LIFTER PRELOAD

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65Valiant_NC

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I'M CHECKING FOR PUSHROD LENGTH ON A 360 AND I HAVE MY LENGTH OFF OF THE CHECKING PUSHROD. I MADE A CHECKING LIFTER AND MEASUREMENT IS OFF THE BASE CIRCLE OF THE CAM. ENGINE HAS STAMPED STEEL ROCKERS, BLOCK WAS DECKED .010, THE J HEADS MILLED .030 AND A STANDARD "BLUE" FEL-PRO HEAD GASKET (DON'T HAVE MY UNCOMPRESSED AND COMPRESSED THICKNESS IN FRONT OF ME). THE LIFTER CALLS FOR A .30 TO .40 PRELOAD (LUNATI MICROTROL) BUT MY QUESTION IS IT SAFER TO ADD .30 TO MY TOTAL PUSHROD LENGTH, .40, SOMEWHERE IN THE MIDDLE OR OTHER?
 
Do you mean.030 to .040? .3 to.4 sounds awfully close to using up all the available travel in the lifter.
 
I would go with .040" added pushrod length for the preload, I prefer a little extra it tends to keep the lifters quieter. A bit extra preload won't hurt anything but too little might cause issues.

I think most HFT lifters have around .150-.200" plunger travel??
 
MopaR&D said:
I would go with .040" added pushrod length for the preload, I prefer a little extra it tends to keep the lifters quieter. A bit extra preload won't hurt anything but too little might cause issues.

I think most HFT lifters have around .150-.200" plunger travel??
Click to expand...
Makes sense. Thanks.
 
mopowers said:
Why not simply use what the manufacturer recommends? Just split the range and call it good.
Click to expand...
That would probably be fine as well. I don't have my measurements in front of me now but I think being in the .030 to .035 range would allow me to use off the shelf pushrods. If it works out I need custom pushrods they are not very expensive. Great advice from everyone so far
 
Custom pushrods may eclipse the cost of some used 273 mechanical rockers/pushrods on the board here. Just another option if you want to get them dead nuts on. Typically they go for $100-150 range here.
 
.010 =.030 = .040
Thicker gasket will only offset about half that
so U still end up with pushrods effectively about .020 longer than OEM stack up
you are not going to bottom out the lifters but also do not need pushrods any longer
does not hurt to check with a checking pushrod but hold onto your pushrod $$$
 
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