't be that way but I guess its better to be safe than sorry.

 

Chances are, you haven't done anything wrong. As a matter of principle, I'll move the crank around so I'm torquing rockers with the valves closed (I'm just funny that way,) but I don't think it's in the manual. Then again, a lot of the stuff I do isn't in the manual (four-stage torquing of head screws, for instance.)

Torque is 19-21 pound-feet, no lash adjustment. And, you wouldn't screw up the head anyhow, unless you did something egregiously wrong...

 

Good to know, I got it to the right ft/lbs just was seriously worried about it, but with no valve lash I should be good to go then. Now i can just focus on paint.

 

Yah - it's not a Chevvy or a Ford, the lash is self-correcting (and actually does a good job of it!) As I said, what I do isn't in the manual, but I'm cranky.

"I don't care how many jumps you have. Until you've gone out the door at six hundred feet, in total darkness, with sixty pounds of parachute and ninety pounds of gear, you're still a leg!"

"Airborne leads the way!"

(USAF/SOC, 1989-1995, ABN & MFF qualified.)

 

Thanks you fellow paratrooper, I guess I will just wait and maybe do it when and if I toss new rockers in it.

 

"If and when" will be just fine for timing - most people I know just throw them on, torque them, and go like hat for a number of years.

I'm just cranky. That, and attention to detail has had much to do with the continuation of my existence - so it's a habit I'm not about to break.

 

I like that saying you have , I wish my girlfriend would understand that. lol

 

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