Craig, do you have access to a mechanic's stethoscope? You could pick up on an exhaust leak really quick with that and isolate it.Took the valve cover off again and started it up. Pushed down hard on each rocker arm on the pushrod side and they all felt the same, the noise never changed. I know the oil pressure is good, because it was spraying the hood!
The lifters don’t have any “squish” to them after running.
Yes, the heads were rebuilt by a machine shop. They were pretty rusted out, so they needed all new valve guides and seats.When I worked at a Ford dealer in the late 70s the 351c400m engines had issues with valve guides being sloppy. These were New engines still under warranty. Sounded like a bad lifter or rocker. Any thing done to your heads along that line like guides?
I’ve used those before, but don’t have any. I ordered some nice gaskets and some copper gasket maker. So if that doesn’t make the noise go away, I’ll try to find some I can use.Craig, do you have access to a mechanic's stethoscope? You could pick up on an exhaust leak really quick with that and isolate it.
Exhaust leaks at the head and valve train noises can be really deceiving to diagnose. If we were in a better place, I'd ride over and give you a little help.I’ve used those before, but don’t have any. I ordered some nice gaskets and some copper gasket maker. So if that doesn’t make the noise go away, I’ll try to find some I can use.
If they are all stock? A piss load. They are sloppy side to side.Well it’s not an exhaust leak
How much side to side movement should the stamped rocker arms have when not under load?
The oiling holes in the shaft face down, right? That’s what the wear marks on them show.Craig, are you certain the rocker shafts and rockers are installed correctly? There is only one correct way.
Yes, but it's more specific than that. If there are slots in the ends of the shaft, the passenger's side slot orients down and to the rear. The driver's side shaft slot orients down and to the front.The oiling holes in the shaft face down, right? That’s what the wear marks on them show.
Pretty sure mine aren’t slotted. Sounds like I have them installed correctly. I’ll double check tomorrow thoughYes, but it's more specific than that. If there are slots in the ends of the shaft, the passenger's side slot orients down and to the rear. The driver's side shaft slot orients down and to the front.
Some do not have slots, so you position the oiling holes so they point down and towards the valve springs...in other words, oil holes down and pointing to the exhaust (outside) of the heads.
The rockers themselves are also specific in their installation. They are stamped "L" and "R". That does not mean left and right side of the engine. That means as standing on the side of the car looking at the rocker assembly that each pair of rockers the one on the left has the "L" and the one on the right has the "R". The pushrod cups offset to the inside of each pair like in this picture.
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Pretty sure mine aren’t slotted. Sounds like I have them installed correctly. I’ll double check tomorrow though
The only problem with that diagram is, it's WRONG! They have the passenger's side oiling holes pointing toward the intake valley and that's the wrong way. It's been reprinted in every manual wrong.