sydcuda
Well-Known Member
Hello All,
Been a member here for many years but it's been a long time since I posted. I have a stroked '89 360 roller cam engine which was rebuilt by an engine builder who is now interstate from me (I've moved). I've had nothing but problems with the engine so far - it's been installed and run just a few times. I had massive valve train clatter to begin with and worked out that there was inadequate push rod clearance with the Edelbrock heads. So I pulled the heads and clearanced the push rod holes. I also went back to stock 1.5 ratio rockers and that problem was solved. Heads back on and engine buttoned up, but STILL unacceptable valve train clatter. I played around with different pre-load adjustments and managed to quieten things down a bit, but still not enough. Some of the lifters were not pumping up. I read somewhere, in relation to Magnum roller cam engines at least, that the lifters have to be installed a certain way, ie. with the bleed holes FACING UP. So I've now pulled the intake and found that all of the lifters were installed with the bleed holes FACING DOWN. Yet most still pumped up. I took one of the 'bad' lifters out and took it apart. They are new lifters and everything seemed fine. No dirt or debris preventing the check-ball from closing etc. I tried to 'pump' the lifter up on the bench by immersing it in oil and pushing the plunger up and down many times, but no pump-up. I'm not sure it is even possible to bench pump a lifter in this way - perhaps they pump up properly only when in the engine and under oil pressure. Anyway, to cut what is becoming a long story short, my questions are:
1. Do the lifters in an LA roller cam block have to be installed with the oil bleed hole facing UP, the same as in Magnum roller engines? This seems counter-intuitive to me as the oil galleys in the lifter bores are on the lower side and would line up with the oil bleed hole in the lifter if it is installed DOWN.
2. If the answer to (1) is yes and the lifters were installed wrong, can I expect the 'bad' lifters to pump up with them installed correctly or are there other things I should be looking for as well?
Although I have no confidence in the engine builder (given his mistakes) I'm hoping this will solve my valve train noise and be the last of the problems encountered, so I can begin to drive and enjoy my '68 Barracuda FB after 14 long years.
Any help greatly appreciated! Cheers
Been a member here for many years but it's been a long time since I posted. I have a stroked '89 360 roller cam engine which was rebuilt by an engine builder who is now interstate from me (I've moved). I've had nothing but problems with the engine so far - it's been installed and run just a few times. I had massive valve train clatter to begin with and worked out that there was inadequate push rod clearance with the Edelbrock heads. So I pulled the heads and clearanced the push rod holes. I also went back to stock 1.5 ratio rockers and that problem was solved. Heads back on and engine buttoned up, but STILL unacceptable valve train clatter. I played around with different pre-load adjustments and managed to quieten things down a bit, but still not enough. Some of the lifters were not pumping up. I read somewhere, in relation to Magnum roller cam engines at least, that the lifters have to be installed a certain way, ie. with the bleed holes FACING UP. So I've now pulled the intake and found that all of the lifters were installed with the bleed holes FACING DOWN. Yet most still pumped up. I took one of the 'bad' lifters out and took it apart. They are new lifters and everything seemed fine. No dirt or debris preventing the check-ball from closing etc. I tried to 'pump' the lifter up on the bench by immersing it in oil and pushing the plunger up and down many times, but no pump-up. I'm not sure it is even possible to bench pump a lifter in this way - perhaps they pump up properly only when in the engine and under oil pressure. Anyway, to cut what is becoming a long story short, my questions are:
1. Do the lifters in an LA roller cam block have to be installed with the oil bleed hole facing UP, the same as in Magnum roller engines? This seems counter-intuitive to me as the oil galleys in the lifter bores are on the lower side and would line up with the oil bleed hole in the lifter if it is installed DOWN.
2. If the answer to (1) is yes and the lifters were installed wrong, can I expect the 'bad' lifters to pump up with them installed correctly or are there other things I should be looking for as well?
Although I have no confidence in the engine builder (given his mistakes) I'm hoping this will solve my valve train noise and be the last of the problems encountered, so I can begin to drive and enjoy my '68 Barracuda FB after 14 long years.
Any help greatly appreciated! Cheers