Proceedure for checking valves clearance?

Is there a procedure on this site for checking valve clearance?

Do I order 2 sets of head gaskets and use one as a checker?, throw away after torquing the head on, spinning the crank, and checking the clay.

I had thought I would buy from the hardware a .040 strip of shim.  Place 4  strips on the decked engine surface, snug the bolts up, spin the crank with 1 piston / rod , pushrod, lifter and rocker and valve springs in place (both int and ex on one cylinder.  This would save the new head gasket.

Any comments?

Bob
Tucson

429
Ford f250 short bed super cab

You can bolt the head on the block WITHOUT a head gasket. Put your clay on the piston, put the valvetrain together and rotate. If there is no binding or stopping, then pull it apart and check the thickness of the thinnest part of the clay.
Then add the gasket thickness to that figure.
Or, you can use the gasket, but you do not need to torque it down to full torque specs.....25-30 lb./ft. is sufficient enough, and do the same checking procedure as above. Remember that the figure you arrive at is the 'running' clearance figure.
You will not ruin the gaskets by torqueing them just a little bit....I talking about a regular Fel-Pro or Mr. Gasket type of composition gasket.
MLS, or embossed copper gaskets are a different story!!

You could just simply stick the head on there using a couple of bolts snugged down with the head gasket in place and it won't hurt anything. For checking I put on a couple of soft springs that I can compress by hand. Put on the rockers and the pushrods that are going to be used, adjust till there is no lash and then carefully turn the engine to around the overlap position and start checking. I push the valve open by hand and see how much clearance there is, turn the engine, check again till I find the tightest place(usually on the intake side about 10 after TDC). I only use clay if it is close for some reason becuause it can tell you were the clearance is low and might be corrected by just a little grinding on the piston.

You seasoned builders are really a big help! I have built about 3 engines in my 69 years and always need some help along the way.
This forum is the greatest!

Thank you, thank you, for all your help always.

Bob
Tucson