Valve Lash BB L 88

[Tyler Townsley]

I have a BB L 88 clone with heads and intake with headders. I bought the car with the motor done. It has lower compression pistons and a milder solid lifter cam. I used .2 intake and .24 exhaust used on the standard motor but seems this may be too lose. Anyone have better recomendations? Is .1 .12 too close. It starts laying down about 5k which I made me think it may be too lose but do not want to get them too tight.

Plug recommendation (type) would be appreciated too.

Thanks
Tyler

 

[Tom Bryant]

Hi Tyler,

Are you sure you have your decimal point in he right place? I just checked the valve lash for the 68-69 L88 in the Tech Center and it says intake .022 and exhaust .024. The old 375 Fuelie small block cam was called the 30-30 because both the intake and ex lash was .030 and they were noisey. The Duntov was .012 and .018. If you go with the .022 and .024 you won't be far off and it should work out fine. If you could determine the maker and number of the exact cam that would be even better.

 

[IH2LOSE]

I can tell you me personally any time I purchase a used motor with a solid cam in it,if I dont have the cam card with it or know excactly what I have with a part number .I will remove it and purchase a replacement one.There are too many varitables and you could end up damaging parts or leaving H.P. on the table. May seem like alot of work but with all of these special ratio rocker available it can make a person CRAZY trying to dial in a motor.


Just a reminder you can have a Nice cam and the wrong rockers on it and the motor will run flat.

Good Luck!

 

[Tyler Townsley]

Tom

You are right its .020-.024. Guess I had better call the guy I bought it from and get the phone of the builder. Its an aftermarket cam and seemed to be adjusted to the .020-.024 spects when I checked them.

Thanks

Tyler

 

[Tom Bryant]

If all else fails you may find the cam number and maker stamped on the end of the cam behind the timing gear. Tracking down the builder is probably a lot easier though. Larry is right that to get it right you really need to know exactly what it is. In the mean time a little loose can be a good thing.

Tom

 

[Hib Halverson]

My bet is that the cam's maker wants the last somewhere between .020-.024. Virtually all cam companies specify hot lash but what I do is bring the engine up to operating temperature then lash one set of valves. Then I let the engine cool over night and I remeasure the two valves on that cylinder. That becomes my "cold lash" figure. Then I use that to set all valves with the engine cold. Makes my life easier.

If that L88 "clone" lays down at 5000 rpm, there's something wrong, no doubt. An L88 427 ought to run hard to at least 6500.

 

[wallyknoch]

All early 396/427`s use 3/4 reach sparkplugs, the same as all Hemis. AC #R44XLS or its equivalent, .035 gap. Since the rest of the parts do not meet L88 standards, [pistons, cam, heads and ect.] and the engine quits at 5000 RPM`s, it`s a possibility that it also has a hydraulic cam requiring zero lash. True L88`s [12.5 pistons, 560/580 cam set at .020 and .024 hot, with aluminum heads] will easily go 7000+. I know mine do.

 

[vette]

My L88 turns 7500 RPMs Like it's nothing. What you have is changed so much from a true L88 who knows what it should do. I agree with the above to change the cam and rockers and start your own setup so you know what you all dealing with. What carb and intake are you running. Lowering the compression changes the whole deal. A friend of mine went nuts to build a Z28 302 for his camaro. Got all the right parts inc. the cam and then gos and puts flat top pistons in it. The car is such a dog it is no fun to drive at all. Talk to to cam guy and have one cut for your motor and use what they tell you for rockers and carb size. Good luck.

 

[Hib Halverson]

Damn....I want one of these 7500 rpm L88s!!!

 

[wallyknoch]

Damn....I want one of these 7500 rpm L88s!!!

Can`t have it! :L "IT" engines are too scarce.