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The engine's valve mechanism is responsible for dialogue with the camshaft-it ensures that air enters and leaves the engine on time during the combustion process. If you want to keep the engine's valve mechanism in good condition, it is important to check the valve clearance regularly. We talked with Brad Rounds from T&D Machine Products to learn more about valve clearance, why it is so important, and how to properly clearance the valve.

Project Number Cruncher uses a set of solid tappets from COMP CAMS, camshafts from COMP, and bolts from T&D to mount the rocker arm. When SAM Tech completes our engine, it provides us with an engine maintenance guide so that the engine can perform at its best. The valve clearance setting is the first thing listed in the guide-there should tell you the importance of valve clearance to the engine. SAM Tech cooperated with COMP to make the valve clearance setting correct, and cooperated with T&D to ensure that the rocker arm was set correctly during installation. All of this helps to ensure that your eyelashes are set correctly when we build the engine.

Setting the valve clearance in the right way will help your valve mechanism have a longer life and better performance.

So what is the valve clearance? There is always a small gap between the parts of the valve mechanism. This is the true meaning of valve clearance. This gap exists, so the metal parts of the valve train can expand when heated and will not move the valve in any way. The rotation of the camshaft will move the tappet, which will close the gap before the valve opens.

Brad explained why valve clearance is so important for any high-performance engine.

"Valve lash has several important functions. First, the valve clearance provides some room for the engine to grow and contract during the complete thermal cycle. The valve clearance must be set correctly to prevent the valve from being at the coldest or hottest temperature. Keep it open. Secondly, the eyelashes can be applied to the cam lobe as gently as possible by the lifter."

If you build your own engine, make sure to pay close attention to the number of valve clearances provided by each company.

If your engine uses hydraulic tappets, you don't have to check the gap as often as you do with solid tappets. This is because there is a plunger inside the hydraulic tappet, which can occupy the gap distance. Engines with solid tappets require frequent inspection of eyelashes, because you make your own eyelashes.

You really want to make sure that you set your eyelashes in the same way every time, and you want to pay attention to how you do it. -Brad Round

However, the valve clearance needs to be checked regularly to discover any possible problems. When the gap needs to be checked, each engine has a different interval. The naturally aspirated 427 cubic inch LS engine of Project Number Cruncher needs to check its clearance every time the oil is changed. Depending on the parts used, how it is used, and how the engine manufacturer sets it up, your engine will be different.

You can set the valve clearance when the engine is hot or cold, but which is the best time? According to Brad, you want to set the final gap when the engine reaches operating temperature.

"Lash can only be cooled after the engine is finally assembled. When the engine is at operating temperature, the final clearance adjustment should be made. If the final clearance is set when the engine is cold, the change in the clearance will change the duration of the camshaft after the engine heats up. Setting the gap when the engine is at a high temperature ensures that the camshaft will operate as expected by the cam manufacturer."

Open valve clearance

It is important that you have the right tools for any job, and lashing valves are no exception. If you have been using a high-performance engine for some time, you may already have the tools needed to operate the valve, but if you are not familiar with this advanced engine maintenance, you may not have the tools you need.

To set the valve clearance, you need a simple feeler gauge and some other basic tools. Special valve clearance tools like the one made by LSM Racing Products have a built-in torque wrench to ensure that you have tightened all parts correctly.

The good news is that you don't need a lot of expensive tools to shock the valves on most engines. In fact, you can use a socket wrench that fits the size of the multi-head lock on the rocker arm and the T-handle Allen wrench to tighten the valve. There are tools dedicated to lashing valves to make the job easier. These tools will be L-shaped with the correct size wrench end on the polylock. The tool will also have a guide to hold the T-handle Allen key in place as you make adjustments.

If you want the ultimate valve binding weapon, you can choose a tool with an integrated torque wrench to prevent you from over-tightening the adjusting nut. You also need a set of feeler gauges to ensure proper clearance when setting the valve clearance.

So, how do you set the valve clearance on the new version? Brad explained how he set the valve clearance for the first time.

"When installing the rocker gear during the final assembly process, I performed rough machining in the trunk. When the engine is hot, I set the gap to 0.010 inches tighter than the manufacturer requires. If the engine has an iron block Aluminum head, usually my rough eyelashes are very close to the manufacturer’s specifications at temperature. After the engine breaks and reaches the temperature, I will set the gap to the specifications on the cam card."

When you build a new engine, it is important to follow the manufacturer's guidelines on how to set the gap.

There are several different schools of thought on how to complete the valve lashing process. It doesn't matter what technique you use, what matters is that you are very precise in your task.

"I will set the exhaust valve clearance when the intake valve of the cylinder begins to close. When the exhaust valve of the same cylinder is about half of its lift cycle, I set the intake valve clearance. This is the most A good way to use it, because when the lifter is on the base circle of the cam, you are setting the gap," Brad said.

The most important thing you should do is to be consistent with the way you set the valve clearance. -Brad Round

Valve lash is not difficult to set, but if you are not careful, it is easy to set it incorrectly. Whether you are a veteran of engine maintenance or just learning how to perform maintenance in the correct way, you can avoid some common mistakes.

"You really want to make sure that you set your eyelashes the same way every time and pay attention to how you operate. When the lifter is not on the base circle of the cam, people will set the eyelashes, which is something you really want to avoid. Racers The lock nut will not be tightened in the same way every time you tighten the valve, which can cause problems. Another thing that will cause you trouble is not to set the gap at the same engine temperature every time... This can also cause various problems," Brad explained.

When you set the valve clearance, it is important to set the same operation every time.

It is easy to avoid these common mistakes if you set the valve clearance on any engine as usual. You should use some best practices to ensure good results.

"The most important thing you should do is to be consistent with the way you set the valve clearance. Some people prefer a little resistance on the feeler gauge; others prefer to apply a very light load on the gauge when checking the eyelashes. No matter you Whichever you like, do the same thing every time. The next thing you should pay attention to is the accuracy when setting the eyelashes. When turning the engine to reach the next valve that needs to be set, make sure to take the time it takes to get what you are using Because the key is very close to the same position of each cylinder. For example, when setting the exhaust gap, make sure that the intake valve returns to the same height after reaching full lift," Brad said.

Valve clearance is not a "forget after setting" type of thing-as part of the engine maintenance plan, you must check it regularly. When you take the time to properly set the valve clearance, it can not only help your engine perform at its best, but also ensure that you spot any potential catastrophic problems in advance.

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