350 Chevy ??

[reddog]

My neighbor knocked on my door this morning cus he can't get his 5.7 running. It is an 88 p/u 4x4 stick. He had a ticking valve so he adjusted the valves. When I got involved it had fuel (TBI) and spark but doesn't seem to have compression. Motor turns (valves and distributor too) but no starty. It turns over like you have the plugs out. I went quickly over the valve lash adjustment and think I had it on TDC #1 (rotor facing #1 wire). Could not really do the finger on the spark plug whole thing to check for TDC. SOOOO my question is if It was not on TDC #1 (180 degrees off) would the motor act like it had no compression? He says all he did was adjust the valves - he said it fired yesterday but ran very rough. I saw nothing obvious.

Calling on your knowledge of great ones....

TIA - Kerry

[Stolen76]

Possibly adjusted on the wrong stroke the first time around and he bent valves giving you no compression ? Then called you over so he'd have someone to blame ?

I'd back all the valves off, and see if you have compression. Maybe even do a compression test. (assuming he has solid lifters. If they are hydraulic they wouldn't need to be adjusted, just torqued.)

[gsmikie]

loosen all the rockers and start the truck then adjust the rockers while the engine is running if you adjust the rockers while the engine is not running the lifters will be pumped up and it will make all the valves open thus making it turn over like the plugs are out of the engine youll never get it started