if it isnr broken, dont fix it. riiiiiiiggggggghhhhht

So i started driving my 87 TC again last week, it was sitting since august.
First was the wonderful ABS started acting up. nothing like losing brake assist half way to work. it would work then abs/brake lights illuminate and about 10 brake applications later no assist.
traced that to a intermittent relay. FIXED.

i felt bad neglecting the car so i decided to install those new valve springs i had sitting on my dresser since march. reason i was changing them was to get rid of a cold start valve float. if it wasn't warmed up it would act as if lost compression.
It wasn't doing it this past week at all. so i just wanted to fix it up. get it running better.
so installed those valve springs.
using my cylinder leak-down tester to pressurize the cylinders and change em out.
a few lash adjuster gave me issues going back in.
i put it back together and i had a miss. i haven't checked which cylinder. oi was at work late and wanted to get home.
it missed as if i dropped a cylinder. im not too familiar with the lash adjusters. i havent replaced a set before or had this issue.

you think the adjusters are over adjusting and leaving my valves open? i just dont want to spend around 75 bucks and be in the same boat again... a lil insight is really what im looking for...
maybe i wont fix the "ehhhh its ok but not right" things and fix the "car is dead things"

two steps forward and twelve steps back.

thanks guys

I think you might be overthinking it. You may have a loose plug wire, since you had to pull the plugs to use the leak down tool. Start it at night in the dark, and see if you see a spark. Just a guess

My understanding of valve float is it is a high rpm situation where the springs are too weak to bleed down the HLAs enough to allow the valve to close. The engine misses, runs rough until rpms drop. It can take a minute or more for the engine to return to smooth running, at lower rpms.

Generally if any defect show up at cold start it might be too much clearance, HLAs to valve stem giving a tapping noise.

Lash adjusters need a certain clearance range. Too much clearance and you get tapping, too little and the valve doesn't close.

This is a little convoluted but if you read the links I posted here; http://natomessageboard.com/cgi-bin/ulti...906#000001 you should find some useful info on clearances.

Sounds like you ran out of time and were in a rush, I like what RDOG said, I've actually done it and couldn't believe I made such a rookie/dumb mistake. I was in a rush, and that's when that stuff happens. Looks like you have a lot of info on the HLA's I've only had an issue when they made noise.

Don't mean to tap into this but Im having a tapping issue. It taps all the time, hot or cold. First question, do the hla's require shims underneath? To be honest I didnt put any in...kind of a rookie when it comes to hla's

1988turbotbird, did you read the links off of the post I linked above? They talk about checking clearances, when shims are needed etc.

When you get into it, check for cam wear as well as clearance.

I'll check those, it has a new ranger cam and new hla's also

the reason im a thinking HLA is due to the fact 2 of them were up high and would let me take the follower out. they usually come right out with the KD tool, im gonna mess with it tonight and see maybe i did leave something loose.

ok i was over thinking!
i just walked outside and was gonna do a find the dead cylinder test. pulled injectors off one at a time, got to number 4 and well it was already off.
what a idiot i can be. whooops, simple fix tho!
gonna go take a test drive now see how she goes.

valve float is at high rpm situations. there is no such thing as cold start valve float.