[TR] Setting timing on a TR4 and Rocker pedistal hight

[Randall]

> 1)  The Haynes manual has a process by which you set the timing by having
> the the 7 and 8 the push rods balanced so either way the cam turns the
> push
> rod moves up. Has anyone else followed this procedure and had success?

I have, although not quite in that form.  Instead, adjust the valve lash on
those two valves to a larger than usual value, like .050".  The exact value
is not important, but they must be the same.  Then with the camshaft turned
to approximately TDC firing on #1, get the lash exactly equal on those two
valves, and the camshaft will be at exactly TDC.  (Assuming it is a
symmetrical grind, which all the factory camshafts are.  However, some
aftermarket cams are not symmetrical and cannot be timed this way.)

>  Can anyone point me at alternate procedures?

See
http://www.cranecams.com/pdf/803.pdf
for a more classic procedure that will work for any cam (assuming you know
what it's timing specs are).

> 2) I fitted dry fitted the head wiht the old head gasket along with the
> rocker arms to make sure everything was fitting correctly. I have noticed
> that the adjustment on the rocker pedistal will not provide enough
> clearance
> to allow the push rods to fully extend.

I'm not sure I follow your problem here, the valves are supposed to be open
with the pushrods "extended".  However, shimming the pedestals is a bad idea
because it screws up the geometry between the rocker and valve, putting
extra side force on the stems and accelerating valve wear.  The more
customary way to deal with this problem (which normally only happens when
the head has been modified to increase compression substantially) is to fit
special shortened pushrods, available from places like BFE, TSi,
Racetorations, etc.

Randall