It would be nice if you could determine the installed spring height along with the spring specs. Also it is really hard to look at a photo and see the details.
is that rocker at max lift? It's far from coil bind. Also guide to retainer including the height of the seal needs verified.Trying not to wear out my welcome here. Would y'all examine this pic closely? It sure looks like the spring is not compressed evenly to me.
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x's 2, but it just can't be stressed enough.With all the bent pushrods and broken springs one thing is obvious. Parts were being forced into places there wasn't enough room for them to be. (Springs being compressed to where the coils bound and pushrods bending because they couldn't lift past the point everything was hitting) It makes me wonder if those roller lifters sustained any damage to the rollers or the pins when things bottomed out.
The 'Cuda was running fine after valve lash was set. So, that probably isn't it. We learned yesterday that the rockers were contacting the retainers. One rocker had a very deep gouge in it. However, that had been going on before pushrods bent and motor was running strong. The main reason I am at a complete loss here is because all but three pushrods bent (badly) and both springs on #2 broke in half. Oddly no bent valves, going on air bleed by check. I could have been driving around with the bent pushrods because it is a solid roller cam and everything is noisy on the car. However, these pushrods look like bananas. So, I am thinking everything crapped out at once. I wasn't hot rodding or revving. My friend the machinist wanted to prove his theory on not needing the pcv and vacuum advance. We pull into the gas station. He disconnects everything. Puts a breather in place of the pcv. Plugs off carb port. Advances the timing. Car is immediately running really horrible. Wouldn't idle and no power. He suggests to drive it. I very reluctantly agree and it only got worse. Limp the poor thing home. Pull valve covers. See broken springs on #2. All pushrods bent except for three of them. Never revved the 340 and drove 30-40.All the above being excellent info., I am puzzled about the sequence of events that led to this damage. In post #1 (2) items catch my attention: "my motor was running perfect earlier today." and "Motor started running real rough and he said to drive it anyways."
Now it's not until post #11 that you mention "One detail I can thing of is that he did set the lash what seemed like half-*** to me by eyeballing the opening and closing of the valves." Did he do this at the same time that he screwed up the timing and other stuff? If so did the running rough start right then? My point being that if it was running OK before the valve lash, then that's when the clearance problems started, indicating not enough total clearance was set in system to start with.
The valves look too big (diam.) for the retainers and head pockets to me. Also if wasn't coil bind but the retainers hitting the valve guides, the valve seals should be crushed or split.
I understand clearancing rockers is commonly done but it does compromise the strength/integrity of the rocker. Best to work with the manufacturer to get compatible parts. If it has to be done, a competent machinist would use an end mill. Sorry, using a die grinder on rockers is HACK! Hope you get this sorted........
Let me clarify that valves were only adjusted once. That was during the final assembly of motor. Valve lash was never set after that. Also, yesterday I did see the number 8 exhaust valve had rotated 180* I could tell because of the wear mark on tip of valve stem.The 'Cuda was running fine after valve lash was set. So, that probably isn't it. We learned yesterday that the rockers were contacting the retainers. One rocker had a very deep gouge in it. However, that had been going on before pushrods bent and motor was running strong. The main reason I am at a complete loss here is because all but three pushrods bent (badly) and both springs on #2 broke in half. Oddly no bent valves, going on air bleed by check. I could have been driving around with the bent pushrods because it is a solid roller cam and everything is noisy on the car. However, these pushrods look like bananas. So, I am thinking everything crapped out at once. I wasn't hot rodding or revving. My friend the machinist wanted to prove his theory on not needing the pcv and vacuum advance. We pull into the gas station. He disconnects everything. Puts a breather in place of the pcv. Plugs off carb port. Advances the timing. Car is immediately running really horrible. Wouldn't idle and no power. He suggests to drive it. I very reluctantly agree and it only got worse. Limp the poor thing home. Pull valve covers. See broken springs on #2. All pushrods bent except for three of them. Never revved the 340 and drove 30-40.
He won't be touching it anymore. However, we are friends. He is a good guy, and can machine his *** off. Just not careful with things. He lacks that special touch these old cars require.I would really love to do a face to face with your buddy and ask him what in the f*&# was he thinking? It pisses me off and it ain't even my wallet he broke! Please steer clear of this *** clown in the future.
If I could prove what happened, I would tell him he's owe me!Wow dude I hope he considers you as good a friend as you do him! Cause he owes you some money!
Those locks don't look right, like 3/8 locks on a 5/16 stem, they don't look like the diameter matches the stem. What's that shiny down in between the valves springs? Rubbed casting or aluminum bits from the rocker? Need to poke your finger down in there.Here is #1 exhaust and intake valve patterns. I pulled the rockers off to check things out.
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They are 10 degree locksThose locks don't look right, like 3/8 locks on a 5/16 stem, they don't look like the diameter matches the stem. What's that shiny down in between the valves springs? Rubbed casting or aluminum bits from the rocker? Need to poke your finger down in there.
And they don't look right for the stem size, are they 10 degree retainers?They are 10 degree locks
Yes. 10 degree retainersAnd they don't look right for the stem size, are they 10 degree retainers?
Who is the hack....??New problem. The rockers were digging into the springs. He thought he had clearance them enough but they were digging into the valve springs. As you can see the pro comp rockers are so thick it is hard to get them to clear.
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If you zoom in that shiny stuff looks to be the flash reflecting off some oil that's sitting thereThose locks don't look right, like 3/8 locks on a 5/16 stem, they don't look like the diameter matches the stem. What's that shiny down in between the valves springs? Rubbed casting or aluminum bits from the rocker? Need to poke your finger down in there.
That would probably be best. However, aside from two broken springs and 13 bent pushrods everything else seems to be okay. I am replacing all valve springs and stronger pushrods. If things still are not right, then I will pull motor and start over. There is always the option to pull motor. In fact, I just installed it a month ago. It isn't a show car. Just an old hot rod that happens to be a 1 of 130 1969 'Cuda 4 speed 383 car.Yep, completely disassembled to start over.
That would probably be best. However, aside from two broken springs and 13 bent pushrods everything else seems to be okay. I am replacing all valve springs and stronger pushrods. If things still are not right, then I will pull motor and start over. There is always the option to pull motor. In fact, I just installed it a month ago. It isn't a show car. Just an old hot rod that happens to be a 1 of 130 1969 'Cuda 4 speed 383 car.