Topic: 390 FE Adjustable Hydraulic lifter/Rocker assemblies

[Angela]

Can anyone offer some guidance and/or a procedure for setting an initial adjustment for the adjustable rocker assemblies within a 1967 390 FE hydraulic lifter application? Based on reading the '67 shop manual I think ( but do not know for sure) that the adjustable rockers in my 390 are originally from a 428 engine, installed at some point into my 390 FE. I previously had adjusted them when the engine was on an engine stand, while running, with oil flying everywhere (what an insane mess). Now the engine is installed and due to some necessary repair I had to remove the rocker arm & shaft assemblies. Sadly, I failed to label them and now have no idea which assembly came from the driver's or passenger side of the car. The shafts must have been replaced at some point and do not have the identification marks called out in the shop manual (which would tell me which one is from the left or right bank).
I'd like to know if there is a process to reasonably adjust them, in the car, WITHOUT the engine running. I really have no experience with this and therefore need help with some very basic instructions.

Also, the shop manual talks about some sort of tool used to compress the rocker against the spring to bleed down the lifter. Can anyone point me to such a tool?

[motor head 428]

There is no left or right to the rocker assembly. The way to adjust the hydraulic lifters with out the engine running is to adjust the rocker arm to 0 lash or no play (the best way to determine 0 lash is to rotate the pushrod with your finger tips and tighten until the pushrod has resistance that is 0 ) then adjust the rocker arm adjuster down an additional 1/2 to 3/4 of a turn. The best sequence is to work on one cylinder at time using the method I am going to describe. Work only on one cylinder at a time !!  You adjust the intake valve when the exhaust valve is opening and you adjust the exhaust valve when the intake valve is closing. This procedure puts the lifter on the back side of the cam lobe. Always rotate the engine that the engine normally runs or bump the starter.  motor head 428

[Angela]

Thanks for the information! According to the 1967 Ford Shop Manual, there is indeed a right and left rocker assembly, designated by marks on the rocker arm shafts. However, I suspect these marks were only provided to eliminate the exact problem I ran into.... which one can from which bank. :-)

When you talk about performing the adjustments when the valves begin to open, how can you tell? I mean, I'm underneath the car with a wrench turning the engine over my hand.... I cannot physically see the valve train as I turn the engine over. Even if I could, the valves move so very little that I just cannot conceive how a person can tell when they *just* begin to open. If the engine turned over easily and I could see the valves at the same time I was turning the wrench, I could perhaps see this as possible. But, even with the plugs removed the freshly rebuilt 390 turns over very hard and I cannot obtain access to the nut on the main pulley from the top side.... I have to crawl underneath the car.

[motor head 428]

 If the starter is on the car, get a remote jumper switch and attach to the solenoid (read the instructions on where to attach). now you can rotate the engine by bumping the remote starter switch. 
 When watching the valve movement just opening is an approximation . For example when watching the exhaust valve open anywhere between closed and half way open is OK . when watching the intake valve the valve has opened and is now closing , you want the intake valve to be approximately half way closed to three quarters closed .