Here are my valve train specs:

Pro Topline Aluminum 320cc R-Port Heads (2.25/1.88 Valves), Comp Cams 294S Solid Flat Tappet Cam w/ matching springs, titanium retainers & 10 degree keepers, Comp Cams Pro Magnum Full Roller Rockers w/ Poly Locks.

Here is my problem. The car runs like a champ and feels like a solid 11 second car. However, when I pulled the valve covers the other day to check the valve lash I discovered that one of the rockers arms (#1 Intake) had dug into my titanium retainer. When I pulled the rocker arm off I discovered that one of the keepers was cracked in two and was on it's way to being sucked down through while the other was the only one really keeping me from dropping a valve. I've been examining the valves and everything and it appears that the rocker arm does not stay in the middle of the valve tip throughout it's full range of motion. It seems like the roller tip runs off the front of the valve tip and pushes down on the retainer/keeper slightly and that's what is causing my problem. The rocker arms also seem to contact the retainer at the back of the roller arm, this seems to occur when the valve is closing. Does this mean that my pushrods are too long, too short or something else?

It's my fault I assembled the heads and tried to do everything myself when I probably should have had a shop do it. So far the good news is that I didn't hurt the motor other than my one retainer...I just need to figure out what is causing this now and get it straightened out. Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks guys & gals!

 

Check your push rod length.
Running it that way will chew up the roller tip's

 

I know that the pushrods are likely the culprit but does this mean they are too long or too short?

 

Longer brings the rockers higher for valve retainer clearance and inboard,
http://forums.corvetteforum.com/show....php?t=1418069

 

Right now I am running Comp Cams Magnum 7175 pushrods on my intake which is a 8.75" long pushrod. I'm running 7180 pushrods on my exhaust which are 9.60" pushrods.

So you are saying that it sounds as though I need longer pushrods to help with retainer clearance and to bring the rocker tip to the middle of the valve tip? Thanks for your help so far.

 

Get an adjustable one to make it easier, like in the other posting and check it as described.
http://www.carcraft.com/techarticles...th/index1.html

 

Basically, to simplify this, you want the roller tip to be at the valve tip centerline at mid lift. Using CompCams' Hi-Tech checking pushrods are a very cool way to get the length dead on. Easy to use. Read like a mic.

Guess you know how close you came to disaster. I've learned the hard way to blueprint everything, and not to trust anyone else's measurments...