News:

It appears that the upgrade forces a login and many, many of you have forgotten your passwords and didn't set up any reminders. Contact me directly through helpmelogin@dodgecharger.com and I'll help sort it out.

Main Menu

Ductile Iron Adjustable Rocker Arms

Started by Chatt69chgr, February 22, 2007, 10:31:48 AM

Previous topic - Next topic

Chatt69chgr

My 440 buildup plans are to use the Speed Pro 2355 pistons with stock length rods (stock crank) and have the deck height milled to achieve a zero deck to - 0.005 piston in the hole configuration. I'll be using 452 heads, stock size valves, ch4b intake, and stock HP exhaust manifolds.  I am considering the Engle K56/K58HYD  cam.  When I have the deck height milled, will I end up with push rods being too long?  I would have no way of adjusting the length of the stock pushrods to achieve the correct hydraulic lifter preload.  Plus, I am not sure what thickness head gasket I would need.  My aim was to achieve a .040 piston to head clearance for a quench configuration.  So the head gasket thickness would be a factor in the required pushrod length.  In researching this, I came across the Crane Cams ductile iron adjustable pushrod arms for shaft mounted rockers, p/n 64770-16 (1.5:1 ratio).  Now you do have to use new pushrods with this setup but this allows one to make the necessary adjustments to achieve the correct preload on the lifters and would allow you to go ahead and order the rockers and pushrods ahead of time.  The engine could be assembled, the head gasket chosen to achieve the correct .040 clearance, and then the rockers could be adjusted for the correct preload.  Does this sound like a good way to proceed?

Also, what would be the best valve springs to use.  I didn't see that Engle had any for sale and Crane had so many different kinds, I didn't know where to start.  I had given thoughts to using the stainless steel stock size valves that Mancini has for approx. $150.  It appears that Crane has all the other necessary valve hardware like keepers, etc.  And finally, would using the existing rocker shaft be OK as long as it is not grooved and is straight?  I apologize for so many questions but I am new to all of this and am just trying to get my engine build plan straightened out.  Thanks.

mikepmcs

I can't help you with the other stuff but when I talked to Chris at Engle, he mentioned springs so I'm pretty sure they sell them, just not on their website.

Here's the number and they are very nice people IMO.
(310) 450-0806

I'm an idiot about motors and he was very nice to me on the phone even though I was uneducated.  I'll be buying my K56/Lifters/springs from them in the near future.

v/r
Mike
Life isn't Father Knows Best anymore, it's a kick in the face on a saturday night with a steel toed grip kodiak work boot and a trip to the hospital all bloodied and bashed.....for reconstructive surgery. But, what doesn't kill us, makes us stronger, right?

firefighter3931

Chatt,

The 452's are an open chamber head so with a flattop piston this will still not be a "quench" motor. I would still have the block zero decked so that when you go to a closed chamber head....it will  be a quench build.  ;)

The ductile rocker arms are excellent but not required for this application. You could easily use the MP heavy duty non adjustable rocker arms and be fine. The adjustables would give you the option of a solid cam upgrade in the future but you would need new pushrods for that application. (different lengths for solid vs hydraulic lifters with adjustable rocker arms)

The Comp cams #911 valvespring should work well with that grind....or have Engle spec out a VS for their cam. The guides will have to be trimmed down when the heads are being machined. You will run into retainer to guide clearance issues. Lifts exceeding .500 require this to be done.

As for the head gasket ;  I would choose something that yields a static 9.3-9.5:1 compression ratio with the open chamber iron heads. This will keep you in the safe zone with pump gas. You'll need to have the deckheight measurement and chamber volume to determine the correct head gasket for the application.


Ron-
68 Charger R/T "Black Pig" Street/Strip bruiser, 70 Charger R/T 440-6bbl Cruiser. Firecore ignition  authorized dealer ; contact me with your needs

Chatt69chgr

Thanks Mike and Ron.  Just the info I was looking for.  I don't know where I would find out this kind of information if it wasn't for you guys.