Ok I got a question.... If the lifters are solid and someone adjusted valve lash if they were hydraulic .
Would that cause issues with clearance?

 

I don't think you'd have bent push rods, you'd have excess lash when cold but I don't think enough to cause the damage you had. (this is assuming backyard mechanic adj. of tighten until clatter goes away when hot and running)

I think you're moving along just fine, most of the people responding have done this kind of work many times and we're just typing, you're the one doing the work.

 

nice looking ride by the way, my 68 vert is about the same color (for the time being anyway, it was originally green and it'll go back some day)

 

If someone tightened up the lash past zero on a solid lifter engine and tried to run it, the engine would not hardly run at all. The valves would never close. Lots of banging and popping. With your engine, your springs were way too close to bind so there could be breakage due to the over tightening (over lifting).

If you can push down on the rocker arm with a good amount of hand force you should be able to feel a little tiny give in the lifter with a hydraulic lifter.

The solid lifters will not give at all and are usually found lashed a little loose on the valve stem by somewhere in the ~.020" zone depending on proper lash setting.

 

Absolutely! Solid lifter valvelash is set at maybe 16-19 thousandths. That is to allow for heat expansion between valvestem tip & rocker tip. Without that clearance, some valves would never close or seal. And have no give to them.

Hyd lifters are set at zero lash, then cranked down another 1/2 turn. And have some give to them.

 

I think the OP is asking if incorrect lash procedure would cause bent pushrods? I think you'd need really tight V/P clearance for zero lash to bend pushrods?

 

With lifter in hand or in engine in 5 seconds you will know if its hydraulic or solid. But regardless if you have .505 lift and keep your current springs and there checked at bottomed out 1.280 or even 1.260. Put new pushrods in and it will bend then again no matter what you do. Your springs were incorrect in clearence for your lift. 110 more then enough seat pressure. Its a flat tappet keep your pressure only enough needed added pressures on flat tappets all you acomomplish is accelerated cam an lifter wear. Its not a roller cam that needs higher seat pressures.

 

On bbc you it would be hard to find few solid lift cams at a laughable .505 lift. Remember a bbc uses a 1.7 ratio rocker arms instead of sbc 1.5 ratio. The lobes on that cam are super tiny. I would say 90 to 1 chance its a hydraulic cam. All you to do is push hard on the center of hydraulic lifter if it has n
o oil in it and it will give.pick up a phillips head screw driver push real hard on the center and it will overcome the spring. Thats not hard ti do is it ?

 

Last post, working on ford lehman diesel's in my cousins 40 ft 1977 trawler in san diego. Was in trucking business 29 years had to work on mack, cummins, catarpiler and two cycle detriots. All diesels i owned at 1 time. Pick up a number 3 phillips, push hard on center of the lifter that will tell you its hydraulic or solid. Ok now you have that off your mind. .505 lift 1.8 install BBC 1.280 or 1.260 coil bind on the spring. YOU COIL bind with engine running no materr what lifter was used. Look up a 1.80 install height, .300 lb open, 110 seat. 1.250 or say 1.225 coil bind. With those specs your good to go. If you want to put in a hydrulic roller. Go up to full lift spring pressure .360 lb, 140 seat pressure for 6500 rpm capability. Of course you would have to go lower on you bottom out number. Im out of patience has ran out.

 

Bbc used 1.50 outer dia. Spring.

 

I have done it. Fortunately the crank was being turned by hand. Big o-p-p-p-p-s. Oooooh - fudge!

 

Seems OP isn't Certain (with a big C) just which cam, what profile or which lifters he's working with. It's NOT likely but it could even be a solid Tight Lash grind (maybe half typical lash). Maybe, if OP pulls heads, maybe he'll also pull cam and get a good inspection & measurement on all lobes AND check the lifters for hyd OR mech. Maybe even find some identifying numbers on cam.

Maybe I'm misinformed, but I understand OP measured lobe lift using a dial indicator's tip atop a pushrod or PR end of rocker. That's fine & dandy and I've done it plenty and will do so again. But, It's nearly impossible to get indicator perfectly square to cam centerline that way; unless you get lucky every so often. When not square, it introduces sine error and the lift measurement always reads low. Now it's not a huge error but probably about 0.005 " to 0.010" AT Valve w/ 1.5:1 RAR. I've successfully relied on his sine error when the tech man at track was looking for rules mandated MAX 0.480" at valve. OP has about 1.7:1 RAR. That little bit of sine error (low reading) usually insignificant on a street motor, but OP has an issue that's probably coil bind or on the brink of it.

If it turns out the builder threw OP's piece together with coil bind (or dang close to it) ... too much cam with too little spring is a rookie mistake or don't give a flip attitude ... IF he did, then should we question stem-guide, rings and inserts clearances?

 

The push rods do not budge. I tried

 

zo6ce. If you know you have .505 lift cam. Your machinest gave you the answer when he coil binded your springs. If you want to avoid pulling the heads. Change springs to specs i gave you buy some new 3/8 pushrods. All will be good unless you have a whole lot more then .505 lift. Bending the pushrods did not effect your valves or pistons. If want to go further tare down the heads inspect everything. But what happened to you only ruined the pushrods. By bending they saftey netted your engine.

 

Jerk that puppy cam and go hydraulic roller.

 

I agree. But let's just run this beastie first. Set the rockers like solid lifters. .020 or so valve lash. Run the engine. Tighten 1 intake down 1/4 turn. Engine stumbles a few seconds and straightens out, hyd lifter compressed. Engine stays stumbling until rocker nut backed off, solids. But solid lifters are for high lift, high duration drag strip cams. .550 lift minimum up to .750 lift. There is near zero chance those are solid lifters.

 

Hydraulic rollers lifters. https://www.ebay.com/itm/Fit-Chevy-C...ry!19061!US!-1. DO NOT EVER BUY 125 DOLLAR SET OF HYD ROLLER LIFTERS!! I am dubious about comp cams 450 to 500 buck sets. Crane, Howard's, Morel... a used set of name brand lifters is preferable to new Chinese crap.

 

You think Comp cams roller lifters don't have any issues? This just happened 1 month ago.
My neighbor just had his 66 GTO engine built by a reputable engine builder. He was driving the GTO for a cruise around Lake Okeechobee, when a roller lifter ear that holds the roller on broke off... Roller along with the needle bearings fell into the engine crankcase.
I will say comp cams is warranting the entire rebuild.

 

Dubious means I have,now had doubts about them cuz too cheap.

 

Is it possible comp cams parts are made in China?