Adjusting V8 valve clearance

[StudeMann]

Tonight I decided to pull off the right side valve cover on my 51 Land Cruiser V8 and adjust the valve clearance because this side was quite noisy. I bought the car on Ebay from a non-stude guy so who knows how long it's been since the valve clearance was last adjusted.

The manual says to warm up the engine, remove the valve cover and adjust the clearance while the engine is idling. I found a lot of oil got splashed on to the exhaust manifold in the process. Is this normal or do I have an excess of oil being pumped up to the rocker arms? Is there a better way to do this adjustment?

Also, I noticed the flanges of the valve cover were bowed out from being tightened down too much. I tried various methods to straighten them out until I had success with a Black & Decker Workmate, a short piece of 2x4 and a 20 oz. framing hammer. Is this bowing typical or did a previous owner just get too enthusiastic in torquing down the acorn nuts? This is the first Stude V8 I've owned. Most of my 4 previous Studes were flathead sixes so now I'm trying to learn the quirks of the 232 V8.

50 year old V8 virgin

Jim


"Ahh, a bear is his natural habitat...a Studebaker!"
Fozzie Bear in 'The Muppet Movie'

51 Land Cruiser (Elsie)
Jim Mann
Victoria, B.C.
Canada

[64V-K7]

Hi,
While the manual says to do the adjustment with the engine hot, running, many of us find that setting the valves cold, do the job just as well. You don't get all the lost motion taken up, but it's easier on the hands and MUCH less messy. You can get another set of valve covers and cut the tops off, to access the adjusting nuts and DO it running however.
The measurement used cold is .026-.027 on both valves and this will probably result in a small amount of click-clack, but it's much better than having a valve too tight and compromising it.
289 engines usually have the most valve clatter, while a 259 can be as quiet as a mouse. I've never heard a 232, but would think it can be quiet.

As far as the valve covers, if you have them back in good shape, get a neoprene gasket set, not the cork. Clean the cover channel well with alcohol and use red RTV to 'glue' the gasket to the cover. Don't use so much that it squeezes out, just a smear. Let it dry for a while and then, with the head flange cleaned as well, place the covers on the head and finger tighten the nuts. Let it sit for an hour, then just 15 inch/lbs of tightness. That's a little more than 1 foot pound/, very light. About a wrench turn after contact. It doesn't take much to get a good seal..

Bob Johnstone

http://www.studebaker-info.org

55 President State Sedan
64 GT Hawk
70 Avanti (R3)

[Mike Van Veghten]

Mann -

Do a "search"...you'll find hours of reading on this subject!

I for one...as 55P (Bob) states, cold and "not" running is my way.
Very easy, no burnt fingers, no oil everywhere to clean up...and...just as accurate.

Mike

[sals54]

I agree with Mike and Bob. Do the adjustments cold and not running. If you use the method that you will find in the "search" for valve adjustment on this forum, you will find a very fast and easy method of getting a good valve adj. and in very short order have that beast running in tip top shape. Use the example of doing half the valves at TDC, then the other half at (I think) No. 6 at TDC. Then you're done. good luck.

sals54

[Mark57]

Brian Curtis (Chocolate Turkey here) wrote a great simple 1 pager in a newsletter about a year back that I found really easy to read and use. If I were home, I would scan and post it, but maybe Brian will read this....

<h5>Mark
'57 Transtar Deluxe
Vancouver Island

Plan on attending the NW Overdrive Tour in Parksville, BC
May 23 & 24, 2009</h5>

[Roscomacaw]

In agreement with Bob, Mike & Sal. Cold and no mess![^]

Miscreant Studebaker nut in California's central valley.

1957 Transtar 1/2ton
1960 Larkvertible V8
1958 Provincial wagon
1953 Commander coupe
1957 President two door

[BobPalma]

If you-all can hang tight, the August 2008 Turning Wheels Co-Operator is featuring (reprinting) a detailed Dwain Grindinger cold valve adjustment procedure with degree wheel, etc. BP

[StudeMann]

Thanks, everyone.

I seem to forget to do the search before I post some of my questions. Inexperience with the forum, I guess. I've been out of the SDC for over 15 years. There was no such thing as the forum back then.

Before I put the freshly painted valve covers back on, I will check the clearances using the "cold" method. Unfortunately, all I have is a set of cork gaskets. I ordered the neoprene but was shipped the cork by mistake. I want to get the car on the road this weekend so I will go ahead and use the cork ones and re-order the neoprene.

Cheers!

"Ahh, a bear is his natural habitat...a Studebaker!"
Fozzie Bear in 'The Muppet Movie'

51 Land Cruiser (Elsie)
Jim Mann
Victoria, B.C.
Canada

[dynolou2]

I just set my adjustments after warming up engine to operating temp put new gasket on 1 side,warm up again then set other side. To keep cork gaskets from sticking to head , wipe a small amount of chassis grease on the sealing surface. That was an old racers trick when adjusted rockers more frequently. My valve covers had probably not been off for 25 years,as the car was in storage. I used a long handled scraper that uses single edge razor blades and a running shop vac 5hp to keep the cork out of motor. Lou Cote [8D]

[Chicken Hawk]

I don't know what the details of Dwain's article will be but a degree wheel is a little difficult to get on with the engine in the car in running condition.

It is fairly easy to mark the damper in 90 degree increments though and you can get reasonably close to TDC and adjust each cylinder by bumping the engine to each 90 degree mark in firing order.

Ted

quote:Originally posted by BobPalma

If you-all can hang tight, the August 2008 Turning Wheels Co-Operator is featuring (reprinting) a detailed Dwain Grindinger cold valve adjustment procedure with degree wheel, etc. BP

[BobPalma]

quote:Originally posted by Chicken Hawk

I don't know what the details of Dwain's article will be but a degree wheel is a little difficult to get on with the engine in the car in running condition.

It is fairly easy to mark the damper in 90 degree increments though and you can get reasonably close to TDC and adjust each cylinder by bumping the engine to each 90 degree mark in firing order.

Ted

quote:Originally posted by BobPalma

If you-all can hang tight, the August 2008 Turning Wheels Co-Operator is featuring (reprinting) a detailed Dwain Grindinger cold valve adjustment procedure with degree wheel, etc. BP

Right, Ted; my oversight. Dwain's material actually uses vibration dampener marks and references rotor postition, etc; not a degree wheel per se. (That's what happens when you shorten things to post late at night!)

Dwain's material is good, basic information about distributor placement and other tune-up items that will likely be useful to many readers...or at least I hope so! BP

[Dwain G.]

My gosh! Where'd you dig that up Bob? I did that series for our chapter newsletter over 25 years ago. They're aimed at the inexperienced hobbyist. Cold or hot, I don't care, but running is just a frustrating mess. [xx(]


Dwain G.

[PackardV8]

Hi, Bob,

quote:289 engines usually have the most valve clatter, while a 259 can be as quiet as a mouse. I've never heard a 232, but would think it can be quiet.

Just trying to get my head around this concept. Given the 259" and 289" use exactly the same cam, lifters, pushrods, rocker arms, valves and valve covers, help me understand why 259" would be quieter?

thnx, jack vines


PackardV8

[Son O Lark]

It's a numerology thing. If you add the numbers up, the 289 is way bigger and thus creates more noise!

[Mike Van Veghten]

Come on Jack...everyone knows since the 289 is bigger (!), that must equate to more horse power.
Therefore, the larger engine...having greater power, one must assume that the internal stresses are larger...and therefore, the higher performance, higher stressed engine....makes more noise!

Don't ya just love it?

Mike