[gsharapa]

Don't jump off the ledge just yet!

I have a 514 with the new Eagle rods and the only problem Ford had with these engines was the rods, when they first cam out. Yes a solid roller cam will need to have it's valves adjusted more often, but like many have said, that's what you get with the performance and rpm a solid roller gives you. I know the company that builds these for Ford (AER Manufacturing) and they set the valves around .018 cold and then check them after the motor warms up. I could not consisently get them all set at .025 HOT even doing one side first, fire and warm it up and then do the other side. What I found is the first one or two turn out to be about .018 when it is dead cold. The ariticle on the new Ford SVO Super Cobra Jet Heads (Mustang/Fast Fords) being installed on a crate 514, they also set the valves at .018/.019 cold.

Remember this; If the valves are a bit tighter all you do is move the tork curve up in rpm and make them a bit less noisy. Not a bad deal for an engine that has 598 ft lbs of tork in a 2,400 lb Cobra. When you start hearing them loosen up a bit, time to adjust them again.

You really can't hurt the motor unless you take them down to zero lash, but it won't be as stong too tight. Try .018 cold and I think you'll find you will be at .024 hot.