I already posted this in the FE forum, but as usual the knowlege base there doesn't seem to measure up to the Slick's forum...so I am back where I usually get the "good" answers. Please indulge me.

I am putting together a 390 and I have a set of "adjustable" rockers I would like to use. My reading (Bill Christ's book) and online research indicates it was common to use the adjustable rockers with hydraulic lifters. What I cannot determine is what pushrods were used in that combination. Does anyone know?

Adjustable rockers require the "cupped" rods on one end. The only cupped rods I can find all seem to be for solid lifters. Are they compatible with hydraulic lifters, or was there a special cupped rod for that particular application?

Also, I found conflicting information as to whether or not adjustable rockers ever came from the factory with hydraulic lifters...anyone know?

Thank you

 

As far as I can remember, the FE engines only came with ajustable rockers, were the engines with soild lifters. It was the rocker arms that had the ajusters on them, not the rods. Not saying that someone did not make some, I do not know.

 

Adjustable rocker arms were not available in FE equipped trucks. The last year 390 Passenger Cars came with them was 1969 (Mustang/Torino/Fairlane hipo's with mechanical tappets).

You want pushrods used with adjustable rockers arms with hydraulic lifters. Lotsa luck, because Ford didn't offer them. There is no parts catalog listing and I looked from 1958 thru 1972.

The 1958/64 FE (& 1965/67 427) pushrods with hydraulic lifters also came with one cupped end (B8A-6565-C).

But, these are not the same pushrods used with mechanical tappets/adjustable rockers (B8A-6565-B).

Maybe Ford offered this setup in the hipoparts catalogs. I have them for 1961/68's, but unless asked, I don't wanna go out to the garage and search for them.

B8AZ-6564-C .. Rocker Arm-non Adjustable, Use with Hydraulic Lifters. 1958/76 FE engines.

B8A-6564-B .. Rocker Arm-Mechanical, includes Screw, Use with Mechanical Tappets. 1958/69 FE engines.

 

Thanks Bill, as I was thinking, just do not have your back ground and great books to back me up. Glad you are around here to help us out.

 

Not the answer I wanted, but at least here I can get a correct answer. Thank you all.

I'll dig around and see what else I can uncover and if it is new info, I will post it here.

Oh, here is what I am "pinning my hopes on", this quote from Bill Christ's rebuilding book.

"Adjustable rockers are often used in hydraulic-lifter engines because their higher ratio gives them a slight increase in valve lift. Adjustability also makes it easier to obtain correct valve "clearance", or adjustment." (pg. 47)

So, IF this is a true statement and IF he meant it in the context of the FE engines, then they must have used something unique to make it work. I dunno

 

Look in the 1949/59, 1960/64 & 1965/72 Ford Passenger Car Parts Catalogs, the 1964/72 & 1973/79 Ford Truck Parts Catalogs, see if you can find a FE pushrod listed that was used with adjustable rockers and hydraulic lifters.

Lotsa luck readin' thru these catalogs lookin' for something that doesn't exist. Why doncha contact the author, maybe he knows what the pushrod application and Ford part number is, cuz I couldn't find diddly.

 

I have done this swap many times.
Hydraulic lifter pushrods have a ball on both ends. Mechanical lifter pushrods have a ball on the lifter end and a cup on the rocker end. Use the pushrods designed for the mechanical lifter / adjustable rocker arms. They work just fine with hydraulic lifters.

ND is correct in that Ford never offered this combination, therefore Ford does not show an application or part number.

However...If you have made wholesale changes to the valve train you should check for proper rocker arm geometry. This may necessitate a different length (custom) pushrod.

Hope this helps.

Roger Carter

 

B8A-6565-C .. Pushrod-Use w/hydraulic lifters / 9.345"/9.355" overall length / (1) oval and (1) cup type end.

See post #3, 3rd line for applications.

 

According to the Ford Muscle Parts Book, MP1000-A, copyright 1969,
left column center, page 49, using the 427 adjustable rocker arms B8A-6564-B and the 427 push rods B8A-6565-C will result in a net increase in valve lift.

It's been my experience that most, though not all, 427 Fords had mechanical lifters and adjustable rocker arms. Some 427's used in marine applications as well as the '68 427 that used hydraulic lifters.

Maybe the early FE's had an adjustable valvetrain? Perhaps Ford made an error in their parts book? Is that even possible? I dunno....

The point of this thread is to answer a couple questions posed by Wagonerki.

1) Are the solid lifter pushrods compatible with hydraulic lifters?
A) Yes, based on detailed information in the Ford Muscle Parts Book.

2) Did Ford offer adjustable hydraulics?
A) No, according to information supplied by Number Dummy from Ford
Parts Catalogs.

Roger Carter

 

The 1965/72 Ford Passenger Car Parts Catalog (427 engines: Text-Section 60.8, page 9) doesn't say anything inre to B8AZ-6565-C pushrods being for mechanical tappets or hydraulic lifters.

All it lists are the specs. But the 1949/59 & 1960/64 car parts catalogs specify hydraulic lifters with these pushrods.

This 427 jazz (as you stated) does not apply to 1968's, cuz these 427 engined cars came from the factory with hydraulic lifters using C4TZ-6565-A pushrods (before change L/8), C8AZ-6565-A pushrods (from change L/8).

These same pushrods were also used in 1968/70 428's & 1968/76 360/390's.

I also said that I have the 1961/68 Ford hipoparts catalogs (and Holman & Moody catalogs I didn't mention). The Muscle Parts catalogs were introduced in 1969.

But these are stashed out in the garage somewhere, so unless someone asked me to look, I wasn't gonna bother.

Oh and btw: Since I used FIVE different Ford parts catalogs in my research, I kinda doubt there were any errors inre to what fits what.

Comments made by some people inre to wrong info in catalogs obviously have zero FoMoCo dealer parts experience (and prolly no Ford parts catalogs) as they wouldn't make these comments if they did.

Most have no clue how many updates were made to these catalogs while they were viable to correct errors/omissions.

The average was four times a year. When 1960 and later catalogs that were on loose leaf paper needed to be updated, Ford only sent out the specific pages that needed to be changed.

Changing those individual pages in catalogs that could have over 6,000 pages of text and illustrations was a royal PITA.

One former FTE member chimed in a coupla years back when I typed part numbers for 1960's F250 brake cables...saying "All Ford parts catalogs are wrong." That ticked me off, cuz the cluck had no clue.

Then the cluck had the unmitigated gall to P/M me and ask for some part numbers for his truck. I had the pleasure of responding by saying "Sorry, cannot help you, all Ford parts catalogs are wrong!"