Posted by Mavman (IP: 216.12.231.139) on June 08, 2000 at 14:22:10:
In Reply to: Rant and Rave time posted by Russ on June 07, 2000 at 18:21:31:
: Sorry about this but I have to vent. My brother gave me a set of 65 289 heads which have cast in push rod guide slots, which he bought at a swap meet.I had all the normal recond. done to them. I put them on my recond. short block and into the car about a year ago. I've got the car on the road this past weekend. It was running rough and missing(figured it had fouled plugs and need carb work). I changed the plugs and rebuilt the carb. still running bad. I pulled the valve covers to find three Rocker arms laying in the heads. I start checking things out and come to find that the idiot who milled the heads for the screw in studs milled .400" off of the bosses. It should have been only .200". I now have a nice set of junk heads with a new 3 angle valve job. AAAGGGGHHHH !!!! Again sorry about the rant, but It had to be done. Russ
I don't understand that anyway. When I adjust the rockers on my 65 289, initially I just rotate the motor by hand till both the intake and exhaust valves are closed completely for one cylinder, then tightening the rocker nuts just enough that I can still turn the pushrods by hand. Once all cylinders are done, then with the valve covers off, I start the motor. Then one by one, I back the rocker nuts off until it starts tapping, then tighten them till they stop, then turn an additional half turn. The rockers never touch anything but the rocket cup washer. There should be enough play in .200 to allow the rocker to float higher on the shaft.
Maybe I just don't get the geometry of the rocker arm/pushrod/valve, but it just seems that you'd just let the rocker rid higher on the stud. If I'm wrong, someone PLEASE let me know!!!