Rockers loose

[Drew2010]

Well guys I am working on my engine that I will be swapping in this winter. I got Russ' cam in today, and I was putting the pushrods and rockers back. I put the Timing mark at 11:00 position and tightened down the bolts, well after I was done I have about 3 or 4 loose rockers, And i mean pretty loose.

Could it be the lifters on those just aren't pumped up, causing them to be loose?

I have had the pushrods out for probably about 3 weeks or so, so could these problem rockers just be a result of a bled down lifter?

And before you ask, yes I put the rockers and pushrods and lifters in the same spot, with the lifter hold down dimples up.

 

[typ4]

Do they have any tension at all, like a spring in the lifter? They could have been bottomed and are just stuck down in the varnish, very common with lifters.

 

[Drew2010]

Ill have to check on that Russ, Thanks for the quick reply. What would be the best way to free them up?

 

[Drew2010]

Anyone have a solution? I was hoping to get the intake back on today.

 

[lotzagoodstuff]

Just wondering, and please bear in mind that I don't know the IDI valvetrain as well as I know a SBC: can you run the engine without the valve covers on and adjust the lash like a gasser? I've seen folks run a temp valve cover with a slot in it, and I've used a couple pieces of cardboard on each side of the head to catch and soak up the oil (primitive but its shocking how well it actually works).

I know it makes a mess but I'm a big fan of "knowing" they are spot on.

Just a thought, hope you get a better answer than my guess work.

 

[Drew2010]

no there is no setting the valve lash on these

 

[Drew2010]

anyone?

 

[Dieselcrawler]

most likely lifters are bled down. are they new lifters or reused?

 

[Drew2010]

most likely lifters are bled down. are they new lifters or reused?

Reused, how would I go about getting them back up?

 

[typ4]

Little carb cleaner squirt on top of the lifter.

 

[towcat]

carb cleaner might be a little harsh.....Marvel mystery oil or ATF(high detergents) both are more crankcase compatible.

 

[Drew2010]

so if I took them out would it be ill advised to switch them up? I know you shouldn't switch rockers or pushrods, but I am not sure about lifters. I want to maybe clean them all, just don't know if I should do one at a time or not.

My plan is to spray carb cleaner in them then, or soak them in diesel, and then soak them in motor oil over night. Would this work?

 

[Arborigine]

If you don't have a pre-pressurising system available just leave the glow plugs out, diconnect the fuel solonoid, and crank it until the oil presure comes up.
When building an engine and having lifter out, I put the lifters in a pan of clean oil deeper than they are, then on a drill press table with a 1/4 inch wooden rod or a pushrod in the chuck, press them up and down until they resist. Do not turn on the drill press. Not having one you coud do hillbilly calisthenics by putting the pushrod in a hole in a 2x4 and bouncing your full weight on them.

 

[icanfixall]

I would just crank the engine with the starter to build up some oil pressure but. Place the injection pump back in the engine so the gear has something to maintain alignment. One bolt and nut will hold it in place. Or remove the loose lifters and see why they are loose. Probably is the varnish. If you crank the engine watch the others to get loose or tight. The loose rockers might be the closed valves with no pressure from the valve springs on them. I understand the crank at the 11 oclock position to have all the pistons below the top of the stroke too. I feel thats the only real way to insure the pistons and valves wont contact each other when assembling the engine.