Lifter Rant..........
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,161
Likes: 7,668
From: Poolville
OK, Damage Report.
Checked everything out tonight and it appears that I had the preload on the lifters a little too tight, so the loss of oil pressure and clacking was due to the possibility of a floated valve or a piston slapping the valve 
but because there was some pump up on the lifter, it took most of the smack and collapsed temporarily. I misunderstood the directions from S&S and put too much preload on the HL2T lifters by approximately .025" if I had flat tops probably would not have been an issue.....but i don't. So it looks like the exhaust valve on the front cylinder tapped the piston a wee bit and the intake on the rear cylinder did the same, judging by the very slightly bent pushrods as I was spinning them without any preload still installed in the motor I could see the wobble. Then I did a leak down test to check the valves to make sure nothing bent and no air sound in either the exhaust or intake, Blessing there...... So I loosened everything up and readjusted the valve train (after bleeding down) pulled the plugs and listened to the motor cranking over, all sounded pretty good and my oil pressure jumped up to 30 (cold) within seconds. Big relief there, so put the plugs back in, crossed my fingers and hit the starter button and POW,,, sweet ignition... only took a couple of minutes for the lifters to pump up and everything smoothed right out... It could have been worse but it wasn't and all I have to do now is wait for my new pushrods and install them. A little bump in the road but it could have been a huge pot hole. I'll update in a week or so. Thanx All for your support....Bob.....
but because there was some pump up on the lifter, it took most of the smack and collapsed temporarily. I misunderstood the directions from S&S and put too much preload on the HL2T lifters by approximately .025" if I had flat tops probably would not have been an issue.....but i don't. So it looks like the exhaust valve on the front cylinder tapped the piston a wee bit and the intake on the rear cylinder did the same, judging by the very slightly bent pushrods as I was spinning them without any preload still installed in the motor I could see the wobble. Then I did a leak down test to check the valves to make sure nothing bent and no air sound in either the exhaust or intake, Blessing there...... So I loosened everything up and readjusted the valve train (after bleeding down) pulled the plugs and listened to the motor cranking over, all sounded pretty good and my oil pressure jumped up to 30 (cold) within seconds. Big relief there, so put the plugs back in, crossed my fingers and hit the starter button and POW,,, sweet ignition... only took a couple of minutes for the lifters to pump up and everything smoothed right out... It could have been worse but it wasn't and all I have to do now is wait for my new pushrods and install them. A little bump in the road but it could have been a huge pot hole. I'll update in a week or so. Thanx All for your support....Bob.....
Last edited by 98hotrodfatboy; Mar 27, 2015 at 06:02 AM.
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,161
Likes: 7,668
From: Poolville
Definitely yes on the pushrods. could have been worse. The lifter and the pushrod took the brunt of it. lifters are not harmed so a set of pushrods should get me there. Thanx.
Sponsor
Joined: Dec 2007
Posts: 12,084
Likes: 829
Todd,
On a side note, Josh Wood's stuff should be at his residence in a day or two.
He is in good hands having you assemble that for him.
Scott
On a side note, Josh Wood's stuff should be at his residence in a day or two.
He is in good hands having you assemble that for him.
Scott
Stellar HDF Member
Joined: Jan 2013
Posts: 2,464
Likes: 50
From: Rouses Point, N.Y.
will jump on that next weekend Scott he is on a weeks vacation in Virginia.
Thread Starter
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Seasoned HDF Member
Joined: Mar 2010
Posts: 21,161
Likes: 7,668
From: Poolville
Update on damage.......
severe detonation. Need better fuel....
Last edited by 98hotrodfatboy; Apr 8, 2015 at 12:03 PM.
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Tourer
Joined: Sep 2014
Posts: 420
Likes: 5
From: Kingsport, TN
Whatchagonnado? Racing gas is $$$$ and not readily available on the road.
When I had my 69 Z28 (11:1 CR) and lived very near Mooresville, NC (NASCAR USA), I used to drive it up to a local racing gas distributor and fill the tank and a couple of 5 gal gas cans with 113 octane leaded NASCAR racing gas. Then went to buying 55 gallon drums of it. I think it was $4/gal back then (2000-2004). Seemed pretty expensive then, but I bet it costs twice that or more now.
Mixed 50% racing gas/50% Amoco 93 unleaded. Adding lead back to unleaded fuel will actually raise the octane 3-4 points by itself.
Can't find any racing gas (or non-ethanol gas for that matter) anywhere near where I live now, even though 90% of all gas in the USA is refined in Texas City (infamous home of Bud and Cissy) 30 miles from where I live. Go figure.
Hotrod, sooner or later I predict you will bite the bullet and tame that compression monster.
When I had my 69 Z28 (11:1 CR) and lived very near Mooresville, NC (NASCAR USA), I used to drive it up to a local racing gas distributor and fill the tank and a couple of 5 gal gas cans with 113 octane leaded NASCAR racing gas. Then went to buying 55 gallon drums of it. I think it was $4/gal back then (2000-2004). Seemed pretty expensive then, but I bet it costs twice that or more now.
Mixed 50% racing gas/50% Amoco 93 unleaded. Adding lead back to unleaded fuel will actually raise the octane 3-4 points by itself.
Can't find any racing gas (or non-ethanol gas for that matter) anywhere near where I live now, even though 90% of all gas in the USA is refined in Texas City (infamous home of Bud and Cissy) 30 miles from where I live. Go figure.
Hotrod, sooner or later I predict you will bite the bullet and tame that compression monster.
Tourer
Joined: Sep 2012
Posts: 415
Likes: 1
From: Virginia Beach
Hi hotrod,
The S&S HL2T lifters should be the premium S&S lifters with the limited travel spacers installed. Based on the tenacious loyalty of Scott and Kirby and several others here, I would have to recommend focusing away from the lifters as an issue and to other causes, unless you didn't notice the significant difference in pushrod adjustment specs between the S&S "non-limited" lifters and the "limited" travel spacers that you should have. As I am sure you already know, the spacer limiters reduce the .200" travel of the "non-limited" lifter travel to .100" for the HL2T "limited travel" spacer lifters, significantly changing the pushrod adjustment height. Is it possible that somehow you missed this? Sure you did not, but just going back to the basics before you tear down your setup again.
The S&S HL2T lifters should be the premium S&S lifters with the limited travel spacers installed. Based on the tenacious loyalty of Scott and Kirby and several others here, I would have to recommend focusing away from the lifters as an issue and to other causes, unless you didn't notice the significant difference in pushrod adjustment specs between the S&S "non-limited" lifters and the "limited" travel spacers that you should have. As I am sure you already know, the spacer limiters reduce the .200" travel of the "non-limited" lifter travel to .100" for the HL2T "limited travel" spacer lifters, significantly changing the pushrod adjustment height. Is it possible that somehow you missed this? Sure you did not, but just going back to the basics before you tear down your setup again.
The installation instructions w/ the S&S lifters warned about being noisy for about 20 miles or so. Mine took almost 35 to settle down.
Last edited by rockajet1; Apr 8, 2015 at 06:21 PM.