Messy valve adjustment backyard marine mech question

[artificialreef]

Hi again folks, got both my dreaded 470's running pretty good. Still need to do a pm impeller on the starboard but. One motor is clacking a little bit and being as anal as i am would like to quiet it down with a little adjustment on the rocker once i find which one it is. I have adjusted rockers before on a chevy 350 and when i ran the motor with the valve cover off it obviosley spewed oil all over the place when i was jacking with it. I prefer not to rain oil in my bilge when i do this on the 1983 mercruiser 470. Any tricks of the trade to adjust rockers with out spraying oil everywhere? Thank you in advance.

 

[oldjeep]

Re: Messy valve adjustment backyard marine mech question

Don't know about the 470 but on my last boat the 3.0L didn;t really toss any oil out of the engine compartment. Standard trick for a v8 was to cut the top off a set of spare valve covers.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: Messy valve adjustment backyard marine mech question

I dont believe the 470 is adjustable like the v8`s. the push rods come in different lengths

 

[fat fanny]

Re: Messy valve adjustment backyard marine mech question

Lay an old towel on top or fashion some cardboard into a guard around the head to hold some of the oil in.

 

[Don S]

Re: Messy valve adjustment backyard marine mech question

As BT mentioned, you don't adjust 470's like a Chevy. It's done with the engine off. Just follow the manual, there are no short cuts.

 

[vincechig1975]

Re: Messy valve adjustment backyard marine mech question

Sorry to chime in here but when I had mine rebuilt the push rods were measured and we found them all to be the same length. I took the measurements myself and wish I could find the paper that I wrote em down on...:facepalm:

 

[artificialreef]

Re: Messy valve adjustment backyard marine mech question

I just want to humbly thank you 5 for responding to my question. I have learned alot from you generous folks. I will rtm. I havent taken the valve cover off yet but you all may have stopped me from doing something stupid. This planter may see the water yet. (going on 3 years in drydock/backyard)

 

[Silvertip]

Re: Messy valve adjustment backyard marine mech question

If you feel there is valve out of adjustment, slip a feeler gauge beween each rocker and valve tip. If the the noise goes away, that's the pushrod or rocker arm that needs attention. Keep oil from spraying all over by wrapping each rocker with aluminum foil. Doesn't elimnate the problem entirely but cuts it down a bunch.