--Over the years I have experimented with alot of things. I have done this to learn first hand what works and what doesn't but more importantly to find the reason it doesn't work. I am constantly asking why and how. I can then determine what works sometimes by what doesn't. I have had alot of people ask me to start this site especially on what products I have tested on the dyno, flow bench or other tests. This site is going to be open to anybody to request an article as I have been writing on things I have been asked on mostly. I am going to start this with 15 good articles and try to write at least 2 more every month that are from me or other builders. At the same time I will be adding to my company ratings and product testing as I am doing the tests. I am going to draw on my knowledge and 3 or 4 other tested and proven engine builders for now. We might not agree on all things, but I agree on all the basics with these guys. I will introduce them as I write. I will write on what to do and what not to do.
I am not swayed by sponsors as I have none and when testing a new head or new intake or something you can believe that I paid for it. With magazines it seems that the biggest add contributors always win the dyno shootouts. Funny! There is no politics here.

I want this members site to do three things.
-Give accurate info on engine building both from my experience and other guys smarter than me too!
-----This will include some basic info and need to knows for beginners and some high tech stuff.
-Give a unbiased account of products we have tested.
-----We have tested lots of intakes, spacers, heads, engine oils, carbs, theories and tons more that I am dying to tell you about.
-Rate companies on quality, customer service, price and knowledge of their product.
-----We work with 55 plus different companies. Some companies you can trust because they know their products, other don't have a clue.

To start you need to know that not all rockers will require the same
length pushrod. Different rockers will use up to .150 different
pushrod lengths.

1. Get the rockers you will be using with the cam & lifters installed in the block.

2. Use a stock pushrod or preferably a pushrod checker tool as your pushrod. Start with the stock length.

3. For a hydraulic application move your cam so that you are at a point where the lifter is sitting lowest in the block or at a no lift point. Snug up the rocker nut with your fingers.

NOTE: You must have the thickness of your stud covered by
the nut minimum!! For example - 3/8 stud, 3/8 grip; 7/16 stud, 7/16 grip. If you don’t have this, get longer studs. Watch out though because some locks threads don’t start until 1/8 into the lock.

4. Roll the engine over slowly looking for binding or clearance
issues anywhere. Make a full turn and check the pattern on
the valve tip. You must get a hold of the rocker and bring it to
full lift. You can do this with a rocker tool or use checker springs on your heads during the test. If you don’t your valve spring will collapse your lifter and give an inaccurate reading. That’s why you have to take pressure off the lifter. You might have to take marker and color the top of your valve stem to see where it is running on the tip.

5. Look for a pattern in the center of the valve tip. It will be about an 1/8” long mark across the entire valve stem.

Clearances to watch for are as follows.
- retainer to valve stem seal
- valve to piston (apply clay to piston top before doing test)
- rocker body to retainer or spring
- pushrod to head top and bottom
- rocker body to rocker nut in full open and full closed position
- rocker body to rocker nut sideways
- rocker body to rocker stud bottom of rocker

Make sure the rocker is lined up side to side with the valve stem (you might have to cut the guide plate to adjust if it is off too far). The rocker should be center on the valve tip not off the side.

Also, make sure when the valve is in the full closed position that the pushrod has not come out of the pushrod seat in the rocker. This is common on the 460 with cheap rockers.

6. If the pattern is off center towards the exhaust, the pushrods
are too long. If the pattern is off center towards the intake, the
pushrods are too short. For a hydraulic cam or solid flat tappet -
if the pattern crosses the center of the valve head at all, you’re
safe. For a solid roller - you need to be dead center with your
pattern. Also, it is good to be as close to center as possible at
full lift for both hydraulic or solid flat tappet cams and especially
for solid roller cams. This is where the most spring pressure will
occur.

7. For most applications a .100 different pushrod will move the
pattern .100 on the face of the valve.

8. Once you get the pushrod length you want, then double check your stud length. Remember that stud nuts don’t have threads for the first 1/8 or so. So if you have a 7/16” stud you will want
9/16” of the stud showing before you start your nut.

start you checking!!