It occurs that a minimum amount of engine rotation before the tappets are loaded might be beneficial, to avoid scraping assembly lube off the cam before first start-up (?).  If measuring pushrod protrusion could ID the compression stroke, then the lash could be set with minimal rotation after the rockers/shafts are finally tightened down. Anyone have a method to share? I DO have the procedure already for setting lash that involves the least rotation, but I think that requires compression TDC ID (?).

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIB9m1Kp61o                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                This is a link to one of Tim McMaster's videos for adjusting Y-block rockers. It's my favorite method that should result in minimum crankshaft rotation to complete all 8 cylinders. Hope this helps....

64F100 57FAIRLANE500

For adjusting the valves, the method I find to be the simplest is to just follow the firing order for the engine family in question.  For the Ford Y, that would be 1-5-4-8-6-3-7-2.  This methodology simply just takes two full rotations of the engine to set the valves on all the cylinders.  I will typically start the valve adjustment procedure with cylinders 1 or 6 and that is determined by rotating the engine so that the damper is at TDC.  Both cylinders 1 and 6 will be at TDC but only one of them will have lash at both the intake and exhaust valves while the other cylinder will have zero lash at its valves.  If it’s a fresh engine that’s getting its first ever valve adjustment, then I will rotate the engine to the damper TDC and start the adjustment procedure on the cylinder (#1 or #6) that is not moving the valves as the engine is approaching TDC.  If it’s cylinder #1 that has no valve movement, then it’s at compression TDC.  Likewise, if cylinder #6 has no valve movement, it will be at compression TDC.  The cylinder that has zero rocker or valve movement coming up to TDC, then that will be the cylinder which I will start setting the valves at and then simply rotate the engine in 90° increments and follow the firing order to set the remaining valves.

Here’s are some past threads on the subject.  Using the search function will find more.
http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/FindPost8614.aspx
http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/FindPost50988.aspx
http://forums.y-blocksforever.com/FindPost127043.aspx

Other comments always welcome.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Thanks Ted, great info. If the damper mark is a few degrees before TDC, the cylinder (1 or 6) with uneven pushrods would be on exhaust (?).
While I will be installing a used rocker assembly & rods that had lash precisely set previously, the parts differences might make an alternate method useful to minimize rotation. 


6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

If stopping the rotation a few degrees before TDC, the cylinder that’s on its overlap cycle would have the exhaust valve open more than the intake valve assuming the camshaft is installed ‘straight up’.  This does not make a difference in the valve setting routine as you want to be setting the valves on the cylinder that’s opposite of the overlap cylinder in the firing order as both valves will be closed on the non-overlap cycle cylinder at TDC.

When rotating the engine, the cylinder opposite of the one coming up on compression TDC in the firing order will be the cylinder that is coming up on camshaft overlap.  For the overlap, the exhaust valve will be closing and the intake valve will be opening.  You will be wanting to set the valves on the cylinder that has no rocker/valve movement or not at its overlap cycle.  Assuming the camshaft is installed correctly, there will be no valve lash present on any cylinder that is in the middle of its overlap cycle when that particular cylinder is at TDC.  I trust this makes sense.

Example: Assuming the valves are moving on #6 when rotating the engine, you would be setting the valves on #1 when the damper indicates TDC give or take ~10 degrees.  Does not have to be dead on TDC.  Once you have a starting point, then it’s just a matter of rotating the engine in 90° increments and following the firing order.

1  5  4  8 Compression TDC
6  3  7  2 Overlap

6  3  7  2 Compression TDC
1  5  4  8 Overlap


None of this is to be confused with the E–O–I-C methodology (exhaust open intake close) where you set the intake valve when the exhaust valve is just opening and set the exhaust valve as the intake valve is closing.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Two full rotations needed if following the firing order, but certainly less confusing than the complicated ‘Fix Your Ford’ 1 & 1/4 turn (0/180/450) method. Even though the Isky E-4 IS installed ‘straight up’, I’d worry that the cross lash relationships that worked for OEM cams might not exactly apply.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA