Need Some Assistance / Question Regarding New Heads And Rockers

[DukeEntDotCom]

Hey guys,

We are changing up things with my set-up and running into an issue.

Currently have the 96 explorer motor with the GT40 heads and TFS1 cam...

Well I got a set of AFR 165 heads (part 1472) and the shop I bought them from (East PA Foxbody) gave them to me with stud mounts installed and Harland Sharp rockers. He also gave me trick flow hardened pushrods 6.15" .080.

I also have a set of comp cams hardened rods stock length.

We already installed a TFS 2 cam as well.

When we tighten down the rockers with the push rod in place, the round part at the bottom of the rocker rubs against the bottom of the stud mount. We even took it over to a machine shop nearby as well to get his opinion, he said that they should not being doing this.

So if we hand crank the motor with the rocker tightened down, it won't turn all the way, but if we back the rocker bolt back a bit it will turn. We realized this as we were doing a clay test to determine we had enough piston valve clearance.

So not sure if we have the wrong bolt with the rocker. Called the guy I got the heads from and he said to get poly locks... Not sure if this is the answer or is something else going on? Is there something that the rocker sits on between the bottom of the rocker and the stud?

Here are a couple photos:

 

[DukeEntDotCom]

photos

 

[mikestang63]

6.15" pushrods seem mighty short. Stock are 6.22 and with an aftermarket cam and rockers you would normally require longer pushrods. 6.4 - 6.5 is the normal range for inline aftermarket heads. I would recheck your pushrod length. Were these heads milled? Pedestal mount converted?

I've read problems with these rockers before as far as valve train geometry and know Woody at Ford Strokers and Ed Curtis at FTI avoid using them for this reason.

 

[A5literMan]

^^^ what he said. Lol

 

[Gearbanger 101]

As Mike has stated, Harland Sharp rockers tend to be problematic for SBF's. They generally cater to GM products and as such are often set up to work with their valvetrain geometry.

I would demand that the shop that sold them to you exchange the rockers for another brand that work with Ford heads.

 

[A5literMan]

Crane golds/Comp cams Ultras/FMS/or Scorpion rockers are my preference.

 

[DukeEntDotCom]

6.15" pushrods seem mighty short. Stock are 6.22 and with an aftermarket cam and rockers you would normally require longer pushrods. 6.4 - 6.5 is the normal range for inline aftermarket heads. I would recheck your pushrod length. Were these heads milled? Pedestal mount converted?

I've read problems with these rockers before as far as valve train geometry and know Woody at Ford Strokers and Ed Curtis at FTI avoid using them for this reason.

Thanks for all replies so far...

According to the shop I bought them from, They were converted to stud mount not milled just resurfaced for straightness

 

[DukeEntDotCom]

Here are some photos and a short video we made last night before closing the shop


View: https://youtu.be/3H9IO595_IA

 

[DukeEntDotCom]

Matt from East PA Fox (where I got these) said he's looking for another set of rockers to swap out with these.

 

[A5literMan]

Matt from East PA Fox (where I got these) said he's looking for another set of rockers to swap out with these.

Crane golds or comp cams ultra series work very well. Just an FYI. Also did you recheck your pushrod length?

 

[2000xp8]

After you get the rockers sorted out, make sure you check clearances, the tfs stage 2 is not known to clear stock shortblock pistons.

 

[Chuckman]

After you get the rockers sorted out, make sure you check clearances, the tfs stage 2 is not known to clear stock shortblock pistons.

actually, from what i've been reading (been looking into the swap myself), with tfs heads it SHOULD work fine (should, because not every motor is exactly the same). not sure with the afr's though, as the tfs heads give a little more room for valve clearance.

maybe i'm missing something, but i dont see a pushrod installed in any of those pics or vid? the pushrod and valve stem are what hold a stud rocker up in the air, and with no pushrod the rocker is free to fall all the way down like that. that doesnt mean you're pushrods arent too short (very possible, stock is 6.25, and with an aftermarket cam, you probably need to go even longer) or the rockers arent the wrong ones, but it would help to see where it ends up when it's actually put all the way together so we can give you the right advice.

 

[liljoe07]

maybe i'm missing something, but i dont see a pushrod installed in any of those pics or vid? the pushrod and valve stem are what hold a stud rocker up in the air, and with no pushrod the rocker is free to fall all the way down like that. that doesnt mean you're pushrods arent too short (very possible, stock is 6.25, and with an aftermarket cam, you probably need to go even longer) or the rockers arent the wrong ones, but it would help to see where it ends up when it's actually put all the way together so we can give you the right advice.

Correct, also the guy in the video is wrong, you don't tighten the polylock all the way down. Once proper valvetrain geometry is established as well as pushrod length, the polylock is only tightened down enough to set lifter preload(If using a hydraulic lifter). Then the set screw is locked down.

But typically if the rocker is bottoming out on the stud, the pushrods are too short.

 

[DukeEntDotCom]

Yes, when we did the video it was end of day and the pushrod wasn't installed... it was earlier when we initially tried things out.

What we realized is that the rocker arm nuts I have don't have that adjustable allen screw inside of them, so that's one thing. Also the rods I have I'm pretty sure are too short.

I have the Trick flow pushrod checker but we don't have the other tools to determine the length so I am gonna grab the comp cams checker that you can determine the length with the tool itself and you don't need a micrometer

 

[DukeEntDotCom]

Thanks for all the assistance and advice...

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