NewbVetteGuy

I tried to get both heads on, lifters in, pushrods and rockers installed today but I had one rocker left and then I realized it’s never sitting back down on the base circle (this was the bore that was too tight earlier, too).

It goes in 2/3rds of the way and 3/4 of the way if I push down on it really hard but it doesn’t go all the way down and it’s not right.

This, the oil pan, and the intake are all I have left on the engine and it’s killing me.

I grabbed some 60 grit and put it around the lifter and gave it a few cranks, then 100, then 180, finally wire wheel on the bench grinder. Cleaned it a gazillion times and made sure there was no sand in the wheel bearings put it back in; still tight...

Just not sure whether it’s tight at the top or bottom of the bore and assessing the bore at this point means starting all over and I’m avoiding that like the plague...



I need some magic.



Adam

jackson

First ... any adjustment is typically done to Bore Not lifter.

Quit sanding/rubbing until after you mike what you have. Mike Several & compare.

Maybe the lifter has a burr/nick ... maybe the bore has a burr/nick

What kind of lifters? Roller? PICTURE?

jackson

Stop with the sandpaper period.

Use a fine riffler file and or a fine handstone.

Gunfighter13

There is some kind of damage inside the lifter bore. Happens sometimes when a cam goes bad and a lifter is damaged. Forcing a damaged lifter up and out of the bore does the damage. Scope the bore and see what damage is there. If it is a nick or burr as stated before then you may be able to clean the lifter bore without taking the engine down.

NewbVetteGuy

Roller lifters. Scorpion/ Johnson short travel retrofit rollers.

I can take a pic or video in the morning and post it back here.


Adam

NewbVetteGuy

I have the mics but I’m truly terrible at measuring with them. I don’t think I get remotely any accuracy so it kinda defeats the purpose of measuring them.


Adam

NewbVetteGuy

0.875” flex hone??

I could soak a rag with wd40 and work it on top of the cam under the bottom of the lifter bore...



Adam

jackson

The lifters should have been test-fit into bores Before the first main shell was ever put in block ...
... I say that Not to rub salt in the wound, but to advise the next fellow who's planning a build.

Don't hone anything until you KNOW what & where the problem is.

Gaging ain't worth the boxes they came in until you learn technique to use 'em.

Try Process of elimination.

Mark each lifter pair and map-out & mark each lifter bore and use a tabular sheet to track your work.

Methodically: Swap ALL lifter pairs around ALL lifter bores ... feeling for tightness ...
... that way you might help determine if it's a bad lifter or a bad bore.

If a particular lifter pair is tight in ALL bores, then that particular lifter pair likely has a problem.

If ALL lifter pairs are tight in a particular bore, then that particular bore likely has a problem.

Once you've narrowed-down the number of culprits, then closely inspect/measure.

derekderek

Disassemble the engine and take it to somebody that can hone that lifter bore correctly. Then clean out oil passages and start over.

NewbVetteGuy

I already tried other lifters in this bore. This lifter fits other bores just fine; no lifters fit this bore correctly.

Its this bore that’s too tight.


Adam

jackson

OK ... so get in there with good light & fingers & see-feel if you find a burr ... probably gonna be at-near bottom of bore.

jackson

about mid-way down vertical bore are the horizontal oil gallery holes ... burr/scratch can also be at-near edges of those holes.

In fact, burr can be anywhere.

Goody

Too much money is invested in the expense of an engine build to sand/grind anything while the engine is half together. More damage will be done by metal particles getting into the bearings. Tear it down and get it to a machine shop to be mic'd and corrected properly. Why risk ruining a new build just to save a few bucks? It'll be worth it later on down the road for peace of mind too.

Gunfighter13

I'm glad you said that I didn't want to be the guy with only bad news.

NewbVetteGuy

I think that’s exactly where it is. On the one side the oil gallery holes seem right; on the other I think the bottom part of the oil galley hole sticks out into the lifter bore further making a slight “ledge” kinda thing. I thought I was being kinda paranoid.



To make matters worse, I noticed that one valve guide plate is cracked in three places too. (I used a torque wrench and tightened it to spec, so no idea why it happened but I need to get another one of those now...)




I sure am paying a LOT of stupid tax on this engine build; I’d like to think that means I’m getting smarter quickly.... (please, please, please...)


Adam

jackson

that's a cracked "guide PLATE"... that's a new on me ... 'specially happening on stand.

When trying to align rocker-to-valve tips ... Had you tried to bend it ?

NewbVetteGuy

Yea that’s what I meant.

No I didn’t try to bend it at all; once I remove it I’ll take a look at the bottom and see if there’s some random metal slag on the bottom or something. The only thing I can think of is that when I unscrewed the stud maybe some locktite chunk came up out of the threads and fell between the guide plate and the head or something like that.

Im really surprised they’re so brittle but I guess the harder they are the more brittle they are...


Adam

jackson

Maybe they're too hard.

Did the plates & studs come with the heads?

DAD111

Looks like your guide plate is off center in the picture – Take it loose and flip over and see if it lines up better before the new one goes on.

jim-81

That is weird that the guide plate would crack like that. Would not expect that.