I have a question for you guys. I went to replace what i thought were faulty lifters today, got done went to start it up, and had no compression! this has happened before when i had too long of pushrods and bent my valves. i put shorter pushrods in, got the heads machined and everything was fine, up until now.. are the trickflow roller rockers adjustable? I was told from summit that they weren't, im just thinking that somehow they got tightened too much this time... What are your opinions? I think im just going to try to buy a newer cobra already modded. I'm not going to do any engine work ever again.. Thanks guys
TRICKFLOW PROBLEMS??!!
- Thread starter haulbalz
- Start date
jwalker
Founding Member
mto502
Founding Member
Just out of curiosity, how do you know when you've over tightened the rockers or bent the valves/rods ?
My Trick Flow rockers are adjustable.
Further to that I thought the lifters in our cars were good for a long long time.
My Trick Flow rockers are adjustable.
Further to that I thought the lifters in our cars were good for a long long time.
Badlilstang
Founding Member
You need to learn how to setup your rockers...Make sure they all have the proper preload and you need to have the lifter set to the bottom of its lift cycle when you set it. If you get them to tight it will hold valves open and possibly damage them if the piston makes contact.. how big is your cam?
1105
I AM the random post master...bow down
Turn the crank over by hand in a clockwise rotation. Watch the intake open, then close, then the exhaust open, then close then adjust thoes 2 rockers. Loosen up the set screw and back off the nut. Grab the pushrod and lift it up and down while tightning down the nut with your fingers. Once you cant move the pushrod up and down anymore, give that nut 1/2 turn and lock it inplace with the set screw. Repeat this for all of your rockers and it may be a good idea to have the distributer in while doing this so your timing doesnt get messed up. Good Luck!
1105
I AM the random post master...bow down
NO CLUE! 
I havent been to the dyno yet and probably wont until after I get the turbos on 
I really should get a before and after of it but I'm short on cash from buying all the parts I'll need for the turbos so I'm not sure yet.
I havent been to the dyno yet and probably wont until after I get the turbos on I really should get a before and after of it but I'm short on cash from buying all the parts I'll need for the turbos so I'm not sure yet.
Badlilstang
Founding Member
haulbalz said:
I used 6.70 for my trick flows but ive heard of ppl using 6.75 also. I called probably 4-5 shops and each shop told me either 6.7 or 6.75. I ran the trick flow setup for a good year and had no valve guide wear when I pulled the heads off.
1105
I AM the random post master...bow down
Chit man I forgot. I bought all of it used so I knew it worked on the previous car. sorryhaulbalz said:
:OT: finally hit 2k posts
1105 said:
Sorry 1105 but that is wrong. I wouldn't adjust the rockers like this. You run the risk as actually starting to adjust the intake as its coming off the base circle as 99.9% of pushrod engines have what is called overlap, meaning the intake valve is already starting to open BEFORE the exhaust even closes, so if you wait till the exhaust closes you are already opening the intake which is BAD!!! Here is the proper procedure compliments of Ed Curtis's website http://www.flowtechinduction.com
1. Remove the valve covers, and pick a cylinder you are going to set the pre-load on. Only do one cylinder at a time.
2. Rotate the engine in its normal direction of rotation (clockwise) and watch the exhaust valve on that particular cylinder. When the exhaust valve begins to open, stop and adjust that cylinder's intake rocker arm.
3. To adjust, back off the intake rocker arm adjusting nut and remove any tension from the push rod. Wait a minute or two for that hydraulic lifter to return to a neutral position. The spring inside the lifter will move the push rod seat up against the retaining lock, if you give it time to do so.
4. Twist the intake push rod with your fingers while tightening down the rocker arm. When you feel a slight resistance to the turning of the push rod, you are at "Zero Lash". Turn the adjusting nut down one half to three-quarters of a turn from that point for street applications. Use 1/8 to 1/4 turn for race applications. Lock the adjuster into position. The intake is now adjusted properly.
5. Continue to turn the engine, watching that same intake valve/rocker you just set. It will go to full open and then begin to close. When it is almost closed, stop and adjust the exhaust rocker arm on that particular cylinder. Loosen the exhaust rocker arm and follow the same procedure described before in steps 3 and 4 to adjust this rocker arm.
6. Both valves on this cylinder are now adjusted, and you can move on to your next cylinder and follow the same procedure again.
There may be some initial valvetrain noise when the engine is first fired up but once oil pressure has stabilized and the engine heats up, it should quiet right down to a normal level.
Remember that some racier camshafts will have a mechanical sound to them and will not be a silent as factory units.
P.S.- to properly select pushrod length, it should be done AFTER bolting the heads down to the block and then using a pushrod length checker. You run the risk with stud mount rockers of being able to pre-load the lifter while having your geometry off which can wear out parts/bend pushrods quickly, especially on a TW head.
1105
I AM the random post master...bow down
I did it the way Ed's site instructed and it didnt work out for me. I can understand that part that the valve might be 99.9% closed but when you cant move the pushrod up and down anymore there is a resistance on it (like said in his instructions) and the rest is the same. I just found it easier to lift the pushord instead of turning it, then checked it afterwards to make sure it still wasnt loose. Thats just me though.
302fordracer
New Member
heard a lifter tap...that would freak me out my last car had a lifter tap and that was a pain in the butt
1105
I AM the random post master...bow down
Worst part about that is its hard to tell which one it is if its just a slight tap302fordracer said:
mto502
Founding Member
I hear a slight tap during a constant cruise at higher revs in 1st or 2nd but never when the engine is under load. My engine builder says that's a normal sound the rockers make.
Would lifters be extremely loud? I hear just a slight tick tick tick noise but like I mentioned that's only at about 2000 rpm and up at a constant speed in 1st or 2nd gears.
Would lifters be extremely loud? I hear just a slight tick tick tick noise but like I mentioned that's only at about 2000 rpm and up at a constant speed in 1st or 2nd gears.
mto502
Founding Member
Twisted wedge heads use longer pushrods. I was lucky in that I was able to retain the stock length rods with my Canfield heads. Hardened rods of course.
Badlilstang
Founding Member
94stang-lover said:
Every motor can be different.. 6.65 might be right for your setup and the camshaft can also change the pushrod length.. anyone who gets a FTI cam has read the warning to recheck the pushrod length. Having bad geometry can lead to early valve guide failure.. it just wears them out fast.. Ive seen it happen many times to ppl who use chevy valves and dont change thier push rod length or ppl running TFS heads and dont use the correct pushrod length.
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