Crane 2031 problems- pushrod length, lifters, adjusting. please help!!!!

[Dan95-5.0]

ok, i installed a crane 2031 cam kit along with some ported e7's and reused my stock lifters.

when i tried to install my crane 1.7's, the rockers on the intake valves are fine. on the exhaust, the pushrods are too short. i cant get to zero lash. i can rock the rocker back and forth.

i tried putting on my stock rockers. 1.6's. turned the motor over till the exhaust valve opened and closed, then the intake valve opened and closed. right after it closed, i was on the base circle. i tightened the bolt till there was a slight drag on the push rod. then i torqued the bolts to 20 ft lbs. and got 1/4 to 3/4 on both intakes and exhaust.


after all the rockers were installed i noticed that i can push the plunger down in the lifter a little on half the rockers and the others are solid. this is with the valves closed.

is there something wrong here.

i'm getting really afraid about this stuff now and have that sick feeling in my stomach that something is wrong.

can anybody help me here?

 

[Blk91stang]

Jeez.. My new motor is gonna have a 2031 cam, ported stock heads, and crane 1.7 rockers. I'm useless for helping you unfortuantly but defiantly will watch this thread to see what advice your given!

TTT!

 

[smittyb]

Were the heads milled? 2031 is a small base circle cam, so with stock heads, you would NORMALLY need longer pushrods. An adjustable pushrod would be helpful in this scenario.

 

[Rick 91GT]

Whats the contact pattern look like on the valve tip? Are you currently using any shims? Are you getting the proper preload (you can put a small piece of masking tape on the pushrod mark it at 0 and then mark it at your tq and see if your getting too much or too little)

As far as you being able to push down the plunger, yes they will move when they are not pumped up 100%, you can prime the motor to get more oil in them if needed.

 

[Blk91stang]

Were the heads milled? 2031 is a small base circle cam, so with stock heads, you would NORMALLY need longer pushrods. An adjustable pushrod would be helpful in this scenario.

Not to get off topic, but I had my heads milled to 58cc so wouldnt this help the need to get longer pushrods since I'm doing the same thing by shrinking the distance between the cam and rocker arm?

This might be of help to the original poster too.

 

[smittyb]

Some of this wording is confusing me.
The original poster first says the p-rods are to short on the exh. Then he says
"after all the rockers were installed i noticed that i can push the plunger down in the lifter a little on half the rockers and the others are solid. this is with the valves closed."
So is this just the intakes? When the lifters are on the base circle for a certain cylinder those lifters should have some travel in them. You can check preload as Rick said by marking the p-rod un-torqued and torqued and measuring the distance between the marks. Shoot for somewhere between .020 and .050".
Also, I'm not sure what this means
"Not to get off topic, but I had my heads milled to 58cc so wouldnt this help the need to get longer pushrods since I'm doing the same thing by shrinking the distance between the cam and rocker arm?"
THe "help the need" part confuses me. Anyway, having the heads milled will require a slightly shorter p-rod, which I think is what you were getting at.
Remember that with the 2031, you would normally need longer p-rods, so depending on how much you milled the heads will effect how much longer.

 

[Dan95-5.0]

well the heads were just resurfaced, not milled. only removed .006 off them. i am currently using no shims

the pushrods were too short when i used the 1.7 cobra rockers. with the 1.6's, i can torque them down and get 1/2 to 3/4 turn.

i'm gonna try again to see what kind of contact pattern i get. am i supposed to test it on a lifter where i can push the plunger down or a solid lifter?

 

[Dan95-5.0]

found out what i needed for a pushrod.

6.350's

i have to wait for them to come in tho which probably wont be till monday

would it be stupid for me to go ahead and install my lower intake so i can get more done on the car and then put the pushrods in when i get it?

 

[emagdnim]

Whats the contact pattern look like on the valve tip? Are you currently using any shims? Are you getting the proper preload (you can put a small piece of masking tape on the pushrod mark it at 0 and then mark it at your tq and see if your getting too much or too little)

As far as you being able to push down the plunger, yes they will move when they are not pumped up 100%, you can prime the motor to get more oil in them if needed.

Can you give more details on that masking tape thing please?

 

[nosmatt]

found out what i needed for a pushrod.

6.350's

not to be an ass, but can you describe how you found that out?

 

[Dan95-5.0]

well its not the exact size i needed. i would need custom size pushrods for my combo. 6.350 was the closest that i needed being on the high side. shims will bring me back down to where i need to be.

i borrowed a pushrod length checker

why you ask?

 

[nosmatt]

found out what i needed for a pushrod.

6.350's

i have to wait for them to come in tho which probably wont be till monday

would it be stupid for me to go ahead and install my lower intake so i can get more done on the car and then put the pushrods in when i get it?

i was worried you may have just read a post where that size was needed....... glad to hear you did it correctly........assuming you used checking springs in place of the stockers, or a solid lifter.......

 

[sweet03cobra]

which pushrod checker did you use, I see them for sale. I see trick flows, comps, all kinds? Do all these work?

 

[nosmatt]

I have a trick flow unit. summit brand is the exact same one.

good luck

 

[R2D2]

whats your reasoning behind using a small base circle cam?

 

[Blk91stang]

Sorry to bring this thread back up but I got my motor all together and everything installed perfectly without any shims on the rockers or longer pushrods. My combo consists of:

Crane 2031 cam
Stock Lifters
0 Decked Block
stock heads shaved to 58cc
Crane 1.7 Rockers

Got a nice contact patch on both the intake and the exhaust.

 

[Dan95-5.0]

Sorry to bring this thread back up but I got my motor all together and everything installed perfectly without any shims on the rockers or longer pushrods. My combo consists of:

Crane 2031 cam
Stock Lifters
0 Decked Block
stock heads shaved to 58cc
Crane 1.7 Rockers

Got a nice contact patch on both the intake and the exhaust.

right on man.

how much preload do you have on your lifters?

 

[ninety15.0]

i dont understand why people dont set valvetrain when the lifters are collapsed? there is a very simple proceedure to check the valve stem clearence with feeler gages. Its seems more precise than thise ".5 - .75" turns past 0 lash. Thats how i adjusted mine and it came out perfect! check all-data or your chiltons book.