No Valve clearance 351c ?

Tried to measure the valve clearance on my 351c. According to the manual,  you put the cylinder on TDC and torque the rocker arm bolt and then, while pushing the rocker arm with a lifter bleed down tool, measure the clearance.  Well, my rocker arm wouldn't budge and there was no clearance!!! Anybody seen this? Any suggestions? This community rocks!  Bufus

Bufus,

A little more information here would be helpfull.

Are you trying to determine if you need shorter or longer pushrods ?

As I recall , that was the reason for the rocker arm in the first place, or you attempting to determine your correct lifter preload ?

Or perhaps diagnose a lifter issue, I remember using the tool you are describing at my local dealership, but heck. that was 1980.

Boilermaster

I just developed a metal scrubbing sound under the passenger side valve cover. (I attached an audio file of the noise.) I was inspecting to see if there was any noticeable damage. Didn't see anything. Decided to check valve clearance. I was confused when there was none. Still trying to find the source of the noise. Didn't find any metal in the oil. A few suggestions so far: remove rocker arms to check for damage, take rods out to see if there could be a bend in one. Also, still planing to cut the old filter open to check for metal. Any help on the valve clearance or the noise would be greatly appreciated.

valve cover noise.aac

Bufus,

If it was mine I would attach a bump starter switch and see if I am getting full cam lobe lift at each rocker arm, if ok then see if i can spin each pushrod when at base circle of the cam, by those two tests you will be able to tell if you have a wiped out cam lobe or bent pushrod.

Also be watching for a broken valve spring, you can also pull plug wires one at a time to see if the noise changes.

You never state if your engine is miss firing or not.

Boilermaster