Ok you engine builders, help!
6th Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,469
From: AR
RE: Ok you engine builders, help!
ORIGINAL: pinboy122
Im not convinced he has the lifters pumped up.I usually stand mine up in a pan of oil at least over-night.Then Ill use a pushrod to make sure their pumped up
Im not convinced he has the lifters pumped up.I usually stand mine up in a pan of oil at least over-night.Then Ill use a pushrod to make sure their pumped up
I never do "pump up" new lifters, I find it is esier to get the intial adjustment right with the lifters empty, but if the OPs engine uses non-adjustable lifters, then this is not really a factor and perhaps if the lifters were filled with oil he would not have an issue with "looseness".
6th Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,469
From: AR
RE: Ok you engine builders, help!
ORIGINAL: dstanger
Ok, my guess is that I need longer push rods. What confuses me is that they came out of the engine in the first place, not sure why I would need longer ones. But, with the nuts taking the rocker arm all the way down to the bottom of the threads, the rockers aren't level and they don't depress the springs at all. The engine build book I have, How To Build Small-Block Ford Engines by Tom Monroe, indicates that I should just take the wobble out of the rocker, then go 3/4 of a turn more. I can't get the wobble out, I hit the bottom of the threads.
Ok, my guess is that I need longer push rods. What confuses me is that they came out of the engine in the first place, not sure why I would need longer ones. But, with the nuts taking the rocker arm all the way down to the bottom of the threads, the rockers aren't level and they don't depress the springs at all. The engine build book I have, How To Build Small-Block Ford Engines by Tom Monroe, indicates that I should just take the wobble out of the rocker, then go 3/4 of a turn more. I can't get the wobble out, I hit the bottom of the threads.
I think that you shouldassemble the original rocker arms and pushrods, and then check to see if the plunger in the lifter is being depressed about 1/2 way down when the camshaft is in a position where the valve would be open.
The partial depression of the plunger in the lifter is the key to the whole issue. this is the defining factor concerning what will work or will not work in your valvetrain.
6th Gear Member
Joined: Jan 2007
Posts: 5,469
From: AR
Thread Starter
2nd Gear Member
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 186
From:
RE: Ok you engine builders, help!
Wow, ask for info here and you definitely get it. They are the hydraulic, self adjusting lifters, which means all I should have to do is get them close. I'll take a pic here in a few and post it so everyone can see what I'm dealing with. The pushrod length checker should be here in a couple of days so I'll post what it tells me also. I do have a different cam and new valves so that would certainly be why the original pushrods may or may not be the correct length any more. I like the method described in the website about checking the preload, makes perfect sense. I would imagine that is really what this pushrod length checker is going to do, just from a different location (i believe I use it on the top of the head, where the rocker is). BTW, when I did the lifter insertion I pumped them all up with an oil can, but it was almost a week later when I got to the pushrod and rocker assembly. It has been almost 2 weeks now, they could have leaked it out - that is why I asked about taking a drill to my oil pump, to A) prime the engine again, and B) get the lifters to the height they are during running. I was hoping that this was the reason for my rocker nuts going all the way down and bottoming out on the threads of the studs.
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 28
RE: Ok you engine builders, help!
I have the exact engine, and the best thing i did was have screw-in studs installed . That way your valvetrain is adjustable and STAYS adjusted when running a slightly bigger cam and roller rockers. And the correct length pushrods for your cam kit is definitely a must have.Usually longer when swapping to a bigger cam.
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Joined: Feb 2006
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RE: Ok you engine builders, help!
Sorry for ducking out but my diving hobby took over for a week or so... anyway, I read the articles and did some other google searches. I ordered the universal pushrod length checker, it came in just the other day. It looks just like a push rod but in two parts, threaded so you can change the length and it has 2 nuts that tighten it down to the desired length. I stood it next to one of the originals from the engine and I gave it more about the height of the ball on the end longer. I put it on the engine and I could easily adjust the rocker like I am supposed to. I called Summit tech support and they have a stock diameter pushrod that is almost exactly the length I used. I ordered them and they'll be here Friday so I can put this one to rest.
Another note is that when I used this length with the checker, the rocker even looked parallel to the head, meaning it was more of an even look (not lower on the pushrod side). I think this is more what should be, the rocker will pivot better I believe.
Thanks again for all the great help and suggestions!
Another note is that when I used this length with the checker, the rocker even looked parallel to the head, meaning it was more of an even look (not lower on the pushrod side). I think this is more what should be, the rocker will pivot better I believe.
Thanks again for all the great help and suggestions!
I ♥ Acer
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 17,565
From:
RE: Ok you engine builders, help!
ORIGINAL: dstanger
Wow, ask for info here and you definitely get it. They are the hydraulic, self adjusting lifters, which means all I should have to do is get them close. I'll take a pic here in a few and post it so everyone can see what I'm dealing with. The pushrod length checker should be here in a couple of days so I'll post what it tells me also. I do have a different cam and new valves so that would certainly be why the original pushrods may or may not be the correct length any more. I like the method described in the website about checking the preload, makes perfect sense. I would imagine that is really what this pushrod length checker is going to do, just from a different location (i believe I use it on the top of the head, where the rocker is). BTW, when I did the lifter insertion I pumped them all up with an oil can, but it was almost a week later when I got to the pushrod and rocker assembly. It has been almost 2 weeks now, they could have leaked it out - that is why I asked about taking a drill to my oil pump, to A) prime the engine again, and B) get the lifters to the height they are during running. I was hoping that this was the reason for my rocker nuts going all the way down and bottoming out on the threads of the studs.
Wow, ask for info here and you definitely get it. They are the hydraulic, self adjusting lifters, which means all I should have to do is get them close. I'll take a pic here in a few and post it so everyone can see what I'm dealing with. The pushrod length checker should be here in a couple of days so I'll post what it tells me also. I do have a different cam and new valves so that would certainly be why the original pushrods may or may not be the correct length any more. I like the method described in the website about checking the preload, makes perfect sense. I would imagine that is really what this pushrod length checker is going to do, just from a different location (i believe I use it on the top of the head, where the rocker is). BTW, when I did the lifter insertion I pumped them all up with an oil can, but it was almost a week later when I got to the pushrod and rocker assembly. It has been almost 2 weeks now, they could have leaked it out - that is why I asked about taking a drill to my oil pump, to A) prime the engine again, and B) get the lifters to the height they are during running. I was hoping that this was the reason for my rocker nuts going all the way down and bottoming out on the threads of the studs.
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