What can I set the valves on a comp cams cam. Set the valves to the card specs .010 intake exhaust .012 runs very rough. Won't idle properly. Any suggestions?



brentmcl@home.com

I do not know why Crane wants these set so tight, go looser, especially on the exhaust. Last Crane I adjusted ended-up at .016 - .018 range, after that, it started getting noisy. Don't be afraid to try some looser settings, a littly tapping noise is OK.
Here is an old post on the subject:
Re: Basic questions & Valve Adjust
Posted By: Doctor Dodge (Doug Dutra)
Date: Saturday, 24 February 2001, at 10:32 a.m.
: /6s respond favorably to the traditional
: tricks of hot rodding.
:
: I'm starting to become really intrigued by
: this little motor and would love to be able
: to get a few more ponies out of it without
: taking too much away from my resto account.

Welcome to the "Slant Six Mind", Kinda a "get the most from the least" point of view... but believe me there are the SL6 "die-hards" who spend $$$ on Sl6 cars that are "mind-bending" in terms of engine output and performance.

As for your Cuda, you already have things "well-in-hand", good move on the bigger exhaust system.
Next step is a good tune-up and the valve adjust, I already did a outline on this procedure back on a 10-5-00 post, but here it is again. This is simple to do and does help performance.

Next step things for you to think about:
Get back to the 4-speed, find the special SL6 to 833 4-speed bellhousing and the old 273's 4-gear box will bolt right-in. A well tuned stock SL6 4-speed with a 3.23 rear gear is a "spunkee" set-up, add some head porting, O/S valves, a mild cam and a "Super Six" 2 BBL and this Ol'Slant will start "blowen-off" lot's of the factory "hotrods" running around the street these days.
(and it's way more fun having a SL6 "rustang killer" compaired to doing this with a 360 V8, the SL6 "mind-bending" pride of ownership part of the deal)

Well... one step at a time, here is the SL6 Valve adjustment process:

...Now that we can tell the "Solids" (adjustable rockers)from the Hydraulics and seeing most SL6 engines are the "adjustable" type (solid lifters) how should you adjust these?? Here are some tips:

The engine must be hot.

Once valve cover is off, I check the torque on the head bolts, if they don't move by 80 ft.lbs, go to the next, follow the "center-outward" sequence. Also check to see if all the rocker arms are oiling out the center and tip holes. If not, now is the time to change them.

I do my adjustment with the engine running, so turn the idle down as low as possible and put some cardboard under the car. (if you want your floor to stay clean!)

I start with the intakes, stock cams adjust at .010, watch for the TWO INTAKES side by side in the center of the row (Cylinders 3&4) use the manifolds to guide you.

Come back around for the exhaust valves, they should be plenty hot by now,(remember, the engine is running and you are "feeling" the clearance between the "hits", if unsure, stop the engine for a moment and recheck to help establish your "feel"

The exhaust is set at .020 but shoot for looser to start. (.021 - .022) Find a setting where the idle is smooth but the lifters are mostly quite, yes "mostly" quite, they should make a small bit of ticking noise when correct. When you have things set right, each cylinder should "miss" slightly when you insert the "feeler gauge", this "hangs" the valve open, causing the minor miss.

If you want to try to "sneek-into" a minor bit of performance increase, try setting the intake valves a bit tighter, .008 instead of the .010
If the engine starts running rougher at idle, Go Back To .010, if the idle stays smooth,....how about @ .007? This puts a small bit more duration on the intake valve event, this also works in "consept" with the exhaust but there is way more "risk" of a "choppy idle" and burned exhaust valves, so .020, may-be .019 (HOT) is about as tight as I would go. Bottomline, these lash settings have some "leeway", a little tighter or looser is OK, as long as a smooth idle is maintained.
DD