Many classes of racing require the use of stamped steel rocker arms, and many budget crate engines utilize stamped steel rocker arms. Because stamped steel rocker arms do not feature a roller bearing pivot, stamped steel rocker arms generate more friction. As a result, improper…
Engine Pro Technical Committee with special thanks to Lake Speed Jr. and Driven Racing Oils
Our shop has had a cam analyzer for over 28 years, so I had forgotten how we checked and identified cams in the past. Recently I was asked by another shop how to verify which of three customer supplied cams to install in the customer’s engine.…
Timm Jurinc Tuf-Enuf Auto & Marine Performance Avondale,AZ.
We run the valve train geometry on every single engine we build. Every once in a while we get in a time bind and need pushrods ASAP. It is for this reason we keep extra sets of push rods for the popular engines on hand. For emergencies,…
Timm Jurincie Tuf-Enuf Auto & Marine Performance Avondale,AZ
For hydraulic lifter applications, I speed up the process for checking pushrod length, pre- load and geometry by using “solid” lifters. I disassemble a lifter and load it up with either epoxy or Plaster of Paris to position the plunger in a permanent “solid” position, after the filler…
Wade Cook Hubbard Machine Shop Hayward, CA
Hydraulic valve lifters are probably the most precision machined part inside any engine. It does not take much to cause one to operate incorrectly. In this case we are not referring to lifter failure due to metal to metal contact with the camshaft.…
Engine Pro Tech Committee with thanks to Federal Mogul Corp.
(From G.M. tech bulletin) Notice: Ensure each valve lifter is filled with clean engine oil and the valve lifter does not tip over (plunger down) before the installation of the valve lifters. The loss of oil in the valve lifter lower pressure chamber or…
Thanks to Chris Straub Straub Technologies Piney Flats, TN
Where they may work if replaced individually, the failure rate increases greatly if you don’t replace both the distributor gear and the camshaft drive gear on an AMC V8 as a matched set. There are at least 3 versions of gears, each with a slightly…
Paul Wampler Engine Performance Warehouse Denver, CO
Most of our rebuilds are 70-80’s V8’s. Quite often our customers want a camshaft upgrade. The so-called “RV” cam is often re- quested. The grind most everyone uses was designed for a SB Chevy using 1.5 ratio rocker arms. This same grind is offered for most Ford…
Patrick Paulsen Laughlin Machine Laughlin, NV
Manufacturer Shop Solution: Standard and Reverse Rotation Marine Engines – What to Look For Boats with twin engines usually turn in opposite direction so the torque reactions of the engines cancel each other out. The following four drawings show how the crankshaft and camshaft turn in the four combinations of…
George Richmond Melling Engine Parts Jackson, MI