elephant foot mod question

[Jaydela180]

Dry fitting head cover right now before final install with three bond. Rocker arms were ground to 8mm taking off about 4.5 mm each. With adjusters backed all the way out, left intake is not loose. Shouldn't there be play on all adjusters during install? Did I not grind off enough? Or is just on an exhuast stroke and should be tight?

 

[5twins]

You probably didn't take quite enough off that one rocker.

 

[Jaydela180]

Well that sucks. But I did mispeak earlier. It was the left exhaust that was touching the valve stem. It wasn't putting any pressure on stem just not loose like the other three. I went ahead and slapped cover on, set valves on right side, then cycled it to do the left. Valves were loose and set those too. Lemme know if something still doesn't sound right. I'll stop moving forward and go back.

 

[5twins]

No, you should be OK. The reason you grind the rockers is so they won't force the valves open on one side as you're trying to install the top cover (or remove it). Yours was just touching snug but not holding the valve open so, like I said, you should be fine. Make a note of this and if you're ever in there again in the future, grind a tad more off that one rocker. Even if they do force the valves open, you can put the cover on. You just run the risk of bending or warping it if you're not careful.

 

[Jaydela180]

Thank you sir. Exactly what I wanted to hear. I went slightly over the suggested 4mm to avoid this problem, but must have left a high spot in center.

 

[YL82]

Just received my set of 8 EF valve adjusters from Pierside Parts. They carry the CB Performance Brand (CB1518), but with cheaper shipping (by about $10).

What I'm replacing is a set of tappet adjuster screws that I got from MikesXS - the Hex Socket Type (not MikesXS Elephant Feet).

Can I simply use the 8mm nuts from the MikesXS set or should I go with some half-height nuts?

On another thread on here, someone had used thinner nuts for weight reduction... Any benefits to this?

I suppose I wouldn't have to cut down the screw length quite so much.

 

[5twins]

I'm not sure you'd save that much weight between a thick and thin nut. I'd be more concerned with the one 5 gram heavier rocker you found. I just used my old original nuts and didn't shorten the screws. I do shorten them now but back then, it was my 1st time doing them. I also grind a tapered hole into the bottom of the rocker now instead of removing the whole bottom .....

This allows the tapered top on the elephant foot to retract into the rocker, allowing the needed room for assembly/dis-assembly .....

 

[YL82]

Thanks for posting the images - this is exactly the way I want to do mine (as opposed to removing the entire bottom).

What maximum height above the rocker arm can the slotted/threaded adjuster be? I know that the VW adjusters must be shortened...I'd like to have a few threads visible above the top of the nut (rather than being flush) after adjustment.

 

[azman857]

One valve will always be tight because one valve is going to be opening or closing. Even all the way backed off. If hand rotate the crankshaft, you will see the cam doing its thing.

 

[5twins]

I don't know the maximum clearance available for the screw but I do know an unshortened one fits fine. I've been running mine that way for about 5 seasons now. Like I said, I do shorten the screws now. Back then, I didn't have the reinforced fiber cut-off wheels for my Dremel like I do now. They make cutting the screw and new slot a piece of cake. I take about 1/4" off but you could go a little more .....

 

[YL82]

Useful info. Thanks, 5twins!

 

[Kathos]

Not to thread jack but what valve gap do you use with your elephant feet?

 

[5twins]

I had read that larger than stock clearances could give better performance and more power so I experimented with them after I installed the new adjuster screws. I didn't find any difference so have gone back to the stock settings for my '78, .004" intake and .006" exhaust. With my original screws, I had to run .003" on the intakes because .004" ticked like crazy. That's not a problem any more with the new screws.

What I have discovered using the elephants foot screws is that the foot sticks to the valve stem top due to the oil film and all the clearance movement takes place between the foot and the ball it attaches to. For this reason, I don't think huge clearances are a good idea as they may increase the wear between the foot and ball.

 

[Punkskalar]

I'm not sure you'd save that much weight between a thick and thin nut. I'd be more concerned with the one 5 gram heavier rocker you found. I just used my old original nuts and didn't shorten the screws. I do shorten them now but back then, it was my 1st time doing them. I also grind a tapered hole into the bottom of the rocker now instead of removing the whole bottom .....

This allows the tapered top on the elephant foot to retract into the rocker, allowing the needed room for assembly/dis-assembly .....

I like that method! Nicely done 5T

 

[5twins]

The other thing I really like about doing it this way is there's no need to disassemble the rockers. You leave them right in the top cover and just wrap a rag around it to keep the grinding grit out. A couple blasts with a blow gun cleans the grit out of the threads. I do a final wipe of the threads with a Q-tip but very little is left in there.

 

[Kathos]

Thanks 5twins. I coned out the rockers like you did. Everything went together great. I didn't trim the threads on the adjuster so there is quit a bit sticking out but as long as I don't hit the tappet covers it wont bother me.
Thanks for the cool engine upgrade!

 

[hard_y_rd]

How are you grinding them out? Dremel?

 

[CDNTX650]

Yes Dremel with a small stone. Keep the heat down with water. Then cut them shorter and cut a slot for a flat blade screw driver.

 

[5twins]

You can use a die grinder as well.

 

[MaxPete]

Are you still using the elephants foot adjusters 5T?

Pete