Shimming old lifter to simulate preload for valvetrain setup

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Lol

IMG_3551.JPG
 
Yea I don't know why it went as far as it did, as I said in post #2 cut a aluminum rod (because it's easy to work with) the right length so you can get the top of the lifter and snap ring back on and you got a solid lifter. You don't want to check it with the lifter .040-.080 down because of you get valve float and the lifter pumps up that's the tightest clearance, that's what you want to check. You still have to use a adjustable push rod, then add what you want for preload.
 
prorac1 said:
That's all we're checking pushrod length for. Just for the sake of checking.

Because I don't want to not check it and find out to late, 3,000 miles down the road, that we have been running .010 from the top or bottom of the travel after its to late.

I'm pretty sure the stock pushrod will work for what we're doing. But since I have the tools to check it. I'm checking it.
Click to expand...
Yep. Hat's off to you for doing so, most don't.
Fwiw they COULD usually end up with extra preload in situations like this because of a few things, the heads getting surfaced, the valve job sinks them some and that increases stem height which pushes up on the rocker 'valve side which on turn rocks down on the push rod side and obviously...that effects pre load +..... now the counter to that is the head gasket thickness and s the cam smaller on the base circle.... how much compensation is there, you find out after measuring it all. It only gets deeper with block milling, head milling, type of cam.
Variables stack up the further into blue printing and power building you go.
 
Prorac1, the point of the ball bearing is for ease of taking measurements only. The lifters cup is recessed in the lifter, so we need to bring that cup upward to measure its true depth. Ball bearing is an easy way to do this.

A problem with using an old lifter for checking is that the effective length could be different from the lifter you’re going to install in your engine.

We all build engines differently, and they build lifters differently, too. I wouldn’t personally buy custom pushrods without taking every measurement in the system and buy a pushrod that offers maximum valve lift. You already said you have the means to take measurements. If you buy custom pushrods from hughesEngines, they will let you rent an adjustable pushrod and an adjustable checking lifter free of charge. The checking lifter they have is exactly the one I described.

Just because you have a low valve lift 318 doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care. It will always last longer and make more power efficiently when blueprinted. I built a fairly stock (minus the blower) 318 magnum with a low lift cam and made 450+hp at 6500’ elevation.
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
Yep. Hat's off to you for doing so, most don't.
Fwiw they COULD usually end up with extra preload in situations like this because of a few things, the heads getting surfaced, the valve job sinks them some and that increases stem height which pushes up on the rocker 'valve side which on turn rocks down on the push rod side and obviously...that effects pre load +..... now the counter to that is the head gasket thickness and s the cam smaller on the base circle.... how much compensation is there, you find out after measuring it all. It only gets deeper with block milling, head milling, type of cam.
Variables stack up the further into blue printing and power building you go.
Click to expand...

I'm currently in the middle of checking everything. I made a solid lifter, I bolted the rocker shaft assembly on with the pushrod. When I tighten down the rocker shaft the factory pushrod fit perfectly into the solid at top of stroke lifter.

How is this even possible? I tightened it slowly to see when I ran out of room just for ***** and giggles. And I never did? Checking pushrod length now.
 
And actual valve lift ended up at .407 vs .460 according to the card. This is the exhaust side
 
prorac1 said:
And actual valve lift ended up at .407 vs .460 according to the card. This is the exhaust side
Click to expand...

That sounds like excessive loss. I lost .030 valve lift just due to geometry.

You’re adjusting the rocker and then the pushrod and checking valve lift? Do this multiple times til you obtain max valve lift.
 
T56MaxTorq said:
That sounds like excessive loss. I lost .030 valve lift just due to geometry.

You’re adjusting the rocker and then the pushrod and checking valve lift? Do this multiple times til you obtain max valve lift.
Click to expand...

Still working on it. Trying to figure out where the factory preload went.

Smaller base circle? I wouldn't think so on such a mild cam
 
Push rod length check.

Solid lifter

6.800 starting length

.050 per turn

14 turns

Equals 7.500 with zero preload
 
Never mind. Lol

I had a dumbass moment. Lol

My "solid" lifter wasn't all the way at the top. Must have gotten caught on something piston to bore wise giving a solid appearance. Than broke free.

Tested PROPERLY. The numbers came out fine.

7.450 at zero preload

My apologizes for being a moron. Lol.
 
Last edited:
IMG_3552.JPG
Rechecked valve lift with "correct" solid lifter built with .050 preload.

That looks better for net lift loss.

Garbage in garbage out.

I think we're back on track now
 
MOPAROFFICIAL said:
Yep. Hat's off to you for doing so, most don't.
Fwiw they COULD usually end up with extra preload in situations like this because of a few things, the heads getting surfaced, the valve job sinks them some and that increases stem height which pushes up on the rocker 'valve side which on turn rocks down on the push rod side and obviously...that effects pre load +..... now the counter to that is the head gasket thickness and s the cam smaller on the base circle.... how much compensation is there, you find out after measuring it all. It only gets deeper with block milling, head milling, type of cam.
Variables stack up the further into blue printing and power building you go.
Click to expand...

T56MaxTorq said:
Prorac1, the point of the ball bearing is for ease of taking measurements only. The lifters cup is recessed in the lifter, so we need to bring that cup upward to measure its true depth. Ball bearing is an easy way to do this.

A problem with using an old lifter for checking is that the effective length could be different from the lifter you’re going to install in your engine.

We all build engines differently, and they build lifters differently, too. I wouldn’t personally buy custom pushrods without taking every measurement in the system and buy a pushrod that offers maximum valve lift. You already said you have the means to take measurements. If you buy custom pushrods from hughesEngines, they will let you rent an adjustable pushrod and an adjustable checking lifter free of charge. The checking lifter they have is exactly the one I described.

Just because you have a low valve lift 318 doesn’t mean you shouldn’t care. It will always last longer and make more power efficiently when blueprinted. I built a fairly stock (minus the blower) 318 magnum with a low lift cam and made 450+hp at 6500’ elevation.
Click to expand...

Thank you guys for all the help. Things are going better now that I have the lifter built properly.

I measured between the middle two coils and I don't have .050. Upper one is .045 and lower is .032.

And with my repeatable results I've gotten at .430 valve lift I think we're to close to coil bind.

1.57 installed height.
Minus
1.10 coil bind
Minus
.430 valve lift

Equals .040

I think new exhaust valves are inevitable.

But now we know for sure
 
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