72 360 first start question

Mophile said

i bought i digital caliper today gonna measure for rockover tommorow. So when I measure it I'm looking at the spring seat to spring height correct. ?

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You can measure from spring height (top of retainer) to any fixed point down around the spring seat. The point is to find the height on both intake and also exhaust springs when they are un-compressed (no cam lift), and then find the point where they are both compressed the exact same amount at the same point in crankshaft rotation. From looking at the cam specs, the valve lift is probably going to be somewhere in the .040"-.060" lift range on each valve when they are equal.

One thing to be aware of is that you have hydraulic lifters. If one of them has leaked down when you try this test, then it will throw the test off. Push down as hard as you can on each rocker at the pushrod end for cylinder #1 (which I suggest you test) when the lift is zero, and see if there is any movement. If not, you are probably good. Running the engine for 20-30 seconds to pump up the lifters just before you do the test may help prevent this.

The only way to know for sure if either lifter has not leaked down is to pull the intake and look at pistons within the tops the lifters. If you have to do that, you might as well just measure the equal lift point at the lifter body.

BTW, glad you found the correct point for TDC.