Roller Rockers??

I used Roller Tipped Rockers on mine with no issues 3 yrs. later. I'm also running Holman-Moody solid cam & lifters.

I've had nothing but clearance issues in the past with full roller rockers, even with spacers and stock valve covers. I'm not much for the aftermarket look.........

Yes, you can remove the baffles (I did) but that poses it's own issue. You'll start sucking oil (vortex/tornado syndrome) thru the PCV valve and never know it until it's too late. That happened on one of my other 289's.

Mark

The stud I ended up using is ARP 134-7104 which is a Chevy application. In researching this, I remembered that my heads were rebuilt with .100" longer valve stems (for beehive springs) and this was the primary reason I had to go to the longer stud.

I made some baffles out of aluminum to replace the stock baffles on my Cobra style aluminum valve covers. I also had to grind a little material off the inside of the covers at one or both ends. They are tight, but they fit using stock gaskets.

Thanks. I got on the ARP website and will order some longer studs. I also made some smaller custom shaped baffles and removed the excess casting materials from inside my cast valve covers. I think mine will clear with a double thick gasket as well.

Any special tricks to installing the new studs? Basically unscrew the old one and screw in the new one with some thread locker and torque to specification?

Thanks

Mark

When you remove the studs don't use an air tool. There is an interference fit machined into the thread pitch of the OEM rocker studs and if you force them loose with an impact wrench you'll risk cracking the head at the boss for the stud. ARP and Permatex both sell thread sealants that are specifically designed to seal studs in water jackets. The image below is an old and new Ford stud and you can see that the depth of the V cut between the threads is shallow compared to a normal fastener.

[Blocked Image: http://img379.imageshack.us/img379/4011/dsc3649qn9.jpg]

Edited by - round2K on 05/23/2008 15:21:41

As noted, these studs go into a water jacket. I think I used red RTV on the threads when I installed mine.

Guys, it's been a while since I have been able to work on the rocker arm stud swap, but finally got started the last few days. The block plug on the DS is a PITA to get to behind the header! So, I removed one stud last night to see how thing will go and am confused/concerned. The stud I removed has the interference machined into the thread pitch like the picture above, but the threads also have a very square face. They do not come to a point like a standard bolt thread (if that makes any sense). All I can relate it to is the thread looks like the square thread on a big C-clamp, but a smaller version. Anyway, I tried to run one of the new ARP studs down into the head and it would not go. The new ARP stud has a typical pointed thread. Did anyone have the same problem? Do I need to run a tap down the threads to open them up? If so, is the crud that falls down into the water jacket a probem? I can't believe the thread is a different size... Any help would be appreciated!!

Thanks a bunch!!

Mark

Cleaned out all the threads with a 7/16-14 tap and all is well. The new studs and guide plates fit right on.

The different size you are referring to is the interference fit that was discussed, and the squared thread is part of that. You needed to chase the threads in the head and that was the right thing to do, but you will have a ton of debris in your cooling system and will need to flush and backflush several times to get it all out.

The tapped holes in the cylinder head for the studs is a modified 7/16-14 UNC thread that is compatible with the threads on the original Ford studs. The minor thread diameter of the cylinder head tapped holes is 0.369"-0.372". Sealer is applied to stud treads prior to installation.

Spoke to soon on Saturday. The studs and guide plates fit very nicely on the heads without the pushrods in place. When I went to drop the pushrods back in, I had a rub on 5 of the 8 intake side pushrods. Cylinders 2 and 5 thru 8. I tried flipping the plates over and twisting/pushing around under the studs, but it didn't help much. I finally ended up easing one edge of the slots and expanding the stud holes on the guide plates to clearance the pushrods. Anybody else have a similar situation? Do you think I have a problem to be concerned with or is Ford's machining process back in '66 just not that accurate?

Mark

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

Push rod guide plates are not supposed to be used with slotted push rod heads. They are meant for heads with round holes for the pushrods where the hole is not the guide for the push rod. If you are using guide plates you need to make the push rod holes round so that there is no interference with the push rods.

-Fred-

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana" size=2 id=quote>

I'm using the guide plates w/o any interference and w/o having to machine the holes in the (hipo) heads. I would agree with you that care must be taken to ensure no interference exists.

Z. Ray

Fred, I agree with your comments on the slotted heads, but at this point, I'm not going to remove the heads to drill out the guide slots. My tweaking on the guide plates was with a hand file for a few thousands. If I pull the heads, it's going to be for a whole valve job and I don't have the resources for that right now. I'll let you know how it works out.

Z Ray, did you have to massage your guide plates any?

Thanks

Mark

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

.......... I'll let you know how it works out.

Z Ray, did you have to massage your guide plates any?

Thanks

Mark

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana" size=2 id=quote>

There were two guide plates that had less than 0.002" clearance for the push rods (mine own personal comfort zone). My engine guru said as long as I could spin the push rods that would be sufficient, and not to worry as the push rods were hardened & the guide plates are not. But I did as you did and took a bit off the guide plates with a file. As I mentioned at the beginning of this thread, all is well many thousands of miles later.

Z. Ray

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

The tapped holes in the cylinder head for the studs is a modified 7/16-14 UNC thread that is compatible with the threads on the original Ford studs. The minor thread diameter of the cylinder head tapped holes is 0.369"-0.372". Sealer is applied to stud treads prior to installation.

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana" size=2 id=quote>

Tom,

Do you know if the dry fit on the stud and head was easy to turn before the application of sealer? It sure does seem like they've always been tight, but I've never had one that didn't have some mileage on it.

I studied the pushrod clearance issues more closely last night and decided I'm not comfortable with filing the guide plates. It looks as if some of the rocker arms would be out of line on the valve stem so I'm going to pull the heads and clearance the guide slots. So much for being on the road this summer!

Why are you using push rod guide plates on Hipo heads?

<BLOCKQUOTE id=quote><font size=1 face="Verdana" id=quote>quote:<hr height=1 noshade id=quote>

Why are you using push rod guide plates on Hipo heads?

<hr height=1 noshade id=quote></BLOCKQUOTE id=quote></font id=quote><font face="Verdana" size=2 id=quote>

Even though Hi-Po heads have built in push rod guides, Crane techs recommended using the Crane #36650-1 push rod guide plates as well.

I'm using them because I had a pushrod mishap shortly after installing Crane Gold roller rockers without the guide plates. Push rods appeared to need more control at high RPM's. With the guide plates, no problems for 23,000 miles. Maybe a coincidence, maybe due to Installing the guide plates.

What is known is that I haven't had a repeat problem.

Z. Ray

Edited by - zrayrichter on 07/29/2008 08:53:00

Would I have the same problem with a windsor [sp] head? They are not hipo, so no recessed spring seats. Would you recommend guides then? Just wondering.<img src=images/icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle><img src=images/icon_smile_approve.gif border=0 align=middle>

guys, I must mention here the BIG bad boy, wear. everything before had ZDDP in it, it cost nothing back then, and it was THE ingredient that prolonged life. No matter what you run with gas/diesel, this ingredient was what stopped wear, and allowed us to enjoy trouble-free, long life in our beloved rides. If you don't know about it, you can find info elsewhere on this site, and other places. IF YOU DISAGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT, please respond, we need a dialoge right here in river city, I don't pretend to know everything about this ubject , but have been exposed to it, and I think we all need to be on the same page, IMHO. Wear appears anywhere metals, particularly cast iron contacts, through oil coating, other metals.

This is a little wordy, but, hey guys/gals, heads up, ya hear? Response?

D.