about to adjust valves
 

As per my builder I'm at 1000 miles and so it's time to adjust my valves on a 8BA.
When I was at the shop he gave me a quick once over on an engine that was opened up but I need a refresher. Can anyone point me to a video that details the process?
I don't remember if he said it was done hot or cold.
Thanks.

Re: about to adjust valves
 

are your lifter bores drilled??....adjustable lifters, i presume??....Mike

Re: about to adjust valves
 

cold

Re: about to adjust valves
 

ICE.....Intake Closes do the Exhaust.........EOI.....Exhaust Opens do the Intake.

Re: about to adjust valves
 

are they making noise is eng runing good if your answer is no noise it,s runing good leave it alone

Re: about to adjust valves
 

With the low spring pressures, the seats tend to stay the same- if they're correctly done... I checked mine after maybe about 5k miles, just cause I cut my intake seats kinda narrow... (They were good)... I'll go a long way til I feel I need to do them again...
Karl

Re: about to adjust valves
 

They are making noise under heavy load and starting at 3k rpms

Re: about to adjust valves
 

Noise under heavy load at 3K? Sounds like a timing issue and spark knock to me.

Re: about to adjust valves
 

I will second that. Marv

Re: about to adjust valves
 

Rather try that first.
I'm assuming I have to advance for an earlier spark?
which way do I turn the distributor and how much at a time?
I should mark my starting point.

Re: about to adjust valves
 

I agree that it's not valves, it's timing. You need to screw in the vacuum brake adjustment to reduce the amount of advance.

Re: about to adjust valves
 

There is no vacuum brake on an 8BA. What distributor are you running and where is the timing set? Your distributor turns clockwise, so that is the direction you turn it to retard the timing. There should be a bump on the pulley which is 2* BTDC. Try retarding a couple degrees at a time. You do not want an earlier spark.

Re: about to adjust valves
 

Stock distributor 6volt system

Re: about to adjust valves
 

Where is it timed now?

Re: about to adjust valves
 

Not sure, it was set by the shop who installed the engine for me. They are not the builder of this engine.

Re: about to adjust valves
 

You guys are good!!
I Worked on this today.
The distributor is a points system and It looks to me that there is vacuum also hooked up to the carburetor ( Holley). I pulled the distributor cover ( which looks new) and the inside looks old, like to the original truck. ( don't mind me, I don't know anything about this stuff) I turned it first counter clockwise by accident and it got worse. Couldn't get past 2700. Then started the other way and it got better. kept creeping clockwise till it was able to bring the engine to 4000 rpms. I'm in unfamiliar water for me so I don't want to push it. I did have to make an idle adjustment after everything, the idle dropped about 100-150 rpms.
Maybe it's my imagination but the short run I did around the block felt crispier.

The builder says I shouldn't push the engine past 5500 rpms. I'm not looking to race around town but I'd like to have the timing set where it should be.

How will I know how far to go, if I go to far? What are the characteristics on the other side of this?
With out a light obviously.
Thanks Much

Re: about to adjust valves
 

A retarded spark will make an engine overheat.

Re: about to adjust valves
 

Because the piston will be fighting to reach TDC generating excess heat but what would I feel or hear immediately to know that I have gone to far without waiting for an overheat?

Re: about to adjust valves
 

DO you have a timing light?

Re: about to adjust valves
 

At best you will fire out the carb due to the intake valve being open. At worse firing on an upstroke will put undo force on your bearings.

A 8ba has timing marks on the crank pully. Get a light and proceed.