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**JDP** · 02-12-2008, 04:05 PM

I have always set them a bit tighter, .018-020 cold, and never had a issue, but that's just me.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,839.60
63 Lark 2 door
57 wagon
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

**DEEPNHOCK** · 02-12-2008, 04:12 PM

Yer' over in Mickey's neck of the woods...
How's he doin?
Tell him Jeff said hi.
Jeff[8D]

quote:Originally posted by rockfoot

In an overhead valve engine with solid lifters, does the valve lash decrease or increase as the engine warms up? I have built hundreds of small flat head engines and the block tends to grow more than the valve stems and other parts causing the valve lash to increase as the engine warms up. The basis for this question is that I don't want to open up the valve covers after the engine is assembled and get it all oily as I have done so many times before. I would like to give it a couple thousanths and let it grow or shrink to the .024" that it is supposed to be... Am I dreaming???

1955 President one owner
Moncks Corner, SC

**rockfoot** · 02-12-2008, 04:12 PM

I set them at .020" and told an old Chief Navy Engineman what I had done and he was positive that they were going to get tighter as it warmed up... thus the doubt started to creep in....My experience has always been that as when a car engine gets "hot"(as in overheated), the valves rattle like crazy.... that's why I gave them a little room to grow into the right setting... Thanks JDP

1955 President one owner
Moncks Corner, SC

**rockfoot** · 02-12-2008, 04:15 PM

I am sorry, there,Jeff, but I don't know Mickey but would probably like to if he messes with these Studebakers..... I have been a closet Studebaker owner since the 70's.... tee hee

1955 President one owner
Moncks Corner, SC

**Tom Bredehoft** · 02-12-2008, 05:07 PM

From a Toolmaker's point of view,

Cast Iron expands at the rate of .0000063 inches per degree of temperature.
Steel expands at the rate of .0000066 inches per degree of temperature.

It can be seen that steel expands faster than iron, but not much. In the length of one pushrod, from 70 degrees to 200 degrees, the difference is about .001, not enough to make that much difference. These figures are from memory, so I will accept correction.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Bothcars4.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'55 President State Sedan (Under Construction) 116 hrs.
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

**rockfoot** · 02-12-2008, 05:21 PM

Would the "mass" figure into that equation?? As in the total length and mass of the block compared to the total length and mass of a pushrod....[}

]

1955 President one owner
Moncks Corner, SC

**Flashback** · 02-12-2008, 05:24 PM

The expansion of dissimular metals is not the issue. It is not enough to make the difference. It is just easier to get the feeler guage under a running engine. There is a hot ancold setting in most manuals. But this is usually just two to four thousands difference. Since this is not a race engine and human error with a feeler guage can be this much, Set the valves at .020 not running and you will have about.024 running. The cam position is all important when setting a cold engine.

Tex in Alabama
53 starlight commander

Tex E. Grier

**rockfoot** · 02-12-2008, 05:34 PM

I beg your pardon, Flashback but the expansion of the metals was the issue. If it weren't for the expansion of metals the subject would not have been raised to begin with. Thanks... and you are right about the location of the lifter on the lobe... if its on the ramp or off going towards the heel, the settings are not going to be correct. I observed through the spark plug hole when each piston achieved TDC after the intake valve closed for that cylinder. Then I set the lash for that cylinder.

1955 President one owner
Moncks Corner, SC

**Tom Bredehoft** · 02-12-2008, 06:34 PM

That's the linear coefficient of expansion, not the solid coefficiently. Mass doesn't enter into it.

[img=left]http://www.alink.com/personal/tbredehoft/Bothcars4.jpg[/img=left]
Tom Bredehoft
'53 Commander Coupe
'55 President State Sedan (Under Construction) 116 hrs.
'05 Legacy Ltd Wagon
All Indiana built cars

**rockfoot** · 02-12-2008, 06:50 PM

That was the question that I asked.. thanks for the clarification (serious, not facicious). I could over-think a thumb tack.....

1955 President one owner
Moncks Corner, SC

**StudeRich** · 02-12-2008, 08:52 PM

I think all of you are trying to re-invent the wheel!

There is no need for all this GUESSING! The Shop manual clearly tells you how to deal with this situation. It says to set the Std. 224, 259, 289 valves hot and running (I use a cut-away valve cover) at .024, It also says that you can set them at .026 Cold. What is so hard about just doing it right? [:0]

It is true that a high lift, wider duration performance Cam, likes them a bit tighter as JDP does. Working on a lot of R series engines, that might work.[^]

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

**JDP** · 02-12-2008, 09:05 PM

Actually, I run the R2+ cam at .016, I think I got that from Ted. At .026 cold, the valves rattle too much for my taste, and like many other things in the shop manual I tweak the recommendations a bit. Having said that, following the manual will never get you in trouble, and I might.

JDP/Maryland
63 R2 SuperHawk (Caesar)
spent to date $54664,75
64 R2 GT (Sid)
spent to date $62,839.60
63 Lark 2 door
57 wagon
51 Commander
39 Coupe express
39 Coupe express (rod)

**Mark57** · 02-12-2008, 09:42 PM

quote:Originally posted by StudeRich
There is no need for all this GUESSING! The Shop manual clearly tells you how to deal with this situation. It says to set the Std. 224, 259, 289 valves hot and running (I use a cut-away valve cover) at .024, It also says that you can set them at .026 Cold. What is so hard about just doing it right? [:0]

StudeRich
Studebakers Northwest
Ferndale, WA

Rich, Please post a pic of that cut away valve cover when you have a minute... thanks. [8)]

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar
3E-6/7-122 </h5>

**Flashback** · 02-13-2008, 06:38 AM

What does Facicious mean? Come on now, are we old STUDEBAKER people or rocket scientist? By the way, I do have a clean room with micron filters for race engines. would you like to borrow it and the degree wheel and dial indicaters, when the temperature reaches seventy .6 degrees. lighten up and enjoy what you are doing. Best of luck on you project. Tex in Alabama

Tex E. Grier

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