I am looking to see, on a Stock Cam that has been reground to 250 Lift in a '24 Coupe. What is a good setting for the Valve Lash? I try to search this but see a range of settings. Only mods are,
- High-Vol. Intake with Kingston L4
- "Z" Head
- SS Valves with ADJ Tappets
- Aluminum Pistons
Thanks,
Tom
Hey Tom - I had the same question a while ago and it sure seems like there are a gozillion answers and they are all individually presented as the "right" one. Personally, I'm pretty comfortable with getting them all set anywhere in the .010-.014" range, just pick a number and make them all the same. I think with the SS valves and adjustable tappets you can go as close as .010" and it's not going to hurt anything.
Just do whatever is easiest to get to - if you have a few that are on .012" already then set them all there. Or if they're really big get them all down to .014". I personally am not convinced that it's super critical in the T engine, unless you have a 5 main super engine that's going to be turning 3,000+ rpm. That's just me though.
I would set it at .010. If it is good enough for a Stipe 250, 280, and the 290. It will work with a reground. Your milage may vary.
I set mine at 0.012. The cam was a standard regrind.
Thanks everyone for your response. Forgot to mention that I plan to try the,
"K R Wilson - Method." Would it still be in the .010 to .012 range or should I try a different setting.
Thanks,
Tom
Tom,
I just completed a valve job on my '27 Touring and had the same question as to lash setting. I do not have adjustable tappets so I picked a middle number of 0.0120. The advantage you have is you can re-adjust if necessary, I only had one shot at it. The car is running great.
(Be sure to lap the valves to their seats).
Les Henry in his book called for .008 intake and .012 exhaust. I used that when I installed good original cam shafts with new valves. Cars ran fine with little valve noise.
10 intake and 12 for exhaust. In the olden days they didn't have feeler gages and they had to pull the head, grind the stem, or seat in order to get the correct lash. All lobes were not the same so the piston position system was the best deal going in order to get them all about the same. With a modern accurate grind just set them at 10 and 12 because you have a feeler gage and they didn't.
When I work on a T with adjustable lifters I set them .010" and .012" exhaust.
If they seem noisy I change them to 8&10.
It just happens I am doing the valves part of a rebuild today.
They are reground original lifters so I shoot for 9 and 11 but I will settle for any thing from 8 to 10 on the intakes and 10 to 13 on the exhaust.