Acceptable fulcrum rotation?
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
Acceptable fulcrum rotation?
I noticed that while torquing the rocker arms, the fulcrums were rotating a bit. They do have the small guides that span between two fulcrums to limit rotation, but should I have done more to keep them straight while torquing? I can go through the process again, though I would like to limit the number of times I rotate the engine, since I do not want to further displace the moly paste on the new cam and lifters.
Thanks!
Dave
Thanks!
Dave
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 36
From: British Columbia
Rocker arm (mis)alignment
You have excellent attention to detail. I wouldn't have considered this a concern before, but your second picture shows a couple of rocker arm tips quite off center with regards to valve tip contact.
I'd fix it. You don't have to rotate the engine. Just back the rocker arm attaching bolts off half a turn or so, merely enough to let you twist the rocker arms by hand. Even those that are holding valves open will be possible to twist fairly easily.
It does seem surprising that there is enough slop in the pedestals to allow that much misalignment. I imagine that on the assembly line at Ford there is no careful alignment of each rocker arm.
I'd fix it. You don't have to rotate the engine. Just back the rocker arm attaching bolts off half a turn or so, merely enough to let you twist the rocker arms by hand. Even those that are holding valves open will be possible to twist fairly easily.
It does seem surprising that there is enough slop in the pedestals to allow that much misalignment. I imagine that on the assembly line at Ford there is no careful alignment of each rocker arm.
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
Cool, thanks for the input. I am not sure how I can hold them in position while tightening the bolt. I'll see if I can get a crow's foot to slip over the guide, and if that will give me enough leverage on the base of the fulcrum.
Thanks!
Dave
Thanks!
Dave
Thread Starter
|
Senior User
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 159
Likes: 0
No luck with the crow's foot, so I don't see an easy way to keep the fulcrum from rotating when torquing. Perhaps pulling everything off and compressing the guides to take up any slack against the fulcrum base, but even then I don't know that they would be strong enough to restrict all movement. I seem to recall that the valve tip wear spot on the rocker arms varied a bit from one to the next, so maybe it is not worth worrying about?
Dave
Dave
Cargo Master
Joined: May 2007
Posts: 2,071
Likes: 36
From: British Columbia
Can't you just twist the rocker arm by hand enough counterclockwise to resist the tendency of the pedestal to rotate while tightening the bolt? While the turning of the bolt head will tend to turn the pedestal, friction with the stamped guide tends to hold it, so it shouldn't really be that hard to hold the assembly against rotation, it would seem.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post
davelength
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
43
Apr 15, 2010 06:53 PM
davelength
Clutch, Transmission, Differential, Axle & Transfer Case
13
Dec 13, 2009 07:41 PM
davelength
1968-Present E-Series Van/Cutaway/Chassis
1
Oct 12, 2009 07:08 PM
davelength
Small Block V8 (221, 260, 289, 5.0/302, 5.8/351W)
24
Sep 17, 2009 07:39 PM
davelength
1987 - 1996 F150 & Larger F-Series Trucks
3
Aug 9, 2009 01:01 PM
