Noisy valve train in 235

[vintagetin]

I just bought an old '62 C-10 stepside for $700. It's been sitting for some 10-15 years. I removed the spark plugs and squirted some oil in the cylinders hooked a battery up and spun it over a few times. Then I did it again the following day and so on. After filing the points down, replacing the coil, and hooking up a balast resistor (someone had removed it) I started it up. It runs great! I flushed the oil and put some 20w-50 in it. After replacing the master and slave cylinder I drove it around the block a few times and the top end has still not shut up. At first I thought it was just hydrolic lifters just not holding pressure, but I've run it quite a bit and it's still making noise. The engine has good oil pressure. It's not very loud, but it's definatly making some noise. I hope I didn't wipe any cam lobs by not pre-oiling the old engine. It runs great under throttle so I doubt that.
Here are my questions:
Could the valves just be out of adjustment?
If so, to what tolerance do I adjust them?
I read that some models still used solid lifters, is this true?
Is light valve noise normal?

[awbrown]

Valve adjustment I would suspect.. Seems like everyone has forgotten the art of adjusting valves ..... setting points and adjusting carbs are a thing of the past too !!! You will be amazed at how quite it is after you do it ...Light noise is normal... here is a link .. 67-72chevytrucks.com/vboard/showthread.php?t=280985 .. my Motor's manual says for a 62 it is hydraulic , 61 is solid or hydraulic , 61 specs are int. .008 hot and exhaust .018 hot .. If it is hydraulic but the lifters wont pump up , you will have a lot more than say .025 lash , and if you bottom it out it will start skipping (adjusting them hot and running ) and if they are hydraulics that wont pump up , just lash them like a solid and you will be fine....

[62ShortStep]

Check out this site on adjusting 235 valves:
http://www.speedprint.com/deves50/valveadjust.php

My '62 C-10 235 has noisy valves too. Low miles on a rebuild. Exhausts are set to spec at .018...thats where the noise is coming from.

[62ShortStep]

In 1962 (and for a few years before that), 235's used solid lifters for trucks, and hydraulic lifters for cars. My sons' 55 Bel Air runs very quiet with the 235 hydraulic lifters.

[jchav62]

I would guess that it's normal. If you are not used to the sound of an old solid lifter 235, it'll seem noisy. I think you are okay.

[61_FL_Apache]

Solids need more adjusting that hydralics.

[awbrown]

If the noise really bothers you , you can lash them tighter ,it just makes the cam a bit bigger than it is .. we do this on the dyno to see if the engine wants a bigger or smaller cam .. Running it real loose like it probly is just makes the cam smaller in duration and lift .....

[Surfdaddy]

Same thing on my 305 V6. Noisy valves. Major tune up includes vavle adjustment. It'll sound and run better after it's adjusted. 700 bucks, not bad for a running truck. Please post some pictures.

[62ShortStep]

Originally Posted by awbrown

If the noise really bothers you , you can lash them tighter ,it just makes the cam a bit bigger than it is .. we do this on the dyno to see if the engine wants a bigger or smaller cam .. Running it real loose like it probly is just makes the cam smaller in duration and lift .....

It makes sense that setting the valves tighter makes it act like a bigger cam. I'm not sure if the extra .005 would make a noticeable difference in performance though.

I've heard that running the valve lash too tight can burn the valves. I've never run them too tight, so I cant say for sure.

How tight is too tight anyway??

[neto]

On the 305 the passenger side needed more adjustment and is still a little noisy in comparison to the drivers side. I'm concerned about the valve seats not being hard steel for the unleaded gas now a days and have sunken in. It was fun adjusting the filler gage valves it's been a while.

[62ShortStep]

I've been driving older (1920's-1970's) cars/trucks on a daily basis since the 70's, and then I continued to drive them as lead was phased out. I've never had a problem with valve seats and unleaded gas, but I only run stock engines. I do use Marvel Mystery Oil though.

I have zero experience with the 305.

[awbrown]

too tight is when they dont close all the way ,either hot or cold.......another thing , usually if you get the valve train quieted down you will then hear all the other noises it masked , like piston slap and loose wrist pins .. dont ask me how I know ...lol

[vintagetin]

Thanks for all your help.. So..It may have solid lifters? I don't mind the noise so much, I just wasn't sure if was bad for the top of the valves. I'll definately post some pictures when I get a chance.

[62ShortStep]

I haven't tried this with a 235, but I'll bet you can tell hydraulic vs solid lifters without taking anything apart other than pulling the top valve cover off.

On a valve thats completely closed, push (or leverage) the rocker down so that you force the push rod down. If you feel a little bit of 'give' from the lifter internal spring, then you have hydraulic. No 'give' means solid. Done.

[vintagetin]

Originally Posted by 62ShortStep

I haven't tried this with a 235, but I'll bet you can tell hydraulic vs solid lifters without taking anything apart other than pulling the top valve cover off.

On a valve thats completely closed, push (or leverage) the rocker down so that you force the push rod down. If you feel a little bit of 'give' from the lifter internal spring, then you have hydraulic. No 'give' means solid. Done.

That makes perfect sence.

[lakeroadster]

Originally Posted by 62ShortStep

I've heard that running the valve lash too tight can burn the valves. I've never run them too tight, so I cant say for sure.

How tight is too tight anyway??

Guess that makes sense, if they are too tight they won't close completely. Then you would have the combustion gases leaking through the valve seat.

[62ShortStep]

Originally Posted by lakeroadster

Guess that makes sense, if they are too tight they won't close completely. Then you would have the combustion gases leaking through the valve seat.

Yeah, but if the valves are so tight that they dont seat, the engine will run like @#$& (I know this to be true ).

I've heard that valves too tight (not so tight that the engine runs bad) will burn over the long run. It would be nice to hear from someone that experienced something like that, because I've never had a verification that its true.