Setting Timing

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Bernica

Well as far as I know, there are only two places that can do that. At the cam or at the rocker/valve assembly.

Well this is certainly not my area of expertise, but I would say it has to either be a collapsed lifter, a loose rocker arm, the wrong rod length, or a lost lobe.

[Large Arbor]

Yes, my only possible conclusion is that the pushrod was not either fully in the rocker or not fully in the lifter. Not sure how it lasted as long as it did. Other possibility is the rocker stud backed off allowing the rocker to loosen. However it was tight when I removed them.

Phil

[patrickt]

I'm starting to question the overall quality of the engine build....

[Large Arbor]

I am not there yet. Danbury Racing Engines has a great reputation. I am more thinking something I did or did not do.

Phil

[patrickt]

Alright, I have just never heard of a rod popping out of a hydro lifter under light revving without some other part failing and causing it. Maybe one of the engine builders can chime in.

[Large Arbor]

I recently went to rocker shafts. I had number 7 bolt would not tighten the rocker shaft down. So I put a Jergens like Helicoil in and fixed that. Edlebrock had recommended that. I will get a new pushrod and have a FE racer guy coming to help. I recently replaced head gaskets with a .040 thickness on the new ones. Heads were cleaned off removing .004. So I think this added .036 in (less whatever the Felpros were). I am thinking the difference or change is in there.

Phil

[Gaz64]

I would be looking at the rocker clearance to shaft, rocker individual endfloat, and valve stem to guide clearance.
Something has bound up enough that allowed the pushrod to jump out.

Was the lifter preload checked during assembly?

[Bernica]

Stuck valve then? Or a really messed up valve spring? Broken timing chain? There are plenty more knowledgeable folks here than I. And I'm just throwing out some guesses...
Sorry for your troubles.

[DanEC]

All that did was cause an engine tic? Geez.

On an engine with aftermarket heads I would not be running stock, non-adjustable Ford rockers. You really need to be able to set the lifter pre-load when running a high performance hydraulic cam and with aftermarket heads. But, I doubt the push rod wasn't properly in the lifter and rocker sockets or it would have self destructed immediately upon starting the engine - or at least you would have noticed it was only running on 7 cylinders. Same with coil bind. It also doesn't sound like this engine is radical enough for piston to valve clearance to be tight. So I suspect you have for whatever reason - a bent or stuck valve (or bent and stuck) or possibly a bad rocker. Also - what diameter are those pushrods? They look pretty small. Are they just stock Ford replacement? That's a heck of a bent pushrod - should be a keeper as a souvenir.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Large Arbor

I recently went to rocker shafts. I had number 7 bolt would not tighten the rocker shaft down. So I put a Jergens like Helicoil in and fixed that. Edlebrock had recommended that. I will get a new pushrod and have a FE racer guy coming to help. I recently replaced head gaskets with a .040 thickness on the new ones. Heads were cleaned off removing .004. So I think this added .036 in (less whatever the Felpros were). I am thinking the difference or change is in there.

Phil

But then wouldn't the other seven rods on that side of the engine be seeing the same problem? And they stayed in....

[Large Arbor]

I am sorry I do not know the answers to all of the questions, but am leaning toward different rockers. Any recommendations would be appreciated. I have heard Erson, I think it is but would be glad to hear your folks thoughts.

Phil

[Large Arbor]

I talked with the engine builder and he stated that the likelihood is it was not seated properly initially and bent gradually which would explain why it did not create a ruckus initially and lasted a while. I think I will replace the pushrods and make sure they all are seated and hold on the replacements. He indicated he had never seen a standard Ford FE rocker come apart and NASCAR runs this similar approach with non-adjustables.

Phil

[Shootnride]

Stock Ford FE rocker arm shafts are known to break at the unsupported ends (at least the solid lifter variety are). You may want to check those shafts closely to make sure that one isn't cracked and starting to fail. That could certainly allow a push rod to become unseated from the lifter and/or rocker arm.

Just a thought

Ted

[Large Arbor]

Ok, I will do a thorough inspection and check the shafts. I still tend to think I did not seat it well as that being the cause. Never had the issue before this recent pain.

Phil

[cobra]

As you can see, I don't like the Ford FE stock rocker arms..........

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by Large Arbor

I am sorry I do not know the answers to all of the questions, but am leaning toward different rockers. Any recommendations would be appreciated. I have heard Erson, I think it is but would be glad to hear your folks thoughts.

Phil

I have the Erson Roller Rockers, and they are quite nice indeed. However, they have not been made in several years and are now pretty darn hard to find.

[blykins]

T&D's are essentially the replacement for the Ersons.

Walter, you had oiling problems.....wasn't the rockers fault.

And yes, a lot of your Cup motors don't have adjustable rockers. They use lash caps and pushrod length to adjust lash.

[Shootnride]

Phil,

Check out this thread

OT: Broken parts, comments on theory?

Ted

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by Large Arbor

I talked with the engine builder and he stated that the likelihood is it was not seated properly initially and bent gradually which would explain why it did not create a ruckus initially and lasted a while. I think I will replace the pushrods and make sure they all are seated and hold on the replacements. He indicated he had never seen a standard Ford FE rocker come apart and NASCAR runs this similar approach with non-adjustables.

Phil

That's a load of rubbish, either it was seated (fitted correctly), or it wasn't.

That does NOT happen gradually, that is a sudden catastrophic failure.

And if you don't find the cause, the next pushrod will also jump out.

For 1 out 16 to do that, I would still be looking at everything to do with how that valve operates. And during that, you may find more things wrong.

[Bernica]

Something seriously wrong to do that. Check the timing chain and use a bore scope to look at your valves. Also, pay close attention to that valve train and check for any binding etc.
My 2 cents...