MTFCA Forum

Can valve clearance on an engine with a modern valves and camshaft be adjusted using a feeler gauge? I don't know exactly which cam my car has, but it is not a stock cam. The engine runs well as-is with no excess valve train noise. The procedure for the setting the valve clearance with the original cam looks like a tedious affair.

Look up information on setting valves by piston position.

A modern, accurately ground cam is set with feeler gauges.
The old method of setting by piston position was to optimize timing with a cam that is very inaccurate & worn. It doesnt apply to modern/new cams. You will unnecessarily lose performance & create more noise in the valve train using the old method.

Adjust all valves to .010 - .012 or set all intakes @ .010 & exhaust @ .012 at the heel position of the cam lobes. Check the valve open & close events with a degree wheel calibrated to TDC. Note the numbers. They should be the same or very close for each cylinder. If way off between any cylinder, you have done a poor adjustment job or you have a poorly ground/worn cam.
I check each cylinder this way on a new motor rebuild. I have found a defective cam or 2. REMEMBER, trust, but verify.
If your valve open/closing events are off a bit, you can tighten/loosen your lifter adjustment to get all events perfect/the same for each cylinder.
Of course, you dont want to have less than .010 valve lash or you risk losing valve seating.

Makes sure that the surface of the push rod where it contacts the valve stem is flat. If not, an erroneous measurement can result.

Art Mirtes

Even if you are going to use a new camshaft and modern valves what is wrong doing the piston position valve setting procedure.... If you want to use the old lifters the newly ground valve stem length will compensate the dip surface of the lifter. Old lifters could be resurfaced flat and reused, here again depending on the clearance between the lifter and the block.

Moxie26 wrote: ↑

Tue Sep 20, 2022 6:14 pm

Even if you are going to use a new camshaft and modern valves what is wrong doing the piston position valve setting procedure.... If you want to use the old lifters the newly ground valve stem length will compensate the dip surface of the lifter. Old lifters could be resurfaced flat and reused, here again depending on the clearance between the lifter and the block.

The new cam is unlikely to match the original timing events. You would be squeezing your timing events of an old, stock cam onto your new one. Your lifter clearances would be all over the place, choking performance.

Why would you want to use old worn lifters on a new cam. Thats like replacing your outer wheel bearings into the old races. Yea, you could potentially regrind both ends of your old lifters & risk going thru the hardness, if not already thru where the valve stem contacts. I wouldnt cheap out on any of the components. You already spent a bunch of money on the new cam, bearings and timing gear.

But, feel free to do this procedure any way you want, your T will likely still maintain 35 mph.

Good luck to you.....