What's Wrong??
 

96 TC rebuild. Added SE 204 cams, new Lifters, heads back on, not decked but .030 gaskets, stock push rods. When i go to reinstall the Rocker assy back on the rocker support plate, it's as if the push rods are 1/4 in too long and the rocker assy won't sit flat on the plate. I can assure that I am at TDC and on the back side of the cam lobes. What am I missing ??? Thanks in advance.

A few things you could check ...

- lifters not hung up on something ... there is a keeper that only goes on one way when the lifters are properly installed ... any foreign object / matter in the lifters ...?

- cams properly aligned with all the marks lined up ...

- something obstructing the pushrods ...

- something obstructing the valves / valve seat ...

- do you have the right pushrods in the right place ...? Since you are reusing the stock pushrods, you have to mark them when dismantling the motor ... the longest one goes in the forward exhaust, second longest in the aft exhaust ... I think both intake are the same length ...

... a few ideas to get you started ....

The 0.030 gaskets should not change the geometry enough that you could not reuse the stock pushrods ....

R/
'Chop

As you are tightening down the rocker arms you are preloading the lifters. 1/4' is way too much (.250, when you have a total of .200 lifter depth) but if its .100+/- you should be good to go. Just make sure you can spin the pushrod with your fingers before moving to the other cylinder.

Whats Wrong ??
 

Thanks both for the replies... Couple of questions..

1) What is the keeper you refer to ? Do you mean the anti rotation pin. Per manual the lifters go in with with the oil hole "facing inboard" and the flats fore and aft. Not much room for error. Can you confirm the oil hole should be inboard. Something nagging at me that when I disassembled it was outboard but I could be wrong, a month or two ago.

2) I am new to the world of hydraulic lifters. The spring has it offset up to the circlip. So now that I think about it, yes you would have to preload or it would always have clearance on the back of the cam, therefore it isn't going to sit flat is it ??? Starting to click now, thats why the manual says only go 1/4 turn at a time... In my frustration not sure it was a 1/4 inch but certainly a solid .100 or more. Also, apparently I should be able to compress that lifter spring with my finger?? Sure seems stiffer than that.

Appreciate any feedback... maybe I don't have a problem???

Thanks agian..

Only reason it to make sure they go back in the same hole the way they came out.

If they are full of oil they wont compress that easy.

Don't mean to be anal but want to double check... There is an oil hole on the side of the lifter which presumably lines up with an oil gallery in the bore. The manual says that hole faces inboard which i take to be toward the pistons. Do you hapen to know if that is correct. New lifters and cam so not worried about the origianl holes... Thx

If that's what it says, then you are correct: Hole faces the pistons.

The holes can face in or out because the lifter body has a relief all the way around. I face mine out. Reinstall them the way the cam out to keep the roller going in the same direction it was installed. This will help by keeping the ware pattern in its same plane.

I was referring to "pin, anti-rotation" ... my recollection was that the lifter would only go in one way ... I would have to consult the manual to validate that ....

https://www.hdforums.com/forum/attac...1&d=1300582461

Make sense re the relief in the lifter OD... Thanks