When you’re building a new engine its important to follow the manufacturer’s guidelines on how to set lash. The tool will also have a guide to hold the T-handle Allen key in place while you make adjustments. These tools will be L-shaped with the correct size wrench end to it over the poly-lock. There are tools that are made specifically for lashing valves that make the job easier. You can actually lash valves with a box-end wrench that’s the appropriate size for the poly-locks on your rocker arms and a T-handle Allen key. The good news is that you don’t need a lot of expensive tools to lash valves on most engines. A special valve lash tool like the one made by LSM Racing Products has a built-in torque wrench to make sure you've tightened everything up correctly. To set valve lash you'll need a simple feeler gauge and a few other basic tools. If you’ve been working with high-performance engines for a while you probably already have the required tools to run valves, but if you’re new to this elevated level of engine maintenance, you might not have what’s needed. It’s important that you have the right tools for any job, and lashing valves is no different. Setting lash when the engine is hot guarantees that the camshaft will perform as the cam manufacturer intended.” If the final lash is set when the engine is cold, after the engine heats up, the change in lash will alter the duration of the camshaft. Final lash adjustments should be made when the engine is at its operating temperature. “Lash should only be set cold after final assemble of the engine. You can set valve lash when an engine is hot or cold, but which is the most optimal time? According to Brad, you want to set the final lash when the engine has reached operating temperature. Your engine will be different based on the parts used, how you use it, and how the engine builder set it up. Project Number Cruncher’s naturally-aspirated 427 cubic-inch LS engine will need its lash checked every time the engine gets an oil change. Each engine will have a different interval when the lash needs to be checked. Valve lash, though, needs to be checked regularly to catch any possible issues. You really want to be sure that you set the lash the same way each time and you are paying attention to how you do it. Engines that use solid lifters need to have the lash checked often, since you’re creating the lash yourself. This is because the hydraulic lifter has a plunger inside that will take up the lash distance. If your engine uses hydraulic lifters, you don’t have to check the lash nearly as often as a solid lifter set up. If you're building an engine yourself make sure you pay close attention to the valve lash numbers provided by each company. Second, lash allows for the lifter to be applied to the cam lobe as gently as possible.” Valve lash must be set properly to keep the valves from being held open when the engine is at its coldest or hottest temperature. First, valve lash gives some room for the engine to grow and shrink during a complete heat cycle. “Valve lash has a couple of important functions. The camshaft’s rotation will move the lifter, and that will close the lash gap right before the valve is opened.īrad explains why valve lash is so important to any high-performance engine. This gap is there so the metal parts of the valvetrain can expand when they warm up and not move the valves in any way. So what is valve lash exactly? There’s always going to be a small gap between the components of the valvetrain, and that’s what valve lash really is. Setting valve lash the right way will help your valvetrain last longer and perform better. All of this plays a role in making sure your lash is set properly when our building an engine. SAM Tech worked with COMP to get the valve lash settings right, and it worked with T&D to make sure the rocker arms were set up right when they were installed. The valve lash settings were the first thing listed on the guide - that right there should tell you how important valve lash is to an engine. When SAM Tech was finished with our engine, it provided us with an engine care guide so the engine would perform at its best. Project Number Cruncher uses a set of solid lifters from COMP CAMS, along with a camshaft from COMP, and stud mount rocker arms from T&D. We talk with Brad Rounds from T&D Machine Products to learn more about valve lash, why it’s so important, and how to lash valves properly. If you want to keep the valvetrain of your engine happy, it’s important to check the valve lash on a regular basis. The valvetrain of an engine is responsible for talking to the camshaft - it makes sure air enters and leaves the engine on time during the combustion process.
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