So I’m putting the valve train back together in a ‘99,
I rotated the engine to the pushrods lowest point and the rocker shafts won’t line up, I’d guess it’s up 60-70 thousandths or so at the pushrod. Stock pushrods, stock lifters, stock rockers... the parts that came out, and I have the pushrod in the correct position.

I soaked the lifters for several days in motor oil, per the service manual.

Do I need to wait for the lifters to bleed down? Will they bleed down on their own?

 

I always put the rocker arms in the cover and then bolt the whole thing down.

 

Install the rocker shafts into the rocker support before bolting the support down...

Just like the service manual says...

Don`t ask me how I know that...

 

I didn’t remove the lower rocker box, just the top and middle.
I guess I could loosen the lower rocker box, but I don’t want to do that for fear of creating a leak!

 

if you're having problems getting the shafts to side in place, remember two of the bolts that hold everything down also act as lock bolts for the shafts ... if those bolts are installed the shafts will not go in ... don't ask how I know

 

Yeah...what he said.

Don`t ask me how I know that either...

And if you install a long bolt into the side that takes the short bolts, you will snap the bolt, and the dealer won`t have any, so you will go to Fastenal and they will have them, but you have to buy a whole box (50).

If you need one of the long bolts, I have 48 extras....

Again, don`t ask...

 

You've already created a slight chance for a leak when you took out the two 5/16" bolts to get the shafts out...

The lifters pump themselves up when you take it apart. There are springs in the tappets that push the pistons up, sucking oil into the cavity when there is no push rod pressure on them. It takes valve spring pressure several minutes to bleed them down.

Without adjustable push rods, the only way to do what you're trying would be to remove the tappets, disassemble and re-install bone dry. But that's a total waste of time.

As others said; pull the rocker lowers, put new gaskets under them and put them back with rockers in place.

 

I guess I’ll be pulling the lower rocker box... I might as well pull the head and take a look at things.

In for a dime in for a dollar

 

Pulling the rocker lowers has no effect on the heads. If you pull heads you then must pull cylinders for base gaskets....

 

Yeah, I wouldn't be pulling the heads. Just pull the lower part, clean the surfaces, put new gaskets on and go.