Locktite on rocker arm adjusters??

Posted By: Radio Joe

Locktite on rocker arm adjusters?? - 02/03/10 06:24 AM

Okay- Car is a 1966 Plymouth Fury 4 door with the poly 318. Engine has not been rebuilt, just worked on (Gaskets, carb, ignition ect)

When I first got the car on the road it missed at idle/ low speed. After a while (And a few posts here) I was ale to find the problem was the exhaust valves had tightened up on one side of the engine. Adjusted them and the car ran great.

I have now 16K miles on the engine since starting driving it and will now have to re-adjust the valves for the third time. Previously some mentione dthat possibly the seats were wearing away. I started running lead additive in it after the first issue so hopefully that helped.

Im thinking I have two possibilities- Seats wearing or the adjuster screws are actually moving over time. If the seats are wearing, then I have no choice but to keep adjusting the vlaves until its rebuild time.

BUT incase it is the adjusters moving, will it cause any issues to put locktite on the them? Im thinking adjust everythign so its runnin good again, then back the screws out about 2 turns, add the locktite and then turn them back in 2 turns.

Anyone think that would cause any issues?

Posted By: RapidRobert

Re: Locktite on rocker arm adjusters?? - 02/03/10 06:36 AM

Quote:

Anyone think that would cause any issues?

Sounds like an excellent plan and green loctite will seep into the threads wo you having to undo them.EDIT Ahead of time I would hit each screw/rocker threads w a shot of starting fluid to clean them to better help the loctite to setup tight

Posted By: Radio Joe

Re: Locktite on rocker arm adjusters?? - 02/03/10 07:06 PM

Thanks Robert- I can always count on you!

I thought it would be okay but didnt want to do it and find out the hard way that it causes something bad like adjusters that break or something.

Posted By: rbstroker

Re: Locktite on rocker arm adjusters?? - 02/03/10 08:03 PM

I love the old polys. Great engines. Like almost all pre-72 engines, they have soft valve seats though. The locktite is a good idea, but be prepared for hardened seats in the future.

Posted By: Jeremiah

Re: Locktite on rocker arm adjusters?? - 02/04/10 12:46 AM

I have had solid lifter cams with adjustable rockers for 15 years. 'Never had to locktite an adjuster. I have seen soft adjusters from comp and soft valve seats from the factory, but never soft factory adjusters. I'd stray away from putting locktite on them. Maybe mark the threads with a paint marker to see if things are moving around?

Posted By: Magnum

Re: Locktite on rocker arm adjusters?? - 02/04/10 01:47 AM

Whenever I question of something is moving or not. I mark it and watch. Scribe or paint daub.

As for adjusters moving vs sinking seat. My money is on sinking seats.

Posted By: Radio Joe

Re: Locktite on rocker arm adjusters?? - 02/05/10 01:18 AM

Well, Im not thinking Im special or anything.. Just thought if the seats were sinking so quickly I would have other problems too

Im working on getting my corvair back together now- Should be done in the next 2 months so hopefully adjusting the 318 one more time will buy me enough time to drive the car, put the corvair back on the road and then pull the heads from the fury and replace the seats.

Posted By: MNobody

Re: Locktite on rocker arm adjusters?? - 02/05/10 05:09 AM

Geez i hope it won't hurt anything, i put a little blue locktite on my #7 exhaust adjuster because it was backing off and rattling a little...