I'm rebuilding the 144 in my 63 Falcon and need some clarification on adjusting the rockers with hydraulic lifters. I've been following the factory service manual and it says to adjust to zero lash and then another 2 1/2 turns. I did this and none of the lifters are bottomed out but every other source I've read says to adjust 1/4-3/4 of a turn. Seems like a big discrepancy. Thoughts?
All Small Six 144 Initial Rocker Adjustment Hydraulic Lifters
- Thread starter Rheacox
- Start date
This relates to all small sixes
You would never ever want the Hydrolic Lifters to be bottomed out this could cause damage, to the valve train parts. Hydrolic Valve Lifters have a .120 to .150 piston travel .125 is 1/8 of an inch so thats a setting of about .075 (1/16 of an inch) thats not much adjustment travel. That 2 1/2 turns setting after zero lash is wrong Ford had service bulletins that recommended a setting of only 1 full turn for all its engines that used an adjustable rocker arm. And goal being to not have the lifters piston compressed more than about 1/2 it's travel with a non adjustable rocker arm. Yes and there have been many people over the years that say use 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, & 1 turn so there are some different opinions and thats ok I think if you want to experiment on the sttings then i encourage you to find out what works for you or what you would like to use. I am one of them and did all these experiments many years ago after building many engines over years for myself and many customers I found that I liked and have used a 1/4 turn setting on most all of my own engines that had an adjustable rocker arm, this soon after building my first Hydrolic Cam Ford performance engine in the mid 1960's. Many first timers have a lot of trouble finding the Zero lash point ending up over tightening tge rocker arm setting it takes practice and a good sence of feel to find it.
Here's how it works if you want your mostly stock street engines valve train to be very quiet or your engine isnāt going to see 5000 or more RPM then I would say to use 1 turn tighter after zero lash (you could also use 3/4 for about the same thing I don't bother with that setting anymore). If you don't mind a little valve clatter at first start up until the engines oil pressure builds up this is on a more performance type build than use the 1/4 turn tighter after zero lash (again you could use 1/2 turn also if you wanted I don't bother with this setting anymore either). Using a 1/4 as a side benafit this setting will also give you slightly more RPM before Hydrolic Lifter pumps up this is the main reason I use this setting for my performance engines. When I first started out I experimented with all these settings and I also noticed working on many other people's cars that different car manufactures such as GM's Chevy V8's used 3/4 turn for awhile then later on when the to 1 turn, point being they had their own recommendations too. After talking about it with my Mechcanic Uncle (in about 1965 or 66) and he was kind enough to take the time to explain what he learned I settled on the 1/4 turn plus it dosent bother me if there is a little clatter for a few seconds after start up it dosent do any harm on a performance engine. But when I do an engine for a customers street car I always set them at 1 turn you will find most people will get upset if their brand new engine has ant valve train noise. Check out the below link for a few simple tips on setting the Hydrolic Lifters. Hope that is of some help best of luck.
Hydrolic V's. Solid Lifters & Their Settings
www.fordsix.com
Here's how it works if you want your mostly stock street engines valve train to be very quiet or your engine isnāt going to see 5000 or more RPM then I would say to use 1 turn tighter after zero lash (you could also use 3/4 for about the same thing I don't bother with that setting anymore). If you don't mind a little valve clatter at first start up until the engines oil pressure builds up this is on a more performance type build than use the 1/4 turn tighter after zero lash (again you could use 1/2 turn also if you wanted I don't bother with this setting anymore either). Using a 1/4 as a side benafit this setting will also give you slightly more RPM before Hydrolic Lifter pumps up this is the main reason I use this setting for my performance engines. When I first started out I experimented with all these settings and I also noticed working on many other people's cars that different car manufactures such as GM's Chevy V8's used 3/4 turn for awhile then later on when the to 1 turn, point being they had their own recommendations too. After talking about it with my Mechcanic Uncle (in about 1965 or 66) and he was kind enough to take the time to explain what he learned I settled on the 1/4 turn plus it dosent bother me if there is a little clatter for a few seconds after start up it dosent do any harm on a performance engine. But when I do an engine for a customers street car I always set them at 1 turn you will find most people will get upset if their brand new engine has ant valve train noise. Check out the below link for a few simple tips on setting the Hydrolic Lifters. Hope that is of some help best of luck.
Hydrolic V's. Solid Lifters & Their Settings
Adjusting Your Valves
How to adjust your valves properly First, you need to determine if you have solid lifters or hydraulic lifters. Solid lifters were commonly used on the early 144/170ci motors, while hydraulic lifters were used on the later 144/170ci and all...
www.fordsix.com
Thanks for that response, great info and great explanation. I think I'll back all of them off 2 turns and call it good. With 2 1/2 turns it feels like there's maybe 30 thou of compression left.
Coming from working on Model A's this new fangled 144 makes me question myself sometimes
Coming from working on Model A's this new fangled 144 makes me question myself sometimes
Lol I started working on the Model A's in 1963 wish I still had one to fix up.
