hyd flat tappet breakin question

[vector1]

so i thought i would never go down this road, preferring roller, but i have this cam and lifters worth nothing that i'm going to use on this engine and have a question.

i'm familiar with the break in part i believe, i'm taking the inner spring off the heads and running with the one, or can i use reduced ratio rockers and not take the spring off, but after break in.....

to put the spring back on i'm not removing the heads, i guess i have to have a tool to remove the keepers and to keep the valves from dropping do i do the rope in the chamber trick or use compressed air?

tips or tricks or what's worked best for you? thanks

[DAVID GAGNARD]

I've only had to remove the valve springs on a few occasions on a head still on an engine, I've used compressed air,mainly cause I have a large air compressor and the adapter to screw in the spark plug hole, so far, it has worked fine....
I'm sure the rope trick will work as good, flip a coin as to which one to use........

David

[blykins]

1. Good break-in oil (Brad Penn or Joe Gibbs) is imperative.
2. Remove the inner spring or use a low ratio break-in rocker arm. If you have to pull a spring, you can either put some rope in the spark plug hole and use an on-head valve spring compressor, or you can use an air fitting. Either works about the same. There are several on-head spring compressors that work great. They just screw onto the rocker stud and allow you to pull down and compress the spring.
2. Have the timing and carb set so that it fires immediately.

[Bernica]

I made one of these years ago. Still works great. Used a 13/16" plug and drilled / tapped it for the air fitting....

[vector1]

yeah brent, those are some good pointers.

nice bernica.

i'm looking at locating a set of low ratio rockers now, little over $200 for the set but i might know someone who has a set. save a lot of time taking springs off and putting them back on. pita

[madmaxx]

Pick up a cheap compression tester, remove shrader valve, hook up quick connect to compressor. You have gotten to be kidding me, use shoe strings on all 8 cylinders, you will do something stupid and get crap in the cylinders, bend a valve. Use compressed air and on head valve spring compressor. If you have a friend you can get away with the $6.00 valve lever compressor. If not buy the kind you screw on and break over, $45.00 at summit. If you need a compressor you can rent a little pancake one for a day. I can't wait to see you try to get the valve stem up while compressing the valve spring and putting on the retainers. Trust me get a compressor!!!!!!

Be carefull presurizing cylinder raise pressure slowly until engine turns over then jack up the pressure.

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by blykins

1. Good break-in oil (Brad Penn or Joe Gibbs) is imperative.
2. Remove the inner spring or use a low ratio break-in rocker arm. If you have to pull a spring, you can either put some rope in the spark plug hole and use an on-head valve spring compressor, or you can use an air fitting. Either works about the same. There are several on-head spring compressors that work great. They just screw onto the rocker stud and allow you to pull down and compress the spring.
2. Have the timing and carb set so that it fires immediately.

Most important to fire first kick and straight to 2000 rpm. Imperative for long camshaft life.

[madmaxx]

I tried the rope trick, by the time you fiddle fart with trying to turn engine over to compress rope against valves you would be done with one cylinder with a comrpessor. For kicks you will get the rope pinched in a valve then when you are done and you go to pull the rope, it aint comming. You might want to take to mechanic and let them do it.

[Hotfingrs]

I've never used compressed air, I just run the cylinder I,m working on to TDC and take the springs off. If the valve does slip, it's only going .100 or so down. When you put the spring back on, pull the valve back up, usually it will stay long enough to get the spring on. If it doesn't put a little grease on the vavle stem, this will hold the valve until you get the spring back on.

[RICK LAKE]

Vector1 If you are going to do a bunch of motor builds, then buy the reduced rockers for break in. I have rebuilt too many different motors and would need 4 sets of rockers just for this. Not worth it. Removing the inner spring is important to start. KD sells a valve spring compressor that work great in tight places. Part number KDT2078. Sears sells them for about $40.00 dollars. Try Pepboys or autozone. I don't use air to pressurize the cylinder. I also take the cylinder working on to TDC, compress the spring and remove the keepers. I use good valve seals and they hold the valve up. Be careful to not hit or damage the seal or knock the spring clip off the seal. If have umbrella seals and little "o"ring seals on the valves replace them with pos valve seals.
Have the timing and carb set. Have a fire extinguiser on startup. i like a CO2 over dry chemical., less cleanup and mess. Both work well. Set the rpms to 2000 once started and check timing as soon as you can. Check coolant and oil pressure. Check for leaks under the car. Do this quick. Have a second person to help you, 4 eyes are better than 2. Once up and running get a box fan to help move the air through the rad and engine compartment.
As for oil, I use a 15W-40 rolleta and a bottle of EOS from GM. Over fill the motor 1 quart for safety. 20 minutes at 2,000 rpms and 10 minutes at 1,500 rpms. Let cool down with fan. Replace oil and filter. Put in the oil you are going to use in the motor all the time. Add 1 bottle of lucas oil suppliment as the motor warns up again. Pour in slowly to mix with engine oil. 500 mile breakin with just the outter springs. This will keep your foot out of the throttle and yet give you about a 3,000 rpm safe limit. After 500 miles install the inner springs and you are good to go. Check the oil filter and look for any metal in the pleets. If you find some after the second oil change, recheck and drop oil pan and look for damage. As for rocker adjustment, 1/4 to 1/2 turn on adjuster for breakin. If you keep adjusting and lifter, you have either a camshaft problem or lifter collapse. I reset my lifters to .015" after breakin with a hydro setup. This is for both flat tappet or roller lifters. Good luck Rick L.

[Excaliber]

Or, you could use the Red Neck valve spring compressor tool, like I did. Worked beautifully. Note: That is an OLD rocker shaft, not a new one.

Ball joint "pickle fork" removal tool, works well for all kinds of things. I use the compressed air method, rope is a pita.

[Bernica]

That just plain hurts to see. Effective, yes.

[vector1]

good info rick, especially the fire bottle!!!!!!!

that is one big pickle fork!!!! like it!!!

had one of the flat tappet lifters sticking and looked at the bore and couldn't tell why, everything looked good and the measurement was good. i think i'm going back to the solid roller, the exz lifters are a little smaller in diameter and slide with no problem although one was sticking a little also so i'm thinking the flat tappet might have had problems. i have a hone but i don't want to take everything apart or clean the passages again this far into it. was looking for a friendlier version of a street racer with the hyd flat tappet that i had but i guess i'll shelve that for now. i don't know why the lifters would not slide freely cause there was no rust or contaminate and the measurement was good, maybe the bore wasn't straight, i don't know. anyway, you guys were scaring me with all the flat cam talk. thanks to mr. jesel the changeover was easy.

oh well, more power is not a bad thing!!! but i admit, i have a problem with speed.

there's some good info here.