Sunshadow

I read on Crane's website that the lifters don't have to be primed. That aside when I was putting things together I did soak them. I also spun the oil pump with a drill. I also cranked it over about a million times thinking my timing was off before I did a compression check. I would think after all that they should be primed. When I took the valve covers off the first thing I did was check for adjustment they were all still at a quarter past zero. I set them at zero again and watched the quarter turn push the valve open about 1/32???
I don't get it.

hawk232

hmm you are beyond me. i have never heard of a hydraulic lifter of any brand that didnt need to be primed. are you sure that you have the right length pushrods? the lifters should be able to "absorb" the 1/4 turn in their "hydraulic movement range"(dont know the technical terms) if they are true hydraulic and are primed correctly. also, are you positive that you dont have valves with longer stems ( i know they make them +.100 maybe others as well)

there are only three possibilites really, pushrods too long, valve stems too long, or incorrect lifters (maybe packaged wrong??)

someone else chime in and teach me something if I am overlooking anything!!

Damn Yankee

Cool project,
Sounds like you are either not on the cam base circle or setting 0 lash when the lifter is fully collapsed/fully pumped up.
I would;
-loosen both #1 rockers
-set to TDC #1
-slowly tighten #1 ex. rocker nut WHILE spinning the pushrod with your fingers. At the point you feel the pushrod give you slight resistance, you have 0 lash. Do not overpower the plunger in the lifter.
Then add your quarter turn.
-Do #1 in.

If you valve moves at all, your soaking may have caused the lifter to act soild, the reason companies do not want you to soak or pump up.
They do not bleed down easily, back off the quarter turn + so you can get it started. Once started the pressure will bleed off and the valve train will become noisy. shut it down and reset all of them.
This is less than ideal since break in of a hydraulic flat tappet is critical in keeping the cam lobes alive........

Don't forget your break in lube and instructions for break in (RPM to keep lifters rotating).
Hope it helps

yikes

I would set them loose like zero or a little open. then adjust with the engine running. If you crank them down too fast you can feel the engine miss so you have to turn them in slow. I have a set of clips that snap over the rocker oil hole and deflect the oil down into the rocker arm. It's messy and makes a lot of smoke but you will only have to do it once.

87MagnumII

a little off the current topic but i was wondering if you had your block decked and did you degree the cam during installation? I know this not relevant to your current dilema but i was considering having it done to my build

Sunshadow

I did have the block decked. I did not degree the cam. I didn't feel it necessary for what I was trying to get out of this engine.

Sunshadow

I feel like a real azz with this problem. I've built several engines and have never had this problem. I'm going to break in the cam @ zero lash. once I've run it for 20 min I'll recheck and adjust the valves again. I'll have trouble (or more work) setting them when running because of the exhaust work I've done. The exhaust manifolds need to come off in order to get the valve covers off. pita. I expect to have it worked out and tuned by Saturday.

olysan

Sounds like your lifters are fully pumped up. Can you move the plunger on your lifters by hand?

Sunshadow

Broke in the cam and got it pretty well dialed in. currently set @ 39 degrees total advance. Idles real nice @ 720 rpm has that great lopy sound. Time to clean up the rigging and put some carpet in.

hawk232

how did you finally set lash?

congrats on getting it all done, bet that feels good!!