Economical replacement rocker arm set?

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WSUTARD said:
Two questions:
1. when I put the lifters back in should I just drop them in or oil them up first? If oil then should I use assembly lube or just regular oil?

2. Just to confirm, the spacers go between the exhaust and intake rockers on each set?
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they go where you need them. You may need one, or two or none depending on your situation. Use them to center each rocker tip over each valve stem tip. Of course you don't put so many in that you put a bind on the rockers.
 
How should I go about cleaning up the rust off the shaft? Just some quick sanding or will that damage the shaft?
 
I'd use a little cam lube in case you have issues getting it started. Just cheap insurance.

You need to make sure the tip of the rocker is centered, left to right over the valve. Then use the shims where you need them. If you have several extra hold down clamps, you may find some are wider than others. You can use them to take up room.

The absolute WORST set of rockers I had to fix were some Indy rockers on -1 heads. I had to mill some of the rockers because there was no way to get them over the valve. Some of the hold downs were too wide and had to be milled. I burned an 8 hour day fixing that junk. I even drew up a form so the customer could pull the rockers and get them back on without spending hours getting it correct.

It was a nightmare.
 
rustycowll69 said:
they go where you need them. You may need one, or two or none depending on your situation. Use them to center each rocker tip over each valve stem tip. Of course you don't put so many in that you put a bind on the rockers.
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RC said it more succinctly than I did.

See if you can scotchbrite the rust off. If it's on top of the shaft and the rocker doesn't ride on the rust just clean it up and let it eat.
 
Gah, this seems like its going to be a lot of putting on and then taking off as I try to center each rocker.
 
WSUTARD said:
How should I go about cleaning up the rust off the shaft? Just some quick sanding or will that damage the shaft?
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WSUTARD said:
How should I go about cleaning up the rust off the shaft? Just some quick sanding or will that damage the shaft?
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just some fine sandpaper. wet or dry would probably be best. I think I'd use like 400, or finer with some oil, and don't get grit inside the shaft. Clean it out good, then oil it up and reassemble. Keep all the pieces matched together so you don't introduce any more variables.
 
WSUTARD said:
Gah, this seems like its going to be a lot of putting on and then taking off as I try to center each rocker.
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It doesn't have to be. Try sliding the shims, or feeler gauges, part way in, while it is bolted in place, to get a feel for how many it will take. It doesn't have to be perfect, just take up the majority of the sloppiest ones.
 
rustycowll69 said:
It doesn't have to be. Try sliding the shims, or feeler gauges, part way in, while it is bolted in place, to get a feel for how many it will take. It doesn't have to be perfect, just take up the majority of the sloppiest ones.
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This^^^^^^

I'm just anal about rockers and suck. But for you, if you get it close and stop the noise and have them centered up pretty good you'll be fine.

I just can't leave the fly poop in the pepper.
 
rustycowll69 said:
It doesn't have to be. Try sliding the shims, or feeler gauges, part way in, while it is bolted in place, to get a feel for how many it will take. It doesn't have to be perfect, just take up the majority of the sloppiest ones.
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I guess im not following. Everything slides on to the shaft so I will need to pre-slide the spacers in with the rockers, then bolt it down to see if I guessed correctly. In order to add more or remove some I will need to unbolt and then slide the items off till I can get to the spot I need to add or remove spacers.
 
WSUTARD said:
I guess im not following. Everything slides on to the shaft so I will need to pre-slide the spacers in with the rockers, then bolt it down to see if I guessed correctly. In order to add more or remove some I will need to unbolt and then slide the items off till I can get to the spot I need to add or remove spacers.
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yes, there may be a couple of tries involved. But, just bolt it on. You probably don't even have to engage pushrods, until you've got it all figured out. While it is bolted on, work on individual sections with feeler gauges or just slide the spacer/shims in between the rockers or hold down spacers until you figure out how many it will take, then move to the next interval between the rocker stands, figure that one out and so on. THEN assemble the rocker assy and shims per plan and install.
 
rustycowll69 said:
yes, there may be a couple of tries involved. But, just bolt it on. You probably don't even have to engage pushrods, until you've got it all figured out. While it is bolted on, work on individual sections with feeler gauges or just slide the spacer/shims in between the rockers or hold down spacers until you figure out how many it will take, then move to the next interval between the rocker stands, figure that one out and so on. THEN assemble the rocker assy and shims per plan and install.
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This^^^^^^^
And then when you think you have it nailed, tighten everything down and roll the engine over and make sure nothing is binding.

It seems daunting but once you get the hang of it it's not bad.

I start with the center bolt and leave it loose. Then build from the center out. You can put it all together and use feeler gauges. I'm just quicker at throwing it together.
 
I was speaking with a buddy who had a set for 440 sitting around and we were looking at it. I noticed that his stock factory set had a thick spacers between the arms. I'm hoping that the mancini ones arent too thin. Hard to tell from the picture.
 
WSUTARD said:
I was speaking with a buddy who had a set for 440 sitting around and we were looking at it. I noticed that his stock factory set had a thick spacers between the arms. I'm hoping that the mancini ones arent too thin. Hard to tell from the picture.
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They do make thicker ones but damn, I can't imagine that your stuff is loose enough to need thick spacers.
 
WSUTARD said:
I was speaking with a buddy who had a set for 440 sitting around and we were looking at it. I noticed that his stock factory set had a thick spacers between the arms. I'm hoping that the mancini ones arent too thin. Hard to tell from the picture.
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The Mopar big blocks have a larger distance between bores and perhaps wider spread valves, so the spacing between rockers is going to be totally different.

And always check each lifter face individually, not by putting 2 together. If you put 2 together, 1 may be convex (good) and the other flat or slightly concave (bad), and you would still get daylight around the edges.
 
Got my spacers. Installed one between each set of rockers just to start. The end sets, #1 and #7 have tons of slop. See in the video.

The bolts are finger tight and no pushrods.

Do I just continue to add spacers to take out that slop? Can I add them to the space between the bolt retainer and the rocker or just between the rockers?
 
Some of those rockers fit like socks on a rooster.

Use the shims wherever you need them to make the rocker line up on the valve and take that slop out.

I shoot for .005-.010 clearance. Any more than that and they make noise.
 
yellow rose said:
Some of those rockers fit like socks on a rooster.

Use the shims wherever you need them to make the rocker line up on the valve and take that slop out.

I shoot for .005-.010 clearance. Any more than that and they make noise.
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I might not have enough shims!!! I wonder why these are so sloppy? The two end bolt spacers have a little tab on one side. I have been placing this tab toward the rocker, is there a specific direction this tab needs to go? Maybe that is why I have slop?
 
yellow rose said:
Some of those rockers fit like socks on a rooster.

Use the shims wherever you need them to make the rocker line up on the valve and take that slop out.

I shoot for .005-.010 clearance. Any more than that and they make noise.
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Nevermind, the tab goes in, its wider.

I have #7 shimmed. Centered on the valves, no slop at all. Should I take one shim out to let it have a little slop? I put three shins between the last rocker and the last bolt tab.
 
I certainly would.... .010" or more is normal for rockers. The stock rockers are loose normally, like the 'socks on a rooster' analogy LOL They are just stamped metal, not machined, and the spacers are just punched and formed metal, so the gaps will naturally vary all over the place.

Just take out the worst of the slop and try it. This may or may not changes things.
 
WSUTARD said:
How do my roosters look now?
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That's a BUNCH better than it was.

Opening the side clearance makes noise and also lets oil out between the rockers. It's not a big deal with what you are doing, but when you start using 340 pounds of spring loads on the seat and you have to get oil to the adjuster you have to have the clearance much closer. If you are ar .010-.015 you'll be golden. It's just I'm anal and I always want my stuff just so.
 
yellow rose said:
That's a BUNCH better than it was.

Opening the side clearance makes noise and also lets oil out between the rockers. It's not a big deal with what you are doing, but when you start using 340 pounds of spring loads on the seat and you have to get oil to the adjuster you have to have the clearance much closer. If you are ar .010-.015 you'll be golden. It's just I'm anal and I always want my stuff just so.
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where do I measure the clearance? Between the two rockers?
 
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