How would you go about doing this?

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TrailBeast

TrailBeast

AKA Mopars4us on Youtube
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Working with a 1996 5.9 Magnum with a regrind cam 214/224-.512 lift.
Ever since I put this thing together I have had a very tiny rocker/lifter tick on #6 or #8 (can't tell until I open it) and yes I am sure it's not an exhaust leak.
I assembled it with about .040 on the lifter preload which apparently is close to the minimum recommended preload.

Current factory pushrods are 6.915 +/- .020 from what I have seen.
I can get a killer deal on these.

Pushrod; Magnum 5.2L/5.9L; 5/16 in. Dia.; 6.936 in. Long;
FEATURES:
  • Case-Hardened Tubing
  • Surface Hardening
  • Welded Ends
  • 0.3125 in. Diameter
  • Use with or without Hardened Steel Guideplates (which I have)
Here's the question.
Since the stock pushrods are hardened would you try swapping the existing rods to a different lifter and see what it does? (a no no generally):D
Or, would you get the longer pushrods and push the preload up to it's high limit of about .060?

I'm wondering if maybe it has a lifter that doesn't like the .040 preload and a rod that is on the short side of the specs, and swapping that rod off that lifter may do it.

Thanks
 
This was my first thought. shorter lifter, shorter rod, valve sitting higher in the seat, etc.
TrailBeast said:
a rod that is on the short side of the specs, and swapping that rod off that lifter may do it.
Click to expand...
 
I've had more bad luck with #8 cyl. in countless engines. Almost any thing that goes awry with me and a V8 is back on good ol#8. I even left a healthy 440 sit in the car outside through the winter (no exhuast), guess where the mouse built a nest!
 
Dana said:
This was my first thought. shorter lifter, shorter rod, valve sitting higher in the seat, etc.
Click to expand...

Shorter side on the rod, lifter that doesn't like it, or something like that.
The valves all had the same height when installed.
I thought maybe hardened pushrods might not be so big of a deal to swap to a different lifter because the harder material not creating a seat specific wear pattern to the pushrods.


Dana said:
I've had more bad luck with #8 cyl. in countless engines. Almost any thing that goes awry with me and a V8 is back on good ol#8. I even left a healthy 440 sit in the car outside through the winter (no exhuast), guess where the mouse built a nest!
Click to expand...

Let me guess. :D
 
I'd try it under my shade tree! and not think twice about it. What about a weak lifter??
 
Dana said:
I'd try it under my shade tree! and not think twice about it. What about a weak lifter??
Click to expand...

We'll see at some point in it. :D
I never heard the motor run before I got it, so I don't have any previous knowledge of a tick on one lifter.
Might have done it when it was at home in it's truck for all I know.
 
I feel your pain
I've had a tick in my motor since day 1.... comes and goes...gets louder then quieter... changed cams twice and lifter 3 times...Hughes roller rockers ...Smith bros. pushrods... It's really Annoying ! Motor runs like a scalded cat....urgh.....
 
mbaird said:
I feel your pain
I've had a tick in my motor since day 1.... comes and goes...gets louder then quieter... changed cams twice and lifter 3 times...Hughes roller rockers ...Smith bros. pushrods... It's really Annoying ! Motor runs like a scalded cat....urgh.....
Click to expand...

Yea, this one changes a little once in awhile and is pretty much gone completely other times.
 
I've changed oil several times in a few hundred miles for fear that there may be something clogging the lifters.
Used a variety of viscosities. I would think that if it was a bearing or pin ticking it would be constant and not variable.
I can only really hear it at idle but assume that it is just being masked by exhaust and intake volume.
 
mbaird said:
I've changed oil several times in a few hundred miles for fear that there may be something clogging the lifters.
Used a variety of viscosities. I would think that if it was a bearing or pin ticking it would be constant and not variable.
I can only really hear it at idle but assume that it is just being masked by exhaust and intake volume.
Click to expand...

This one makes the most noise at about 30 in third, and I can hear it bouncing off curbs, and sometimes isn't there at all no matter temp or RPM's.
I can also hear it through the firewall just barely, and you are right about not changing if it was a pin or something like that.
It would change with temperature and RPM's both if it was something else.
It's obviously right under the valve cover, and I fired it up a few minutes ago and it's not there at all. :D
 
DesertRat said:
I bet you find something simple.
Click to expand...

Yea, like a pushrod that's .010 too short for the specific lifter it's in probably.
I'll swap em with number 7 and that will at least change something, or maybe even make it go away.
 
TrailBeast said:
Yep, and it's sound hasn't changed one bit in fourty years. :D
Click to expand...
I also have a performance ground cam from a stock. I plan to use these if all measurements correlate once the engine along with valvetrain is assembled. When they do a regrind, the base circle can be reduced or shifted and this is the compensation for that, it will place your preload window back into spec. I would recommend measuring all of that and not just throw something in there without knowing for sure what the problem is.
Magnum Pushrods +.036 longer than stock
 
rdunnam said:
I also have a performance ground cam from a stock. I plan to use these if all measurements correlate once the engine along with valvetrain is assembled. When they do a regrind, the base circle can be reduced or shifted and this is the compensation for that, it will place your preload window back into spec. I would recommend measuring all of that and not just throw something in there without knowing for sure what the problem is.
Magnum Pushrods +.036 longer than stock
Click to expand...

I have .040 preload already, so going with those is too much with 1.6 rockers.
Those are not hardened either, and it's not a huge deal for them to be hardened unless you are running hardened guide plates, which I am.
If you run soft pushrods with hardened plates the plate will eat into the pushrods sides.
Head gasket used makes a difference also.
PS. I'm a tad beyond putting things in without measuring. :D
 
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