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Always go by what the cam manufacturer says. Go on their site or contact them via phone. Use a good break-in oil or additive. You need two guys there, one to watch the engine, and one to watch the gauges. Set up a good fan to blow through the radiator to prevent over heating. Remember that on initial start up your temp gauge will probably go over 200--210 before the thermostat opens and you breathe a sigh of relief!
Run with pure water first time around, until you're sure all the hoses, etc. are water-tight, then drain rad. after a couple of days and add antifreeze. When you change the break in oil, keep the filter for a month after in case anything goes wrong. If it does, that filter will hold valuable clues as to what happened.
Pump/prime the oil system with a drill motor prior to start up, making sure you are getting oil to all rockers. Set engine at TDC before starting, and retard about 10 degrees. Mark distributor on block for a reference. If you're using a MSD or another high power ignition, hook your timing light to a seperate vehicle battery, stand on a piece of wood, and wear rubber gloves, unless you want to risk tasting the fillings in your teeth!! Believe me, it is no joke.
Good luck.
This is great info F-250.
Im not trying to hi-jack this thread,Im wondering if AB broke that cam in proper.
I feel his pain.
Heya everyone,
No progress as of yet, since I'm just waiting on funds to move forward. But I'd thought I'd say that I took a lot of care in making sure I broke the cam in correctly and as to Comp's instructions. I used a lot of cam break-in lube, held the RPMs at 2000ish for a good 20 minutes, full oil change before and after, etc.
My screwup was using the wrong washers when I tried to adjust for my worn out rocker arms, which jammed up the engine and damaged some lifters.
On another note, a couple months ago, I picked up another Bronco with a 300 in it. Had an Offy C with a 600 cfm carb, and open headers. LOUD. This weekened, I put a new exhaust on it that quieted it down dramatically, and it was the first time I was ever able to hear the engine. Well, it is smoother and quieter than the 300 in my 81 has EVER been. I just couldn't get over how smooth as glass the engine was. It was a real eye opener that my engine's never been as top notch as I thought it was. Thinking my rocker arms are just toast and the new springs and lifters really made it evident.
I'd love to take the head off and fully rebuild it, but that just isn't going to happen at the moment. I don't have the money for it, and we need two vehicles so my wife can find a job now that she graduated from college last week. (YEAHH!!) Maybe this summer it'll get due justice with a head rebuild, but in the mean time, I need to get it back on the road.
I'm thinking new rocker arms, lifters, and pushrods and see what happens. If it fixes the problem, so be it. If not, I'll be needing them anyway, so it's not money wasted.
Yeah, the break in lube went in with the install and the cam break in. Then the break in oil went in after the immediate oil change (filled with break in lube and whatever).
What about them doesn't fit? Do they bind in some way? They have the same ratio and stud size as the others.
Not long enough to reach far enough to put the rocker tip on the top of the valve perhaps?
I don't know why the sbc rockers don't fit. I assume the dimensions just don't fit...possibly the p.rod hits the head, it won't reach the valve, etc. I know the price, like everything sbc, is attractive.
I followed what I had read on Fordsix. One of the FAQ is regarding roller rockers. They even have photos showing the bbc rockers, IIRC, compared to the Harland Sharp.
With mine I can see how it is designed to get the higher lift/ratio: the pushrod end is slightly shorter, thereby bringing the p.r. closer to the head (or end of slot in head), so it moves the v. end more with same lift at cam.
The auto Swap meet is coming here the first weekend in January. I could pick you up a set and mail them to you if you want, text a photo, you say yea or neigh, and done. You have to do the math, but with your cam, it would bump your lift into the ... mid .480's? Which is about that of the Clifford 264 cam. Will your springs work with the high lift?
January 9th and 30th is the auto swap meet. Google Topping auto swap meet, or Veterans stadium auto swap meet. When I was there and bought my r.rockers, my buddy found a set for $20, but they didn't look as nice, so I bought the Crane ones. Of course no one ever sees them, so I could of saved $80!!
I don't know why the sbc rockers don't fit. I assume the dimensions just don't fit...possibly the p.rod hits the head, it won't reach the valve, etc. I know the price, like everything sbc, is attractive.
I followed what I had read on Fordsix. One of the FAQ is regarding roller rockers. They even have photos showing the bbc rockers, IIRC, compared to the Harland Sharp.
With mine I can see how it is designed to get the higher lift/ratio: the pushrod end is slightly shorter, thereby bringing the p.r. closer to the head (or end of slot in head), so it moves the v. end more with same lift at cam.
The auto Swap meet is coming here the first weekend in January. I could pick you up a set and mail them to you if you want, text a photo, you say yea or neigh, and done. You have to do the math, but with your cam, it would bump your lift into the ... mid .480's? Which is about that of the Clifford 264 cam. Will your springs work with the high lift?
January 9th and 30th is the auto swap meet. Google Topping auto swap meet, or Veterans stadium auto swap meet. When I was there and bought my r.rockers, my buddy found a set for $20, but they didn't look as nice, so I bought the Crane ones. Of course no one ever sees them, so I could of saved $80!!
Forgot to get back to you on this after heading out of town for Christmas.
Thanks for the info. Bummer on the SBC rocker arms not fitting. The price is much more reasonable.
I'm curious if the 1.7 would work with my setup. I don't know. Do you think the higher lift would make it a little radical for a daily driver? Start eating gas mileage? As for the extra lift, I don't know on my springs. They're Comp springs, but I don't know what their maximums would be. How would one tell?
A good deal on rocker arms would be difficult to pass up though. Thanks for looking!
Regarding the 1.7 rockers: Don't bother. I thought they gave a bit more power when I first changed them, but since then I think about them every time I stop at the gas station. IMO they just aren't worth the complications which arise with the swap: springs, v.seals, mileage, and the v/rocker/p.rod geometry. The oem rockers are much more forgiving, accepting.
Unless they come out with a clear v.cover, no one ever knows they are there. When I swap my cam I will probably be selling mine and trying to get the Harland Sharpe 1.6 type.
This thread, and the pictures...have saved me from becoming a mass murderer(or at least a heavier drinker)...I'm doing this on a 95 Van....still thinking about sawing off the bottom half of the steering wheel though
Taking the lifters out now....looks like the bumper's going to have to come off to slide the Camshaft out all of the way.
Yeah, I think next time I do a cam install, I'm just going to remove the engine. Trying to move the engine around to get it to point out the grill was a real pain.
I have knocking from my cam shaft. That what I'm inspecting. It started after oil change. I put the right oil 10w-30 about since October 2017. I heard YouTube channel video shows a cam lobe rounded off making the cam chewing up lifters by stuck valve. But I don't see stuck valves when I took the side lifters plate off while engine was running. But sure seems moving ok. I have noticed when I droven it it only knocks when the engine ravs up to shift another gear. Normal drive I don't hear it. Only when shift or siting rav it up in park. I took it apart and took out all the lifters all where good accept one was chewed up from the bottom. So I changed one of those lifters. Same sound so I took that one back out change one more time. The truck doesn't knock during idle but if I rise the idle over 2500 or less it sounds awfull. I bought the truck last year in September 16 2017 for 3000 and doesn't even leak a drop of any fuilds of any sort even as today aswell. It ran good for 3 weeks then it suddenly over heated. Blown head gasket.😫 So I bought a head gasket master kit. Install it. October the knocking sound started happening while I was on the freeway. I didn't know until I pull in autozone parking lot planning to buy a repair kit for gas tank.. another issue?. Dame😫👀..... Well anyway just wanted to know if could change the cam and wanted to know if I have to change the camshaft bearings or is it recommended to do so. My truck is a 1995 Ford f150 XLT single Cab 8 ft bed. Everything works excellent inside and out, nice interior. It really nice truck 3 owner including me orginal factory warranty papers and books . I just wanted to fix it up for to go to work and to grocery store without having to spend alot of money and worry about breaking down some country side. The truck has been sitting in my driveway since November 2017. 156,677 miles on it. it haven't driven since. The sound seems to coming from next to camshaft in the back of the bottom of litter plat cover that sits on the side of the driver side of the engine. There only one long cover there. I thought of take one of the was bad and running the truck to see if the nose would go away just to see if I'm right about the camshaft and one lifter make the noise lifter slaming against the camshaft. Of course I'm not going to drive it like that. Any suggestions would really appreciate it.
12-19-2010, 11:40 AM
Thanks for looking!
