Setting Valve Clearance

[scooby]

This may be a dumb question but I just wanted to verify the procedure on how to set valve clearance.
The Howell v4 plans says to set it to .002.

To set the clearance, do I hold engine like this and find the highest point a lifter is, then use feeler gauges to set the .002 clearance?
Then rotate engine and repeat procedure for all the valves?

When finding the true TDC of a cylinder, I did this:
Put test indicator on top of piston. Rotated engine clockwise to find highest point. Wrote down degree on the wheel that was being pointed to by height gage, then continued rotate cw a bit, then rotated engine counter clockwise to find highest point of piston again and noted degree being pointed to. Split those degree numbers gave me where true TDC is for that cylinder.

Does finding the top most point of a lifter (if that is proper way to set valve clearance) need to be done similarly?

 

[stevehuckss396]

Rotate the engine until the lifter is fully down. Then turn the adjustment screw until it just touches and there is zero lash. Then loosen it a 16th of a turn and you should be good.

 

[scooby]

oh yeah I forgot the lifter needed to be down not up and find the lowest point of lifter

 

[Basil]

An easy way is when the exhaust valve just begins to open you set the intake valve clearance and when the intake valve is coming up just to close you set the exhaust clearance. When you see the guys at the track going through the clearances quickly that is usually the method they are using.
On finding TDC use a piston stop that puts the piston down in the cylinder some way. Rotate the engine both ways up again it. Adjust the degree wheel until it shows the same before TDC reading from both directions in reference to a fixed timing point on the engine.

 

[bluejets]

Check clearance on the back of the cam.

 

[Harglo]

This may be a dumb question but I just wanted to verify the procedure on how to set valve clearance.
The Howell v4 plans says to set it to .002.

To set the clearance, do I hold engine like this and find the highest point a lifter is, then use feeler gauges to set the .002 clearance?
Then rotate engine and repeat procedure for all the valves?
View attachment 135288

When finding the true TDC of a cylinder, I did this:
Put test indicator on top of piston. Rotated engine clockwise to find highest point. Wrote down degree on the wheel that was being pointed to by height gage, then continued rotate cw a bit, then rotated engine counter clockwise to find highest point of piston again and noted degree being pointed to. Split those degree numbers gave me where true TDC is for that cylinder.

Does finding the top most point of a lifter (if that is proper way to set valve clearance) need to be done similarly?

View attachment 135289

Hello Sir

Em looking for a 2 cly bar stock engine to build this looks like such if so where did you get the plans?
Thanks
Harvey


t

 

[scooby]

This is a v4 engine by Jerry Howell.

model-engine-plans.com

 

[Steamchick]

Just spotted this... As the "dwell" side of the cam is about 200degrees or more, you do not need to be very precise on cam setting when checking the clearance at the tappet. Somehwer "half-way" is good enough, so don't worry if you are 10 degrees either side of "half-way". With a twin engine (360 crank) it is easy to find the "half-way) on the dwell, as that is when the other cylinder (same valve) is at "full-open"..
OK>?
K2

 

[gbritnell]

Turn engine over until exhaust is closing and intake is opening, Mark flywheel. Turn engine 1 revolution. Adjust valves.

 

[kf2qd]

Depending on just how good the cam is... the valve clearance may need to be adjusted slightly more or less, as this will affect the induction/exhaust timing and you may have more optimal running at a slightly different setting.