Pushrod length checker. How do i use it?
Originally Posted by 99 bad ***
Are you talking about an adjustable pushrod to check valvetrain geometry?
Originally Posted by 99 bad ***
you might just have a pushrod that is bent causing the ticking. have you checked those yet?
alright here it goes
Make sure engine is at TDC on compression of the cylinder you are checking before you do any of this!
1. Install new lifters and all that.
2. Put pushrod length checker (set to the shortest length) in the pushrod hole and seat in lifter plunger.
3. Install rocker pedestal and arm and torque to proper foot lbs. (22 I think)
4. Lengthen pushrod checker until the checker has the rocker set to 0 lash and the plunger is not depressed AT ALL. I.e. you want no play between the rocker tip and the vales stem and there should be no pressure on the lifter. The checker should be taught but not bound up.
5. Remove rocker arm.
6. Check the markings on the pushrod length checker. Add the desired preload to that measurement. (Probably .080" with stock lifters)
Main thing to remeber is EOIC meaning the exhaust valve should be barley open when you do its pushrod, and the intake valve just closing, 0 lash would be the pushrod tight (not moving up and down but still spining) after finger screwing in the rocker
Make sure engine is at TDC on compression of the cylinder you are checking before you do any of this!
1. Install new lifters and all that.
2. Put pushrod length checker (set to the shortest length) in the pushrod hole and seat in lifter plunger.
3. Install rocker pedestal and arm and torque to proper foot lbs. (22 I think)
4. Lengthen pushrod checker until the checker has the rocker set to 0 lash and the plunger is not depressed AT ALL. I.e. you want no play between the rocker tip and the vales stem and there should be no pressure on the lifter. The checker should be taught but not bound up.
5. Remove rocker arm.
6. Check the markings on the pushrod length checker. Add the desired preload to that measurement. (Probably .080" with stock lifters)
Main thing to remeber is EOIC meaning the exhaust valve should be barley open when you do its pushrod, and the intake valve just closing, 0 lash would be the pushrod tight (not moving up and down but still spining) after finger screwing in the rocker
Are you using sock rockers? Have the heads been milled or block been decked?
Since the tock valvetrain is non adjustable the stock length should fit just right if the heads or block haven't been touched. But the noise might not totally go away. Is it slight ticking or does it sound like a typewriter?
To use the adjustable take out your intake pushrod from any cylinder and put the adjustable one in place of it at the estimated length. With a black marker color the top of the valve where the rocker contacts it. Put the rocker back on and the turn the motor over by hand a few times till the rocker goes down and up 2 or 3 times.
Take the rocker back off and look where it made contact to the valve. You want it to make contact in the center of the valve tip. if it rubbed it off on the intake side of the valve then lengthen the pushrod a little and do it again and if to close to the exhaust end shoeten it a little. Once you get it as centered as you can take it out and measure it. (It might not get exactly centered so don't sit there for hours trying to get it perfect.) Then if needed order the closest size made to what you need.
Then do the same for the exhaust. You might just need a longer one for the intake or for the exhaust. Not all engines out there have the same pushrod length for intake and exhaust.
Hope this helps.
Since the tock valvetrain is non adjustable the stock length should fit just right if the heads or block haven't been touched. But the noise might not totally go away. Is it slight ticking or does it sound like a typewriter?
To use the adjustable take out your intake pushrod from any cylinder and put the adjustable one in place of it at the estimated length. With a black marker color the top of the valve where the rocker contacts it. Put the rocker back on and the turn the motor over by hand a few times till the rocker goes down and up 2 or 3 times.
Take the rocker back off and look where it made contact to the valve. You want it to make contact in the center of the valve tip. if it rubbed it off on the intake side of the valve then lengthen the pushrod a little and do it again and if to close to the exhaust end shoeten it a little. Once you get it as centered as you can take it out and measure it. (It might not get exactly centered so don't sit there for hours trying to get it perfect.) Then if needed order the closest size made to what you need.
Then do the same for the exhaust. You might just need a longer one for the intake or for the exhaust. Not all engines out there have the same pushrod length for intake and exhaust.
Hope this helps.
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TECH Addict
Joined: Dec 2001
Posts: 2,907
Likes: 1
From: Bergen County, NJ
Originally Posted by 99 bad ***
Are you using sock rockers? Have the heads been milled or block been decked?
Since the tock valvetrain is non adjustable the stock length should fit just right if the heads or block haven't been touched. But the noise might not totally go away. Is it slight ticking or does it sound like a typewriter?
To use the adjustable take out your intake pushrod from any cylinder and put the adjustable one in place of it at the estimated length. With a black marker color the top of the valve where the rocker contacts it. Put the rocker back on and the turn the motor over by hand a few times till the rocker goes down and up 2 or 3 times.
Take the rocker back off and look where it made contact to the valve. You want it to make contact in the center of the valve tip. if it rubbed it off on the intake side of the valve then lengthen the pushrod a little and do it again and if to close to the exhaust end shoeten it a little. Once you get it as centered as you can take it out and measure it. (It might not get exactly centered so don't sit there for hours trying to get it perfect.) Then if needed order the closest size made to what you need.
Then do the same for the exhaust. You might just need a longer one for the intake or for the exhaust. Not all engines out there have the same pushrod length for intake and exhaust.
Hope this helps.
Since the tock valvetrain is non adjustable the stock length should fit just right if the heads or block haven't been touched. But the noise might not totally go away. Is it slight ticking or does it sound like a typewriter?
To use the adjustable take out your intake pushrod from any cylinder and put the adjustable one in place of it at the estimated length. With a black marker color the top of the valve where the rocker contacts it. Put the rocker back on and the turn the motor over by hand a few times till the rocker goes down and up 2 or 3 times.
Take the rocker back off and look where it made contact to the valve. You want it to make contact in the center of the valve tip. if it rubbed it off on the intake side of the valve then lengthen the pushrod a little and do it again and if to close to the exhaust end shoeten it a little. Once you get it as centered as you can take it out and measure it. (It might not get exactly centered so don't sit there for hours trying to get it perfect.) Then if needed order the closest size made to what you need.
Then do the same for the exhaust. You might just need a longer one for the intake or for the exhaust. Not all engines out there have the same pushrod length for intake and exhaust.
Hope this helps.
Use the checker as described by dnm12. After you set 0 lash, remove the checker and count the number of full turns to close the checker back down. Each full turn =.050. the base length of the checker is 6.8 so let's say you have 10 turns: 10x.050 = .5 + 6.8 = 7.3, now add your preload - .060 to .100 =7.360 to 7.400. Now use 7.375 or 7.4 rods and you'll have a nice quiet setup. Check a few valves, both intake and exhaust to get a good sense of what you have and that you are measuring accurately.
Once you get the new pushrods you can check your swipe to be double sure.
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Originally Posted by DaddySS
Whoa...the pushrod checker should not be used to check swipe - it is not made to take that load.
Use the checker as described by dnm12. After you set 0 lash, remove the checker and count the number of full turns to close the checker back down. Each full turn =.050. the base length of the checker is 6.8 so let's say you have 10 turns: 10x.050 = .5 + 6.8 = 7.3, now add your preload - .060 to .100 =7.360 to 7.400. Now use 7.375 or 7.4 rods and you'll have a nice quiet setup. Check a few valves, both intake and exhaust to get a good sense of what you have and that you are measuring accurately.
Once you get the new pushrods you can check your swipe to be double sure.
Use the checker as described by dnm12. After you set 0 lash, remove the checker and count the number of full turns to close the checker back down. Each full turn =.050. the base length of the checker is 6.8 so let's say you have 10 turns: 10x.050 = .5 + 6.8 = 7.3, now add your preload - .060 to .100 =7.360 to 7.400. Now use 7.375 or 7.4 rods and you'll have a nice quiet setup. Check a few valves, both intake and exhaust to get a good sense of what you have and that you are measuring accurately.
Once you get the new pushrods you can check your swipe to be double sure.
^^^^^^very good explanation of the pushrod checker itself ^^^^^^
Originally Posted by DaddySS
Whoa...the pushrod checker should not be used to check swipe - it is not made to take that load.
Use the checker as described by dnm12. After you set 0 lash, remove the checker and count the number of full turns to close the checker back down. Each full turn =.050. the base length of the checker is 6.8 so let's say you have 10 turns: 10x.050 = .5 + 6.8 = 7.3, now add your preload - .060 to .100 =7.360 to 7.400. Now use 7.375 or 7.4 rods and you'll have a nice quiet setup. Check a few valves, both intake and exhaust to get a good sense of what you have and that you are measuring accurately.
Once you get the new pushrods you can check your swipe to be double sure.
Use the checker as described by dnm12. After you set 0 lash, remove the checker and count the number of full turns to close the checker back down. Each full turn =.050. the base length of the checker is 6.8 so let's say you have 10 turns: 10x.050 = .5 + 6.8 = 7.3, now add your preload - .060 to .100 =7.360 to 7.400. Now use 7.375 or 7.4 rods and you'll have a nice quiet setup. Check a few valves, both intake and exhaust to get a good sense of what you have and that you are measuring accurately.
Once you get the new pushrods you can check your swipe to be double sure.
i have been told stay more in teh .040 range on lifters
Half or three quarter turns ideal, by this I mean 0 lash when the pushrod is stiff but still rotates freely, 3/4 turn to 22ft/lbs is the best.
LS1 ideal=.025-.055
Recommended for noise but not ideal=.055-.085
Half or three quarter turns ideal, by this I mean 0 lash when the pushrod is stiff but still rotates freely, 3/4 turn to 22ft/lbs is the best.
LS1 ideal=.025-.055
Recommended for noise but not ideal=.055-.085
I just had a thought, I noticed when i take the rockers off the lifters seem to pump up some while it's setting. How can i get the correct measurement if the lifter pumps up?
Teching In
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 39
Likes: 0
From: Austin, Texas
Originally Posted by dnm12
alright here it goes
Make sure engine is at TDC on compression of the cylinder you are checking before you do any of this!
1. Install new lifters and all that.
2. Put pushrod length checker (set to the shortest length) in the pushrod hole and seat in lifter plunger.
3. Install rocker pedestal and arm and torque to proper foot lbs. (22 I think)
4. Lengthen pushrod checker until the checker has the rocker set to 0 lash and the plunger is not depressed AT ALL. I.e. you want no play between the rocker tip and the vales stem and there should be no pressure on the lifter. The checker should be taught but not bound up.
5. Remove rocker arm.
6. Check the markings on the pushrod length checker. Add the desired preload to that measurement. (Probably .080" with stock lifters)
Main thing to remeber is EOIC meaning the exhaust valve should be barley open when you do its pushrod, and the intake valve just closing, 0 lash would be the pushrod tight (not moving up and down but still spining) after finger screwing in the rocker
Make sure engine is at TDC on compression of the cylinder you are checking before you do any of this!
1. Install new lifters and all that.
2. Put pushrod length checker (set to the shortest length) in the pushrod hole and seat in lifter plunger.
3. Install rocker pedestal and arm and torque to proper foot lbs. (22 I think)
4. Lengthen pushrod checker until the checker has the rocker set to 0 lash and the plunger is not depressed AT ALL. I.e. you want no play between the rocker tip and the vales stem and there should be no pressure on the lifter. The checker should be taught but not bound up.
5. Remove rocker arm.
6. Check the markings on the pushrod length checker. Add the desired preload to that measurement. (Probably .080" with stock lifters)
Main thing to remeber is EOIC meaning the exhaust valve should be barley open when you do its pushrod, and the intake valve just closing, 0 lash would be the pushrod tight (not moving up and down but still spining) after finger screwing in the rocker
Maybe I'm missing something but I thought the preload measurement was done with intake and/or exhaust were on the base circle, i.e. fully closed?
Originally Posted by PewterC5-2000
Maybe I'm missing something but I thought the preload measurement was done with intake and/or exhaust were on the base circle, i.e. fully closed?
it is. he just said it wrong. its adj. teh EXH> valve when the intake valve is near full closed, and adj. the int. valve when teh exh. is opening. by the time the intake valve is closing, the exh. valve has been closed for a while so you know its no a little open. and when the exh. valve is opening, you know the intake valve isnt open at all. \
basically, with the orig. pushrods in place/torqued down, turn the eng. over watching the intake valve. keep rotating untit it opens and closes all teh way, and turn some more to make sure its on the base circle for the intake lobe.
basically, with the orig. pushrods in place/torqued down, turn the eng. over watching the intake valve. keep rotating untit it opens and closes all teh way, and turn some more to make sure its on the base circle for the intake lobe.
