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Is improper push rod length leaving power on the table?

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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 09:04 AM
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From: osawatomie ks
Question Is improper push rod length leaving power on the table?

This is more of a curiosity kinda question than a real concern. My car will be down for a month or some tending to some body work and paint. During that time I will be checking for proper length.

Anyway I kinda got in a hurry when doing my cam swap and just went with TSPs suggestion which in their defence they told me there was no way they could know for sure what length I needed.

So the question is does not having a properly messured and installed push rod leave any kind of power on the table? Be it from inacurate vavle movment or whatever.
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 09:11 AM
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Pull your valve covers and check your 0 lash turns to 22lbs torque....if you get 3/4 turn minimum to 1 1/2 turns maximum you are pretty well in specs
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 09:39 AM
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Yeah I fully intend to check them. I was more asking if in theroy having a slightly to short of to long of a push rod could be leaving a few ponies on the table?
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 10:39 AM
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Personally I set mine up 1/2-3/4 turn to torque, but I'm spinning mine to 8,000 + rpms....as long as you aren't running too long of a pushroand once pumped up they are holding the valves opened and just off the seat there isn't that much gain/ loss....if you run too short of a pushrod, then it could beat the valvetrain to death as the pushrods bounce up and down, or just too much "cush" could make your can act a tab smaller because the lobe has to push farther up on the lifters to start moving yhr vslve off the seat....but how much loss? Probably not enough for you or I to notice in the drivers seat
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 01:13 PM
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Well I dont imagine you could feel it in the seat either. I was just reading Pat Gs thread "recipe for 500hp" last night, and he kept mentioning all the "little things(low and mid head and intake flow numbers, cam lobe ramp speeds, ect. ect.)" people over look and miss when setting up there combos. So that me mentally breaking down my car in an effort to get the most out of all the parts I have bought in the last year for this car.
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 01:20 PM
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For what it's worth I tried some that were too short in my car and it ran like ***, but it rattled bad enough there was no mistake it was wrong.

A friend had some that were too long and his car pegged the fuel trims and made the car sound like it had a cam.

Both of these instances were .050" wrong
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 01:53 PM
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And the sad thing is .050" both ways isn't a very large difference.....but make a huge difference
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 03:00 PM
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I think I am around .050 short, but obviously wont know for sure until I pull the valve covers and check. I guess I had to teach myself the hard way not to rush the process (which seems to be a leason I have to relearn every 5 yrs or so)
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 03:13 PM
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From what I've been told yes, a poorley setup valve train can cost you hp. Check the wipe pattern too.
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 03:13 PM
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When I was .050" short there was no question or "maybe"

It sounded like I put a bag of marbles in the valve covers, car felt like it was down 2 cylinders, and my 230/238 cam sounded stock.
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 03:48 PM
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I deff have valvetrain noise that you can hear over the TDs. It idles like **** but runs great, deff doesnt feel like Im down cylinders. Like I said before its an issue that will be addressed. Im still running the stock heads what are your thoughts on upgrading rockers while Im in there? Is it money well spent on a stock unported head, or a waste of coin?
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 03:58 PM
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Never a waste to upgrade the bearing in the stock rockers
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 04:08 PM
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The trunion upgrade is money well spent, many aftermarket rockers are heavier and can lead to valve float costing you power on top of being expensive.
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Old Apr 6, 2012 | 06:23 PM
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I kinda had my eye on the Yella Terra LS1/LS6 1.7:1 ratio Nonadjustable
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