Well I hit a bump on the road, after getting the engine running and being happy, it started to have a tap that increased with rpm's, so I figured it was valve related (hoped it was) so I took the valve cover off and found one of the little guides off and laying on the bottom, see pic, you can see the valve missing it and the guide on the bottom.

I have researched it and looked at the FSM, and I have found basic instructions but missing some details, I found this pic on this forum

My questions are:

1. Can the guide be put back in with just loosening the locking nut and adjusting the arm all the way up or do I need to remove cam

2. I see the two nuts on there on 43.6b above, which is the locking and which is the adjusting and which directions to turn them (I assume bottom is locking)

And any other tips or info, I don't want to break anything and create more work.

Thanks.

You can actually pry the valve down and put the retainer back in with careful use of a screwdriver-then adjust the valves(cold) before starting the car again and adjusting again after warming up the car.

My experience has been that old/sticky oil causes the retainers to jump out more often than anything else.

How does your oil feel-if a drop between your finger and thumb strands out or feels sticky when pulled apart, change it before starting the car-and pour some new oil over the cam before replacing the cover-and add a pint of fuel system cleaner to the gas tank-run it out soon, then change the oil at a small interval and on that oil change go back to normal intervals.

Will

the oil is fine as I already drained once before starting and poured clean oil and mystery oil all over the cam so this might have been old oil stuck under the guide.

I will try the suggested method for reinstalling the guide

Any info on the procedure for the lock and adjuster?

When you adjust the valves there are two nuts on the same threaded shaft. One acts as a lock against the other. It's called a jamb nut. So you check the clearance with a feeler gage between the cam and he rocker arm. If it needs to be adjusted, loosen the nuts adjust the clearance then with one wrench on one nut and another one on the jamb nut tighten them without changing the setting . Check the clearance again to be sure it's correct , if so go on to the next one. You only adjust the valve when the cam lobe is point up. Good luck. Gary

thanks, which nut is which? is the top one the lock or the bottom one?

top one is the locking one

thanks Art

Actualy the bottom larger nut is the lock nut, the top one is the shaft itself.

Just loosen the lock nut by turning it counter clockwise, then you can rotate the shaft clockwise to lower it all the way down. Then you can remove the rocker by prying it over the top of the pivot shaft. This will alow you to put your lash pad back in position with the rocker out of the way.

I should probably add that you want that cam lobe pointed strait up when you do the above, and when you make your final lash adjustment.

another tip...when truning the engine by the crank bolt (26mm socket and 1/2 ratchet), remove your spark plugs to negate cylinder compression....

also. if you're doing all the valves. remove the loop springs (43.6b pic) that wrap around the valve adjusting/lock nuts all at once. do this JUST to crack the nuts free. then reinstall the springs for adjustment procedure. it makes it easier to get the wrenches in there...

Opps! Hey Gus, sorry for the mis-info

Check out this sight. http://www.atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/ It is the best I have seen for teaching valve adjusting. It even comes with a free movie.