how to adjust loose pushrods

[66Sprint6]

Like the title says, got some loose pushrods and I didnt put em in, have no clue how to tighten them down. Know what to look for, just not what to looses/tighten/turn/wrench etc to make it happen...OH, this is on a stock 200 head
Matt

 

[Anonymous]

Are all the push rods loose or just a few?

 

[Mercury Mike]

The torque on the rocker shaft support to cylinder head is 30-35 ft/lbs. Maybe they're loose? Tighten them starting in the middle, and go back and forth. You only have to pull the valve cover to get to these bolts. I think they're... 9/16 heads. They're just in a line down the shaft.

 

[pedal2themetal45]

do you have adjustable rockers?? if so ther well be a bolt that goes throu the rocker onto the push rod.. thats the adjuster. If not your rockers may be shot of you may have a few bent pushrods. to check for that you'd have to pull the rocker assembly off and pull the push rods and roll them to see if any are bent...
If you have the adjustable rockers turn the motor by hand to just as the exhaugst valve starts to open then adjust the intake valve on that cyulender 1/2 turn after the free play is out... then adjust the exhaugst valve on that cylender just as the intake valve closes for that cylender. make sure you are turning it in the direction it runs..
tim

 

[JackFish]

If you do not have an adjustable rocker arm, you cannot adjust them.
They would have to be swapped out for slightly longer ones if, in fact, that is the problem. Could they be bent for some reason?
Perhaps the lifters are just a bit noisy?

 

[CZLN6]

Howdy Back Matt and All:

I'm betting that you have a/some sticking hydraulic lifters that are making noise. What year engine are you working with? Any modifications?

If the noise is coming from sticking lifters you have three options;
1. Use a high detergent additive to try to chemically clean, loosen and remove the varnish that is causing the sticking,
2. Add adjustible rockers to take the slack out of the noisy rockers,
3. Replace the sticking lifters.
These are listed in least to most expensive/labor order

Another possibility is that wear has added clearances beyond the range of the hydraulic lifters. How many miles are on this engine? If that is the case you might be able to tighten things back up by using a .060" longer pushrod from Pioneer Performance Products.

At the very least plan to disassemble the rocker shaft from the head for a thorough teardown, cleaning and inspection. Oil to the rockers comes up through the back stauncheon and passes through the shaft to the very front rocker. The system frequently gets plugged and will not allow oil to the front rockers causing excessive wear at the shaft and at the pushrod cup and ball end. There is a stickie at the top of this forum on this.

Give us some feedback please.

Adios, David

 

[66Sprint6]

Heres the deal...brand-frickin-new motor, everything is new EXCEPT the rockers...so Im wonderin if they are lame. New lifter, pushrods etc were bought before the rebuild and they are non-adjustable. Only a few along the middle are loose. Ill prolly go with adjustable rockers to even it out.
Matt

 

[JackFish]

If the head wasn't milled the correct amount, and you replaced the original gasket with a modern, thicker one, then that might account for the loose rods. You would also be suffering from decreased compression.