Ethan wrote:I dont have a stand or hoist yet and yes i have clacking and it runs very well, after i get the new exhaust system put in im having the engine timed so ill have the valves checked to be on the safe side
I hope you understand that I was telling you that you CAN adjust the valves with the engine out of the truck...not that you HAVE to adjust 'em with the engine out of the truck. I was trying to use an extreme example to illustrate to you that you don't have to have the truck in gear to rotate the engine to set the valve clearance...that was ALL I meant.
As long as the engine will turn, you can set the valve clearance. You don't have to have it running to do it...but since the factory specification is for setting the valves while the engine is "hot," you CAN simply run the engine up to normal operating temperature...remove the valve cover...and then rotate the engine [with the truck out of gear] using a socket on the crankshaft nut.
Not sure why anyone would "have" the engine timed, either. Setting the timing is relatively simple, and you can do that yourself. If you can locate TDC on the compression stroke for #1 cylinder, and then set the rotor and cap so that when #1 is at TDC on the compression stroke, the rotor is pointing to the terminal for the spark plug wire that goes to the #1 spark plug...you're pretty much dead-nutz on. As long as the cap is wired correctly, once you have #1 in time, all the others are in time as well. If necessary, you can rotate the distributor when the engine is running to fine-tune the timing...but the basic timing is set as I described it. And just like setting the valves. sometimes starting with an engine that has been warmed up [so that no choke is necessary to get the engine to run properly...and so the throttle blades are closed at idle, so the vacuum advance isn't actuated] makes the job easier.
This ain't rocket surgery...it's so simple, us "cave men" with simple hand tools could do it.
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