250sx valve adjustment after new head

[Honda_Dude]

As the title says, I'm trying to adjust my valves after I Put a used head on this 85 250SX. I have a shop manual and have done them on a few quads before.

My timing marks were good when I installed the cam & chain. I backed the valve adjusters all the way out before I put the rocker cover on.

The problem is, whenever I try to adjust the exhaust valve, I check my clearance, then try to rotate the engine with the rotor bolt and the exhaust valve will open and the piston will hit the valve. I've tried to use the timing mark both ways (rotate 360) but it doesn't seem to matter.

I re-read the manual and backtraced all of my work but did I miss something ???
Am I just not finding the compression stroke right ???

The only way I can rotate the engine without getting piston/valve interference is by backing the exhaust valve adjuster about all the way out. The exhaust valve seems tight & the intake seems loose.

Could I have problems somewhere else??? This is driving me nuts.



Oh, I bought this with a bad exhaust valve, that's why I found a used head to put back on. The engine rotates fine with the head off. I'm starting to wonder if there is something else wrong I'm not seeing. THX

[Honda_Dude]

Crap, the more I think about it, I think I'm going to need a new timing chain & guides. I guess I'll be tearing further into this sooner than I thought.

I remember using the kickstarter after I had the initial valve setting done several times and it rotated fine. Then it seemed to lock up. I'm guessing I have a stretched timing chain maybe and it's jumped a bit ???????

My $150, I mean $210 SX is going to get a little costlier.