Clicking valves means cam lobe damage?!

[290]

I read this over at shobros.com on their maintenance parts page:

"The Valve adjustment service should not be put off after the 60K mark either. In fact, it is very likely by the time you start hearing the valves making noise, they are out of adjustment and that some kind of damage to the cam lobes has already occurred."

I hope against hope this isnt all that common. I think this year im going to try and get everything done to this car that i can engine wise, next is brakes and suspension.

Also i have a few questions:

Where do i start on this hugh undertaking?

Should i try and get the engine out of the car to make things easier if
possible and how do i get it out?

How hard is it to change out the motor mounts, i have the scuff mark on the front of my intake.

Rod bearings seems like a simple job, anywhere i can get details on whats done?

 

[LOUDSHO92]

By that time the car should be really noisy, a light tapping sould alert you to adjust them. I have done some valve adjustments where one 1 or 2 shims needed it and others were barely out of spec. These were on cars with over 120k and no prior valve adjustment. I have heard of soem going over 200k and needing nothing. I have heard some do need it at 60k.

You should start it at the first 60k, if not ASAP.

No do not, it isnt needed. I do valve adjustments with the motor in the car and I can be done in a day.

Just need a floor jack it isnt too hard.

 

[290]

I see some people use plastigadge to check for clearance, is this nessesary or can i just buy them and throw em in?

 

[naval-avi8or]

I read this over at shobros.com on their maintenance parts page:

"The Valve adjustment service should not be put off after the 60K mark either. In fact, it is very likely by the time you start hearing the valves making noise, they are out of adjustment and that some kind of damage to the cam lobes has already occurred."

I hope against hope this isnt all that common. I think this year im going to try and get everything done to this car that i can engine wise, next is brakes and suspension.

Also i have a few questions:

Where do i start on this hugh undertaking?

Should i try and get the engine out of the car to make things easier if
possible and how do i get it out?

How hard is it to change out the motor mounts, i have the scuff mark on the front of my intake.

Rod bearings seems like a simple job, anywhere i can get details on whats done?

First I will have to say that this is a stretch of the imagination. You will not have cam lobe damage simply by a out of spec shim due to wear. Some thing much more than that would need to happen such as a broken spring etc.
As Ford switched from Gen I to Gen II they increased the valve shim adjustment from 60K to 100K as it was determined that it was unnecessary due to data taken once the GEN I started reaching 60K. I personally as well as I'm sure many other have done there 60K/100K several 1000 miles after and nothing was damaged. When I did my first 100K at 130K (and allot of hours of bumper to bumper driving)I only had one exhaust valve that was .01 out of recommended tolerance. So don't get your pannies in a wod.

As for the valve clearance maintenance, it can easily be done without taking (nor would I recommend removing the motor) motor out. You simply need to remove the intake to easily access the front and rear cam covers. There are many great articles as well as a video that can be obtained to help you out.

Motor mounts can easily be replaced by jacking the engine up to relieve the pressure on the mounting bolt. Once the bolt is removed than you can carefully continue to jack the motor up until you can maneuver the old mount out and replace. I would suggest replacing the mounts when you due the rod bearings as you will have the Y pipe off and have easier access to the mounts.

Finally If at all possible try to get you PM (Preventative Maintenance) done at the prescribed time but you don't need to park the car @ 60K/100K, in fear that you car will self destruct, if you can't absolutely get it accomplished.

 

[jedhead]

I see some people use plastigadge to check for clearance, is this nessesary or can i just buy them and throw em in?

You use feeler guages to check clearances and swap the shims to the correct size to get the clearance back in to specs. You can do this in one day. Its not hard but is time consuming.

Bob

 

[kmetros]

Rod bearings seems like a simple job, anywhere i can get details on whats done?

Rod bearing service instructions here:

http://www.kurtmetros.com/bearings.html

 

[AREA 91]

I have rebuilt several SHO engines, and have yet to find one out of spec for the rod bearings.

 

[Redline]

Here's a more detailed writeup for the rod bearings:

http://www.shophoenixproject.com/rodbearings/rodbearings.htm