How to adjust valves?

[lazerphreak]

I just got the heads installed and im in the process of installing the valve train. The chilton says I need to adjust the valves. How do i go about doing this? Talk stupid to me please lol. This is a learn as I go project.

1986 Ford F150 302

[curtis73]

No worries. 1986 was a transition year for cam styles. Does your engine use roller lifters or flat? That won't change how you adjust them, but it will change how you prepare and how you run the engine the first time. If its a flat lifter cam, make sure you coat the lobes and the base of the lifters with break-in lube. I prefer the red syrupy kind if you're going to fire it up right away, but if its going to sit for a few weeks, I prefer the greasy, pasty kind. If its a roller cam, then just coat the lifters and lobes with engine oil. Then, once its running, a roller cam doesn't need any break-in procedure, but a flat cam does. Cam lobes get all or most of their oil from the crankshaft slinging oil on them. For that reason, the first 20 minutes of operation, keep the idle up at 1200-1800 rpms. Don't worry about ignition timing or tuning during this part, just get it running and keep the idle up so it gets plenty of oil splashed on the lobes. I also recommend you use an oil additive with what is called ZDDP. Its a Zinc Phosphate compound that adds extra lubrication for cam lobes. Newer oils don't have that ZDDP for emissions reasons, and most newer cars are roller lifters.

So, summary... flat lifters get break-in lube, run for 20 minutes at a fast idle, and use a ZDDP additive. Roller lifters, put oil on them and don't worry about any break-in time or ZDDP.

Is it a stock cam or an aftermarket/performance cam? If its a stock cam, the procedure is just to run the nuts the whole way down and torque them. If its an aftermarket cam or reground stock cam, you'll need locking rocker nuts and the procedure is different.