Remove the valve covers, and pick a cylinder that you are going to adjust.

1. Rotate the engine in its normal direction of rotation and watch the exhaust valve on that particular cylinder. When the exhaust valve begins to open, stop and adjust that cylinder's intake rocker arm. Why? Because when the exhaust valve is just beginning to open, the intake lifter will be on the base circle of the lobe, the correct position for adjusting the intake.

2. Back off the rocker arm until there is no tension on the pushrod. Now spin the pushrod with your fingers while tightening down the rocker arm. When you feel a slight resistance to the turning of the pushrod, you are at "Zero Lash". Turn the adjusting nut down one half to one full turn from that point. Lock the adjuster into position. The intake is now adjusted properly.

3. Continue to turn the engine, watching that same intake. It will go to full open and then begin to close. When it is almost closed, stop and adjust the exhaust rocker arm on that particular cylinder. Again, when we see the intake almost closed, we are sure that exhaust lifter is on the base circle of the lobe. Loosen the exhaust rocker arm and follow the same procedure escribed before to adjust this rocker arm.
Both valves on this cylinder are now adjusted, and you can move on to your next cylinder and follow the same procedure again.

The same procedure goes for solid lifters, just set the lash at the spec that came on your cam card which usually set hot. But if you want to set the valves close to run the engine for the first time, or when cold, here is a correction adjustment that will get you close. Just remember to check them once the engine is up to operating temp.
With iron block and iron heads, add .002"
With iron block and aluminum heads, subtract .006"
With both aluminum block and heads, subtract .012"
Hopefully this helps with something everybody has to do at some point.

Your tech editor,
Josh Ashlock