Cranks but won't start.

[Hipster]

They might have flat tappet valve springs in them, but probably not even the right ones for the cam you have. Generally you would be swapping out the valve springs to match the style and characteristics of the cam you put in it, whether that is roller or flat tappet.

You need to make sure that the lifters didn't get shot out of their bore when cranking it with no pushrod on it also.

Alreaady mentioned several times to check/verify spring pressures are good for cam. He wants to take a catalog salespersons word on it , ok. The lifters, yeah need to dig deeper.

 

[DeCaff2007]

Alreaady mentioned several times to check/verify spring pressures are good for cam. He wants to take a catalog salespersons word on it , ok. The lifters, yeah need to dig deeper.

Why would heads come with springs already installed if they'd have to be swapped out to match a factory cam? That seems like double work.

 

[Hipster]

Why would heads come with springs already installed if they'd have to be swapped out to match a factory cam? That seems like double work.

is it the factory cam?, nobody knows in this thread. you talked about several. I'm not going searching either., If factory cam, those springs might be too much, but you don't know if you didn't check. And yeah that might have wiped the cam. Not playing guessing games. It's too late for that. Several people told you to check them if not mistaken. You didn't need a salesperson to say it's ok, you needed spring pressure installed height and open numbers. Odd that you blindly accept a salepersons authority without verifying for yourself, while refusing to accept authority or knowledge from anyone on the site.

 

[DeCaff2007]

1. Are those self-locking nuts on the rocker arms? Stiff-turning even before they're "tight"?

Yessum they are.

2. I'm fairly sure we talked about self-aligning rockers previously, and--do I remember this right--you even posted a picture of them proving they were. Too many posts, and too many threads to keep this straight, and I'm not going to go searching.

Again, yes they are self aligning and I did post a pic.

3. Which means that either the lifter preload wasn't set correctly to begin with, the lifters have extreme leakdown, or you've got lobes with wear allowing more lash than the self-aligning rockers can accommodate. I've had a bad feeling about your lifter preload ever since you posted your procedure that didn't involve knowing whether each cylinder was on TDC-Compression or TDC-Exhaust as you adjusted them. This is important for the way MOST folks set lifter preload. Let's HOPE that's what caused the rockers to flop around, since the alternative costs more money, more effort, more enthusiasm, and more time to fix. Both floppy rockers are on exhaust valves. I'm wondering if that's somehow significant, or just random chance.

Yes, that's correct, but how the FCK do you remember that?

If it comes down to me having to install springs to match my cam (which is bull crap since it's a factory cam), how do I know what springs to get? I'm garbage at understanding all those cam spec numbers.

 

[DeCaff2007]

is it the factory cam?, nobody knows in this thread. you talked about several. I'm not going searching either., If factory cam, those springs might be too much, but you don't know if you didn't check. And yeah that might have wiped the cam. Not playing guessing games. It's too late for that. Several people told you to check them if not mistaken.

Yes, factory cam. I believe it's a Melling brand from Rock Auto.

I used the lying spying google once to see how to check spring pressure. IIRC it involved an ungodly expensive tool and that's why I didn't even bother.... ah yes here we go:

Proform Parts 66775 Proform Valve Spring Testers | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Proform Valve Spring Testers with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Valve Spring Testers at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

 

[Schurkey]

Yessum they are.

OK.

Again, yes they are self aligning and I did post a pic.

OK.

Yes, that's correct, but how the FCK do you remember that?

How do I remember WHAT? That you posted about not keeping track of TDC-Compression vs. TDC-Exhaust?

If it comes down to me having to install springs to match my cam (which is bull crap since it's a factory cam), how do I know what springs to get? I'm garbage at understanding all those cam spec numbers.

I'm not concerned about valve springs (yet.)

Those cylinder heads have gigantic open "pushrod holes" into the lifter valley. You have two rocker arms--one on each bank--that have flopped loose.

In MY driveway, I'd reach down into the lifter valley with a magnet-on-a-stick, pull those two lifters out the bigass holes in the cylinder heads, (no need to remove the intake manifold) and examine the foot of each lifter. Don't mix them up--make sure each lifter goes back into the bore it came out of.

The lifter feet should have some "crown". They won't be FLAT, they'll be very slightly convex-rounded, with circular wear patterns. They absolutely should not be concave, which would indicate excessive wear, and probably damaged cam lobes also. A flashlight shining straight down the lifter bore, MIGHT show enough of the wear pattern on the cam lobe to make a judgement. Might also be really-hard to see. Give it a shot.

If the lifters are good...put 'em back IN THE SAME LIFTER BORE THEY CAME OUT OF.

 

[DeCaff2007]

I'm not concerned about valve springs (yet.)

Those cylinder heads have gigantic open "pushrod holes" into the lifter valley. You have two rocker arms--one on each bank--that have flopped loose.

In MY driveway, I'd reach down into the lifter valley with a magnet-on-a-stick, pull those two lifters out the bigass holes in the cylinder heads, (no need to remove the intake manifold) and examine the foot of each lifter. Don't mix them up--make sure each lifter goes back into the bore it came out of.

The lifter feet should have some "crown". They won't be FLAT, they'll be very slightly convex-rounded, with circular wear patterns. They absolutely should not be concave, which would indicate excessive wear, and probably damaged cam lobes also. A flashlight shining straight down the lifter bore, MIGHT show enough of the wear pattern on the cam lobe to make a judgement. Might also be really-hard to see. Give it a shot.

If the lifters are good...put 'em back IN THE SAME LIFTER BORE THEY CAME OUT OF.

Very well.

Stay tuned.......

EDIT: BTW, I believe I've failed to mention that there are other rockers that are loose, but did not come off the pushrods. I'll check those in the same manner, yes?

 

[Hipster]

Yes, factory cam. I believe it's a Melling brand from Rock Auto.

I used the lying spying google once to see how to check spring pressure. IIRC it involved an ungodly expensive tool and that's why I didn't even bother.... ah yes here we go:

Proform Parts 66775 Proform Valve Spring Testers | Summit Racing

Free Shipping - Proform Valve Spring Testers with qualifying orders of $109. Shop Valve Spring Testers at Summit Racing.

www.summitracing.com

There's lower cost ones you can put in a vice or pop one off and walk in a machine shop.

Don't understand how that's funny.

This, however, is: Fired it up after completely fixing all the wiring and installing a new set of spark wires. NO WAY IN HELL those sparkies are gonna melt, now!

Still hearing chitty chitty bang bang. Pulled the valve covers. Go ahead. Fcking laugh Hipster.

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In addition to this, several rockers are a loose.

Looking at this I'm seeing some rocker nuts down deep , and others not so much. No way this was set up perfect 1/2 turn from zero as described. I just can't imagine the machine work that far off where the studs mount. Must have missed your adjustment procedure, but it doesn't sound proper. never worked with those heads but have done others where thread count above the nut was extremely close throughout both heads when set up.

 

[Schurkey]

EDIT: BTW, I believe I've failed to mention that there are other rockers that are loose, but did not come off the pushrods. I'll check those in the same manner, yes?

Check the floppy-rocker-arm lifters first. If they've got excessive wear, there's no point in checking the rest. You can do that during engine disassembly for camshaft replacement easier than doing it now.

If the first two seem OK, then pull out any others you care to, one at a time so they don't get mixed-up.

Of course, you'll also check the pushrods, valve tips, and rocker arms for unusual wear/bent pushrods, etc.

 

[victor II]

I once had the center contact in the distributor cap break at the end of a long trip. Thank heaven I didn’t shut her down until I got home. It was an Autozone product. I now use NAPA caps with brass internals and contacts exclusively.