Engine drama part two! Rocker roller to valve stem alignment.

Noticed that my Harland Sharp rockers don't roll perfectly on the valve stem tip. They stay on the tip, but roll further forward than back (meaning the pushrod is too long) is this a big deal?

Don't have the money for new pushrods right now, I'm tapped out at the moment. I was thinking about using valve stem caps to offset the difference somewhat, that would work wouldn't it?

Also, the rollers seem to favor one side of the valve (left to right). Is this ok? I don't remember the tips being off to the side like that. Too much drama! Sh*t just needs to work already!

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Are you using standard lenght push rods of are yours longer than stock?
I have some thoughts here.
Just looking at your picks, I'm thinking your push rods are too short. This is just at a quick glance, I may be wrong.

We do sell push rods here and they are hardened for guide plates. I used them on my engine. We are talking little dollars and with my discount maybe affordable.:wink:

Are you using guide plates? It's very common for the rockers to be crooked like that, just have to live with it. just make sure the roller is fully on the stem and not partly.

Why don't you have an adjustable pushrod/length checker? Maybe use some machinist blue and let the roller wipe the stem to see the wiped area. If the roller is getting too close to the side of the stem it will cause problems later on, think about the top surface, it's getting much smaller as you get on the edge. The rocker needs to sweep the center.

Twin_Turbo said:

Are you using guide plates? It's very common for the rockers to be crooked like that, just have to live with it. just make sure the roller is fully on the stem and not partly.

Why don't you have an adjustable pushrod/length checker? Maybe use some machinist blue and let the roller wipe the stem to see the wiped area. If the roller is getting too close to the side of the stem it will cause problems later on, think about the top surface, it's getting much smaller as you get on the edge. The rocker needs to sweep the center.

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With guide plates you can move them around (side to side) to help center the roller.
Also when the roller is centered on the stem, valve guide wear is reduced. That's a good thing.:nuts:

Yes, that's why I asked. But it will never be perfect. The only way to get it spot on is to use shaft rockers. The bigger the ports and valve seats (or larges size possible) in your heads, the more the manuf. has to play with the valve offset and the more crooked the rockers will align.

Twin_Turbo said:

Yes, that's why I asked. But it will never be perfect. The only way to get it spot on is to use shaft rockers. The bigger the ports and valve seats (or larges size possible) in your heads, the more the manuf. has to play with the valve offset and the more crooked the rockers will align.

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When I did the China heads I have, I was surprised at how good the rockers lined up with the stems. Not perfect, but damn good for those cheap heads.:shocking:

not like in the pics I posted ? LOL


enkei, 2nd and 3rd pic, that's unacceptable (especially #2), messa bout with the guide plates a but to get it lined up better. Do you have a welder? If so, you can cut and reweld the guide plates to get a better alignment or get the 2pc ones from isky.

IMO, and apparently I lucky to a certain extent...I have never had a problem with guide plate adjustments and roller centering....I have looked at several rockers over the times I had heads on/off this engine and they been fine...
I think any roller tip rocker that is off center on the roller is asking for troubles though as that just makes sense to me.....they being rather busy and all...

:shocking::gurney:

Glenn, I use one piece chromoly pushrods. They're $140 a pop! And I'm tapped out at the moment.

TT, do you think that using valve lash caps will offset the front to back (pic 2) alignment somewhat?

I do have a pushrod length checker, and the geometry (front to back) was perfect with the old rockers. Those rockers are failing though, which is why I went with these new harland Sharp ones.

...I wonder how much my bent rocker studs are affecting the alignment.

Are the new rockers a different ratio? Your bent studs are seriously affecting the alignment. Better get those straightened out first, who knows, maybe the old pushrods will work

140$ a pushrod? That's a little steap. I ordered some recently from crane, custom made w/ cupped and tipped ends for shaft rocker system on a ford fe, they were nowhere near 140$ a pop.

Woops, meant per package. $140 for all 16! I wouldn't spend 2 Gs on pushrods. :twitch::suicide:

Yes the new rockers are 1.65 old ones were 1.5. But if you think about the geometry, the 1.65 rockers should need longer rods since the pushrod will sit back at more of an angle to reach the cup in the rocker. So I guess it's just the design of the Harland Sharp rocker.

Do you think the valve lash caps will offset the difference significantly?

I would do it the right way, fix the studs first, check it and then get the correct length pushrods.

Twin_Turbo said:

I would do it the right way, fix the studs first, check it and then get the correct length pushrods.

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So would I.

So I installed lash caps to compensate for my pushrods that were too long, the roller tip movement on the valve stem isn't perfect but it looks good enough to run. What do you guys think?

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I also moved my guide plates and replaced my bent studs, side to side is also way better now.

looks a lot better.

How come you had bent studs with the stud girdle ??

MYBAD79 said:

looks a lot better.

How come you had bent studs with the stud girdle ??

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No idea?!?! I'm trippin out! It's possible that they were bent before I installed the girdles, I put 5K miles on the motor before I ran them. I might just not have noticed and the stud girdles might have tightened them back into proper alignment. Or maybe the girdles weren't drilled properly and they bent the studs, I'll pay close attention when I put them back on.

Remember what I told you a few weeks ago about my stud girdles, they don't fit.... I have a drill press and I'll re-drill the holes eventually... my girdles are in a bag on the shelf... who knows if I ever get around to relocate the holes, engine runs fine without them.