1965 Barracuda with 273

[lcraig5]

I have a 1965 Barracuda with a 273. I changed from solid lifters to hydrolic lifters. I need to know the adjustment sequence for the valves.

[maxwedge]

Did you change the rocker arms to non adjustable hydraulic rockers? I would assume not if you are asking the question, again what do you mean by sequence, this process is not the same as a solid lifter set up.

[buddieboy]

Originally Posted by lcraig5

I have a 1965 Barracuda with a 273. I changed from solid lifters to hydrolic lifters. I need to know the adjustment sequence for the valves.

wait a minit aint a 273 and a 318 got non adjustable stamped rockers how will you adjust them the only adjustmet is the installed height set at the head shop by milling or if you got a solid cam you might check its lash on the base circle of the cam with a 10 thousanths feeler guage simpli check the cylinders that are near between the position on the distributor roters direction ie look at the roter then set the cylinder thats its pointing to in the nomal distributor installed position thats obvious aside from that if a pistons on the compresion stroke(at top) the cam will have the right position to set the valves

[MN_Max]

Originally Posted by lcraig5

I have a 1965 Barracuda with a 273. I changed from solid lifters to hydrolic lifters. I need to know the adjustment sequence for the valves.

Pick a cylinder and with a remote starter switch bump the motor over and watch the rockers.
When the intake goes all the way open and almost closed, set that cyl. exhaust valve.
When the exhaust valve begins to open, set the intake.

For hydraulic lifters, I back off the adjustment until I can spin the pushrod freely between my fingers. Slowly tighten the adjustment until you can't spin the pushrod any longer, then tighten the rocker 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn more.

When you changed from solids to hyd., did you change the camshaft too?

When I was a kid, we would scour the junkyards for 273 rockers because they were adjustable.

[buddieboy]

a few pointers for adjustable rockers in general DO THIS TO SET USED ROCKER SETS WITH USED TAPPETS...
1 look at the rockers are the same number of threads aparent when you count the theads above the adj nut it means something so also watch the rocker to see if it moves as much as the average rockers motion! compare all them while the motors runing ,one not bumping could be a bad cam ...
lots of pushrods spin at a certain rate some with pushrods not spinning indicate lifter wear if all the rest rods are spinning ?( Roller roller cams dont spin pushrods ok?? just regular cams do)
when listening to a running engine (PAN ON)use a wood toilet plunger handle. touched to the top of the valve pan area above each rocker put your ear on the round end of the wood stick listen loud ones will be louder"
use your thumb when the motor is to be set while running dont over tighten a used set of rocers and tappets or you will mess up much the engine"
if you have like one or two loud rockers it might be wear so inspect but it might be tightenable a small amount say 1/4 turn if your tightening it like 4 or more complet turns thar is likely a worn damaged lifter so back it off to were it was and leave it alone or you will break a valve if a tappet happens to pump up and start working causeing engine damage so
you see a number of things are serious in used lifter adjustment",
if thar is difficulty decideing what lifter is pecking use a peice of rubber water heater hose held the end to your ear listen to the rockers with the outher end held close and moving it down the row while the motor idles (oil speweing) a lose rocker will make a noticeable differance in how fast it sits
so to use your thumb to push down on the rockerright above the spot were it (end ) were the spring is mashed you can feel it if it jars more then the average rocker then you will notice
When ADJUSTING NEW LIFTERS DO THIS
if you can set them close enought to run good if you cant maybe the heads (rocker nuts)had a certain amount of turns to remove the nuts say if a chevy took 12 to 13 turns to remove the nut on the rocker then maybe you can set them all like to that setting and see if it runs thar after iyou get it started
take a rachet and socket that fits start the motor use cardboard or tin to make a splash pan as long as the head along the side of the spring hold it in place or tie a wire across the pan bolt to hold the splash board /tin in place or oil will run everywhere but with that said ignor the oil start at one end of the rockers dont jump around work the adjust ment as follows in a set order end to end here we go loosen one ofthe rockers till you hear a clacking then retighten that rocker nut till it just stops that is zero point turn the same one 1 more turn down(360 degrees).. BUT... at 1 quarter turn (90o) increments(gradual)
(motor will miss 2 seconds then smooth out) then stop your dune go to the next one do the same untill you do this to all of the rockers read the above so as to be aware of practicle conditions if it is applicable here
ALSO aside from tappent mechanical fuel pumps can sound like a rocker so bewar
also if you hear a pecking noise and it goes away when you tighten the rocker more but comes right back over and over(each time tightened) then most like the noise is the piston pin or skirt so back that nut off and pull the spark wire to that cylinder does the noise come and go with the wire (touch it on and off while running listen for peck(noise) you cannot silence a bad rocker/lifter noise by pulling the wire but you can sometimes a pistons noise ( sounds simular)