How do I...

[Tony71502]

Properly install pushrods and rocker arms? I've got a Comp Cams 1.6 rocker arm/pushrod kit that I'm installing on top of my Trickflow lifters and valve springs.

What's the proper way to install them to prevent any ticking or other noises/problems?

[Rodeheaver's]

you can only install them one way with those heads, you have to bolt them down and torque them to 20ftlbs, you should check to make sure you are giving them .020-.030 preload....

[Tony71502]

Does that mean the spring is being compressed .02-.03?

<-- Engine building newb.

[95riosnake]

Are they stud mount or pedestal mount rockers? You didn't say if they were stock or aftermarket heads. I replaced my push rods and rockers this weekend, all I had to do was drop in the new push rods and torque the rocker bolts down to 25 lb ft.

[Rodeheaver's]

no, you wan the lifter to have the preload.. the center of the lifter will push in..

[95riosnake]

no, you wan the lifter to have the preload.. the center of the lifter will push in..

would I have to do that? I torqued down the bolts, then went back and checked them all again and they were still at 25 lb ft. The Ford technician service manual (the like 500 page one, lol) only said to torque the bolt to 25 lb ft, nothing about preload. The car is running better than ever, so I don't think anything is wrong. I don't have a problem pulling the upper intake and vc's off again if necessary.

[Tony71502]

Well I'm installing on stock heads. How would you go about checking the preload on the lifters? Find a point on the pushrod and measure the change relative to that?

Cam, lifters, springs and all hardware, pushrods, and rockers are new. The only stock parts are the valves.

[Rodeheaver's]

would I have to do that? I torqued down the bolts, then went back and checked them all again and they were still at 25 lb ft. The Ford technician service manual (the like 500 page one, lol) only said to torque the bolt to 25 lb ft, nothing about preload. The car is running better than ever, so I don't think anything is wrong. I don't have a problem pulling the upper intake and vc's off again if necessary.
The ford book refers to a sotck valve train... if you have a different cam with a different basecircle on the cam then usually pushrod length will have to change in a non adjustable valve train like you guys have to get the proper preload, or you will have to shim the rockers..

[95riosnake]

The ford book refers to a sotck valve train... if you have a different cam with a different basecircle on the cam then usually pushrod length will have to change in a non adjustable valve train like you guys have to get the proper preload, or you will have to shim the rockers..

We did change to 6.400 push rods when we put the heads on, would I still need to preload? All I did was remove the old 6.400 push rods, slide in the new ones, then bolted on the Scorpions.

Basically, the only thing that has changed in my setup was I went to the scorpion rockers, which from what I have read, are a direct replacement for the stock cobra rockers which are also 1.72 ratio.

[Tony71502]

Hmm. I'm running with a Ford B cam. I don't have any specs for it as it was already in the block I am using when I got it.

Do you have any idea if the cam base circle is different than stock on a B cam? I thought the B cam could basically be thrown in with a stock valve train without issue. I thought using parts designed to replace stock valvetrain parts would then result in no issues.

[Tony71502]

I was reading some tech articles, and for installation of the rocker arms they say to turn the rotating assembly until both valves for a given cylinder are fully closed. Then torque the rocker arms down. Repeat for all cylinders.

Should I follow this advice?

[383taman]

I was reading some tech articles, and for installation of the rocker arms they say to turn the rotating assembly until both valves for a given cylinder are fully closed. Then torque the rocker arms down. Repeat for all cylinders.

Should I follow this advice?


Yes you should otherwise you risk breaking the bolt off if it is still a fixed rocker set up.Really hard on the bolt compressing the spring.