Recently, I suspected I had experienced a sudden lifter failure with a .904 Isky EZX roller. We just pushed the car in the trailer and went home. We had performed a lash and spring check four runs previously so we were quite surprised when the pushrod was just flopping around.

As we disassembled the engine we weren't finding the damage we expected to see. The valve tip was fine. The pushrod was straight. The lifter popped right out of the bore when removed. the lifter wheel had no perceptible runout or slop on the axle. The cam lobe had no damage whatsoever.

I walked over to the bench to inspect the adjuster screw. GD it, it was loose I must have failed to tighten it while lashing the valves. I had also missed this at the track.

I'm pretty sure I'm not the first guy to do this and not likely the last. But, it's damm embarrassing that I missed tightening the adjuster nut and checking it at the track.

I have gotten a good look at the rest of the valve train and all it cost me was a gasket set.

Photos:

Perhaps you were distracted, talking to someone. One of the many things I have told my son over and over is no talking to anyone when you are lashing the valves and changing the oil.

I write down each setting. Go back over them to assure they are all tight......I am easily distracted and I know my mind will wander. It is an easy easy thing to do. Your focused on getting it just right and you forget to snug it. I have removed covers after putting them on because I didn't remember if I went back over all the adjusters. I do my valves cold.....I don't like doing them at the track and do them in the garage. Nothing that should be done quickly in my opinion. If you want to check them quickly without touching the setting fine.....but dialing them in.....different deal. Builder taught me side to side method. Hads improved my accuracy and hence adjusting much less.

You definitely ain't the first and won't be the last to forget and pop one out. Had one pop out decades ago......tough lesson....not soon forgotten. I been there.

If you have shaft rockers, spend the 180-200 bucks for the LSM lash tool. I have not made that mistake since buying that tool. Did it enough times to know after the first burnout before staging the car. Shut it off, go back to pits and pull valve covers, and there it was. 25ft lbs is what the LSM tool torques them too. You will be suprised of how tight that actually is.

Because of a expensive valve train failure in the past, I am pretty anal about pulling my covers and checking lash hot after every run, recently I picked up almost .008 on #2 intake. I took the rocker off and the stand bolt had come loose in the head so the stand was trying to lift off the head. Also found #8 intake trying to come loose, these are both the stands on the end. If I was not checking lash then that stand bolt would of pulled out of the head and all hell would of broke loose costing me a pile of money. I can run the valves in 10 minutes or less, rarely do I ever adjust one, I am manly looking for anything out of the ordinary like that stand bolt coming loose, broken spring, rocker etc

quote:

Originally posted by Big Steve:
I can run the valves in 10 minutes or less, rarely do I ever adjust one, I am manly looking for anything out of the ordinary like that stand bolt coming loose, broken spring etc

same here and my son does it faster. Valve lashed is checked and springs pulled after every race day. Been using the LSM adjuster torque wrench, spring puller and spring changer with speed handle for over a decade.

quote:

same here and my son does it faster. Valve lashed is checked and springs pulled after every race day.

Springs pulled ???
As in valve springs pulled

yep

quote:

Originally posted by BG7X77:
I write down each setting. Go back over them to assure they are all tight......I am easily distracted and I know my mind will wander. It is an easy easy thing to do. Your focused on getting it just right and you forget to snug it. I have removed covers after putting them on because I didn't remember if I went back over all the adjusters. I do my valves cold.....I don't like doing them at the track and do them in the garage. Nothing that should be done quickly in my opinion. If you want to check them quickly without touching the setting fine.....but dialing them in.....different deal. Builder taught me side to side method. Hads improved my accuracy and hence adjusting much less.

You definitely ain't the first and won't be the last to forget and pop one out. Had one pop out decades ago......tough lesson....not soon forgotten. I been there.

My signature does say, Easily distracted by bright shiny objects. It's pretty quiet here. Distractions here are of my own making. I see a fair amount of warbirds in this airspace along with other antique aviation. DRAKKEN is at Lakeland with some Mirages, A-4s, and a Mig 23 I think. I keep field glasses handy as they all get a look.

Seriously, I'm upset I'm let that get by. They're Jesels and I'll get the tool. Maybe a forum member will see this and take an extra look the next time his valve covers are off.

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
Perhaps you were distracted, talking to someone. One of the many things I have told my son over and over is no talking to anyone when you are lashing the valves and changing the oil.

Very good advice Ed...

I am well known for being all business when I am working and this exact mentality...Been that way forever.....

I am surrounded by people these days looking at phones and endlessly being distracted. Nearly impossible for any of them to do what I have done and still do for my entire life....

I make mistakes even trying to cover ever detail....

Yeah even I won't argue Ed on that. Distractions can equal costly mistakes quickly. Solid advice for much of life.

Here, this should help with the noggin.
#1 lock door
#2 Turn off phone.
#3 Throw radio out
#4 No visitors.
#5 Ear plugs >> For when she is yelling...

AND...

I do agree with Ed non the tal;king with folks. I am a a--hole in some folks veiw I am sure because when I am working on car I either totally stop and talk to you or I ignore you like you where a *****y wife.

I always loosen all adjuster nuts, when done I run thru them and see if loose, if so I missed it. The way I adjust them is one side at a time watching rockers and while I have done so few hundred plus time. It is easy to get lost especially in thrash with folks helping and asking questions.

Hey you learned and at fairly cheap price tag. Call it good.

Not just on race cars but there are many critical jobs and I will not stop in the middle. Once I get started I finish it and usually do not take breaks or anything until I am done. If it is something that I have to stop and take a break I will put all my tools right there where I stopped so it is almost impossible to skip a step.

I will admit I am not most organized guy but there are somethings that are critical and I try my best to make sure it is right.

No big deal it happens to the best of us. Just remember it could of been worse. A lifter broke in my 433 in the lights running 1/4 mile at 7400.. Hole Helll it made a mess lol Part of the roller made it to the timing chain. Looked like a shrapnel bomb went off in the engine

quote:

Originally posted by 1320racer:
yep

Can i ask why? Just curious

Great catch Nomad. 1320racer is spot on mentering his son on not getting distracted. I was 17 years old (1972)and went to a local machine shop to ask about getting my rotating ass. balanced. The guy was busy and waved me back to where he was putting and engine togeather to talk about what I wanted done. Then the phone rang, and then rang again, and again. He would come back after each phone call and say sorry where were we. That poor motor. I told him I would come back later in the week. Like stated in earlier comments if people think you are an a--hole for telling them you are too busy to talk, they will get over it.

pulled as in pulled using this...

LOL got you...

I avoid all distractions while running valves. When I am at the track since I always wake up early I'll take my coffee into the trailer, run the valves and pull springs. I have the LSM removal tool and Spring checker but never used the lash tool. I saw it being used by my engine builder in TX last week and ordered one that night.