Valves Tight Again

[sped372]

A couple of the valves were tight again. How many times is it ok to find them tight as they "settle in" after putting in a rebuilt longblock? I need help either silencing this nagging thought in my head or going with it.

[spiffy]

A couple of the valves were tight again. How many times is it ok to find them tight as they "settle in" after putting in a rebuilt longblock? I need help either silencing this nagging thought in my head or going with it.

How many miles on it? What did you have done to the heads?

I would just keep an eye on them....and ear...adjust as often as you can stand it AND get a useful reading.

I have about 700 miles on my engine right now and I am checking the valves (solid) about every 100 miles or so. The first 500 miles my ears had me under the valve covers ALL the time. Well, that and I had some swivel foot adjusters go bad. As you start to get to know the engines particular sound and feel you can hear that it is "tight" and feel it in yer foot as well.

[Amskeptic]

A couple of the valves were tight again. How many times is it ok to find them tight as they "settle in" after putting in a rebuilt longblock? I need help either silencing this nagging thought in my head or going with it.

My engine is still tightening the left side valves after 44,000 miles since I put those squishy EMPI copper sealings on. And I did a retorque of the heads that exacerbated the tendency. They just keep squishing.
If you have sealing rings, I would expect 5,000 miles of settling in. Please note, for your peace of mind, that if all valves are tightening (or all valves one side of the engine, like mine), it is an entire engine event which is much more benign than one pissed-off exhaust valve somewhere.
Colin

[sped372]

I'd have to double check but I'd say ~3,500 miles since the swap. I didn't have any head work done... bought a rebuilt longblock.

Ok, so, sounds like I'm at least somewhat safe if I keep on top of it and keep the clearances at spec.

What exactly is shifting to close the gap? I thought if things were tightening up you were "stretching" the valve stem leading to *snap* and *crunch* ...no?