Longer pushrods, or can I use lash caps?

Did this with an extra pair last week, glad I did it right. I just took it apart, saw how it was assembled, and figured this would work.

Great idea on the adjustable pushrod!!!

Right now, I am leaning toward milling the bottoms off 8 of the pedestals. I am going out right now to do the triple check. I think if I need .060, then if I take .030 off the bottom, I should be right about where I need to be (dropping the rocker .030 down will decrease the distance between the rocker and valve by .030, and the rocker to the lifter by .030 for a total of .060, of course not taking into account the slight angles that are involved, but this should get me pretty darned close).

My dad still works in a machine shop, and he is coming over tomorrow afternoon. I will make sure he has time to do this and send 8 along with him.

 

Perfect!!!

I took a spare pedestal and just used an angle grinder on it to take as close to .030 off as I could. I know, it is not perfectly flat, but this is a "sacrificial" pedestal just for a test. I has since been thrown in the trash.

But, when I bolted it up, it preloaded PERFECTLY!

I don't see any difference in where the roller tip sits on the top of the valve stem (shouldn't make much difference, if they recommend that you shim up to adjust preload, what difference would it make if I "shim down"???). Furthermore, the distance I am going down is halfway between the distance the small shims (.020) and larger shims (.040) go up, so I am not really moving things THAT far.

Anyway, I think I found my cheap solution.

Any last naysayers before I have dad machine the bottoms off my pedestals? Final warnings? Anything else I may not have taken into consideration?

 

I say give it a try, if the milled ones don't work out you will only be short one stock one.

 

No, I have 2 complete sets, minus the one I just threw away. So I will still have 24 that have not been milled.

Trying not to back myself into a corner I cannot get out of by doing something that will ruin some of my parts.

 

Give It A Try You Have Deg Wheel Now The Fun Begins

 

If these are roller tip rockers? Where are the rollers tracking with the ground off pedestal? This needs to be of the first concern, Then worry about preload. This step CAN NOT be overlooked. A misaligned rocker CAN cause a keeper to unkey. We both know what that will cause.

 

I don't see any difference in where that rocker is sitting compared to the intake rocker next to it (stock pedestal). I got NAFORD's degree wheel today and when I get a chance, I will try to use it and run the engine all the way around and make sure that stays centered.

Like I said before, it is sitting square centered now, and I don't see how a slight adjustment in the same place as the shims would be, but in the opposite direction, should hurt too much. shims work in .020 increments, or .040 if you use a thick one, so I doubt .030 down will affect it any more than .030 up.

But, I will definitely watch where that thing tracks across the top of the valvestem.

 

When you roll the engine through a cycle watch the rocker tip on the valve stem.It should not roll off the end of the tip.It will travel inboard a bit as it pushes down on the valve but should not come off the end of the valve.If it does or gets close the the end its not good and you need to shim or get proper length push rods.Valve train geometry is very important to logevity of valves/guides/rockers/pistons need I go on.Check for coil bind too while your at it.

 

If your stem pattern looks good and your POP machines them I think you'd be.

 

go for it !!!! Ihave been doing the same for a while on the pedetals when I hear lifters ticking and have not had a problem on stock motors. just do one at a time and check for spring clearance and coil bind. heres a pic of the adjustable home made push rod.

 

5.0, are you machining them or grinding them by hand? What method are you using either way...?

 

I did it by hand on a bench press and a big file. I just checked to make shure the pedetal was plum and squere at 90 degrees in the bench-press.real easy and then check with a micrometer meter as you go. you can also do 2 or 3 at a time if you make a fixter to hold them steady and mark them to thier relative positions on the cylinder head. good luck

 

You are actually runing an engine with those push rods in it?
I have seen home made adjustables for determining the right length but never for use in running the engine. They don't have oil passage any more to the rockers. How do you overcome that?

 

Paul, Maverick5.0 was "killing two ducks with one rock" (answering two topics in one post).

"Go for it" referring to removing material from the pedestals and then, showing him a picture of how the previously discussed "home-made adjustable length push-rod checker" was made

 

Thanks Rick, I guess making more than one threw me off. I only use one to check each of the lengths in turn. Then go with the longest and order pushrods.
Baack on track now. Maybe I should get some sleep..... Naw, it's too late, er... early to go to bed now. I have a ton of work to do today so I will sleep tonight.