NBlue396

Anyone know the valve clearance for 65 396 big block.
My Chilton manual says intake 0.020 and exhaust 0.024.
Is this hot or cold setting? My 65 factory service manual doesn't mention this engine. Any help appreciated!

TheOman

The cam is the same cam as used in the 67 427 CI 425 HP and I believe the 435 HP motors also used that cam. Same cam is also used in the 375 HP 396 in the Chevelles / Novas and in the LS-6 454. Someone will likely quote different specs for lift and duration in different years and different applications but ya can't rely on those numbers.

Duration and lift are always quoted at some lift number or other and different cam profiles appear to exist due to different quoting methods. You need to look at the part number and I believe all the solid big block cams except the L-88 were the same P/N. You can take the specs from any of those applications of the cam shaft from 1966 thru 1971. GM was not big on creating numerous solid lifter cams for the big blocks.

I believe those numbers are for a hot setting. The settings you quote ring a bell as related to setting the valves on my LS-6 454.

oger

The early cam was different but i don't think they have been available for a long time. The 65 settings were 20-24 hot ,the later cams is 24-28 hot

TheOman

You are right 24 / 28 my mistake on the specs. You know that early P/n along with different specs must have the rear journal groove required on the first year BB's. Wonder if the grind was the same and they specified a different setting. bet we will never know.


[Modified by TheOman, 7:18 PM 4/16/2002]

TheOman

You are right 24 / 28 my mistake on the specs.

NBlue396

More troubles. Removed valve covers to find "hydraulic lifters". The clicking noise I thought was solid lifter noise is from gaulded rocker arms where the pushrod caps meet the rocker arms. Enough heat to discolor valve cover. My mechanic thinks when engine was rebuilt previous mechanic didn't keep pushrods,caps,and rocker arms matched so that things would seat correctly when engine was reassembled. Ordered new pushrods and rocker arms today from GM. Still wondering why the hydraulic lifters and what it takes to change over to them. Any suggestions or input appreciated.

396 RAT

"The early cam was different but i don't think they have been available for a long time. The 65 settings were 20-24 hot ,the later cams is 24-28 hot"

So I'm not insane.........
:crazy: One more on my side........... That makes (2) now.

More troubles. Removed valve covers to find "hydraulic lifters".
Could be several combos?
Cam+ lifters, ???????? Lifters?????? Rocker arms too?????
Hard to say when BuBBa been there.

TheOman

Well now you have other issues. Is it Hydraulic lifters on a solid cam? Hydraulic lifters on a hydraulic cam? Whateve hydraulic lifter you have it is zero lash. The rockers (if original that is) are all the same. If some Hot Rod type added different ratio rockers well then I don't know what to tell ya.

Biggest problem you face is what is that cam. Only way I know to be sure is to pull it out. I think that Chevy has a number on the cam bearing journal. Then again how do we know it is a Chevy cam??????

Not fun by any stretch job, not hard to do but certaily a PIA. Looking at the external accessories on the engine won't really help you if Bubba has been there. You must determine what parts are in the engine. At minimum you gotta find out what cam is in there. IF Bubba mismatched the lifters by using Hydraulics on a Solid cam it likely is new lifters and new cam time anyway ya look at it.

I suppose this was billed as a number match car or a survivor or some such thing? Kid_Again has two of those Bubba cars and BOTH are down for engine rebuilds to flush Bubba's work out of the engines.

riogrand

How did you determine they were hydraulic lifters?

396 RAT

Wonder if the grind was the same and they specified a different setting. bet we will never know.?


Clems specs, from another post.
the 65 cam was part # 3863144,.012,.018 lash, intake 61/107, lift .497, exhaust 102/66, lift .503. the 66 and later used cam #3963143, lash .024/.028, intake 54/102, lift .5197, exhaust 102/54, lift .5197
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