Valve Clearance on Larger Camshaft and Flat Top Pistons
I know he doesn’t like clay. I’ve read that before.
We agree on the fact you have to mock it up like it runs.
We agree if you do it any other way you end up with too much clearance and that’s a power loser.
Where we disagree is with clay. I have, since about 1995 when I realized that the intake valve only needs the same clearance as whatever the piston to head clearance is and, when I tightened the clearance up it would make more power.
Since then I almost never make the intake valve pocket deeper.
On steel rods I’ve run as tight as .040 and never touched a piston. On aluminum rods I’ve run .055 and never touched the piston.
I don’t run them that tight without a gear drive. With a belt I add .010 and with a chain I add .020.
That’s what started this whole **** show. The OP was going down a nasty rabbit hole and I tried to stop him and help him learn how to do it and save some time and get far more accurate results, and potentially keep him from notching a piston for no reason.
The other interesting point is how these guys can’t measure clay to within .005 or less.
I’m going to do videos for my new YouTube channel and I’ll cover this.
It ain’t hard to do.
BTW and FWIW, if 92b would continue to read the Godbold book, he’d learn about buckling loads and why pushrod flex isn’t the issue when checking this stuff.