NO compression

[mister5150]

Just finished head gaskets and went to start car... and nothing thumb over # 1 plug ...and nothing seems i have no compression at least in that cylinder engine is spinning fast when i try to start it ......Im thinking that the rocker arms are either over torqued or under torqued i was shooting for 24#s unfortunately the only torque wrench i had was a bar type.. could over or under torqued rocker arms cause this? thanks for any suggestions

 

[stang9150]

Sounds like you are correct and the valves are too tight.Are these stud or pedestal mounted rockers?

 

[mister5150]

Thanks for the reply... they are pedestal mount rocker arms.. i torqued them to what i thought was 24#s but i didnt have my clicker type torque wrench all i had was a bar type which i had never used before so there is a chance that i over torqued them.. the engine is spinning really fast when i try to start it i have done head gaskets several times before and never had this issue but i always had my torque wrench......this is a stock short block stock heads have been cut 010,cobra intake,vortech v3 6psi

 

[stang9150]

might just try backing off one of the nuts on 1 cylinder see if you get compression.

 

[mister5150]

yeah i wont get back to the car till wed jus tryin to troubleshoot in the meantime... not really sure what else would cause this

 

[BYRDPE]

i gather you have not verified the dizzy is stabbed correctly since you are trying to get #1 on the compression stroke.
i agree it's probably the valve adjustments.

 

[mister5150]

i gather you have not verified the dizzy is stabbed correctly since you are trying to get #1 on the compression stroke.
i agree it's probably the valve adjustments.

we were attempting to find tdc and that's how I found out there was no compression i then spun the crank manually got it to tdc on the compression stroke droped the dizzy in and tried to start it

 

[BYRDPE]

what method did you use to adjust the preload?

 

[mister5150]

@byrdpe thanks for your reply..... honestly i didnt use a method ive been gettin away with just torqueing them down to 23-25ft#s...its worked up until now

 

[steelie4u]

on the rockers you need to set the preload, bring exhaust to just opening and set the intake rocker by loosening the poly lock and SLOWLY tighten it as you try and spin the pushrod, make sure the pushrod is seated in the lifter, when you feel slight resistance this is zero lash and stop tightening, now tighten the nut 1/4 to 1/2 turn and then use wrench and hold the nut on the rocker and use allen wrench and lock it down with the screw in the middle this gives the lifters preload hope this helped

 

[mister5150]

thanks for the reply Steelie4u but these are stock pedestal mount rockers i was under the impression these could just be torqued down and that they are not adjustable

 

[BYRDPE]

thanks for the reply Steelie4u but these are stock pedestal mount rockers i was under the impression these could just be torqued down and that they are not adjustable

this is correct.
just follow crane's instructions below and see if it helps.
CraneCams

 

[steelie4u]

thanks for the reply Steelie4u but these are stock pedestal mount rockers i was under the impression these could just be torqued down and that they are not adjustable

my bad i thought you had stud mounted, anyways good luck

 

[mister5150]

so.. i spent all day working on this thing and i still have no compression .... the timing chain is good cause i have valve train movement ....the only time i have compression is when i totally loosen the rocker arms however even the slightest bit of torque on the rocker arms opens the valves torqued to specs after leak down test i can hear air coming out of intake manifold and tail pipe myself and several others in the shop are lost..any help is appreciated this is my only car currently...thanks

 

[stang9150]

Did anything else change are did you just do head gaskets? Just asking push rod length maybe?I would think with rockers all the way loose that the valves would not move at all.You never pulled the timing set right? Iam just brain storming here.

 

[mister5150]

stock pushrods they had been working fine with this same setup,never pulled the timing chain i even checked too make sure that it had not jumped...you are correct the valves would not move when the rockers are completely loose but that was my way to verify whether it was rings or valves..

 

[mister5150]

Now... i might be reaching here but so far the only thing i could come up with is this.....the engine seen some water when the head gasket gave is it posible that the lifters seized therefore not preloading?