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Old October 9th 07, 04:54 PM posted to rec.aviation.owning
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Default Excessive valve clearance cause low power?

Fly fly at Tulsaconnect.com wrote:
: I've have discovered just-barely-out-of-limits pushrod lengths on one
: cylinder can cause a loss of 2-3 knots cruise speed.

: Excessive clearance changes the effective valve timing, retarding the
: opening and thus decreasing power.
: This is one area that blueprint engine builders pay much attention to.

: I have a suspicion that since the field overhaul ignored the pushrod
: lengths, they probably ignored the testing of the lifter hydraulic units.
: There is a spec for the bleed-down rate.

: You need to fix this soon. Excessive clearance is hard on the camshaft.

: I know where find the camshaft specs. I'll post them here.

: Kent Felkins
: Tulsa

It sure seems like the lifters would have plenty of adjustment to take up the slack. The
bleed-down rate would have to be affected pretty significantly to affect the effective valve lift at 2500
RPM though, I'd think. From what I've been able to google up on the subject, bleed-down shouldn't affect
high-RPM valve operation much. It's pretty much a low-RPM thing. Then again, you can't believe
everything you read online... much better to appeal to random folks on USENET.

As far as the lifters go, we did the "squeeze" test as mentioned in the overhaul engine manual.
Nothing out of spec as far as that was concerned, but it's probably not too accurate.

If you could find the camshaft specs, it would be absolutely the only place they're posted on the
'net as far as I've been able to find. That'd be great...

-Cory

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* Cory Papenfuss, Ph.D., PPSEL-IA *
* Electrical Engineering *
* Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University *
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