318 LA valves

[Old Biker Trash]

Got a rebuilt 318 LA (82-84) complete engine that ran good but had a Extreme Energy Pro Street Comp cam. The guy had built it for a truck and it was a little wilder than I really wanted but it ran good and had about 3 hrs on the engine. I took the Comp Cam (20-226-4) cam out and slid in a Comp cam (20-222-3) which is just a mild street cam for good sound and gas mileage. This is where the problems started. After firing it up the first time, it had an almost exhaust blow buy sound in the valves, way to much chatter. At this point I ordered adjustable rockers and new push rods from Mancini Racing. Started to install and found out that I needed spacers between them, so called Mancini and ordered. Got them and they wouldn't fit on the shafts. Ordered new shafts and installed with spacers. Now when I install and tighten down the shaft bolts all of the rockers put pressure on the valves and compress even with the adjusters back all the way out. This is the first mopar small block that I've worked on so WHAT IS GOING WRONG HERE!! I'm almost to the point of getting a crate 360 and cutting my loss. Any clues?

 

[rumblefish360]

Old Biker Trash (OBT)

( FWIW, It would help if You could have described if both cams are Hyd or Solid and some specs. ;) )

The issue is, I Believe the "Big cam" is ground on a smaller base circle then your "Street cam" which causes the pushrods to be "Too long."

This also applies to the new pushrods because the engine block and heads may have been milled. The adjustable rocker arms (actual unknown brand) adjusting screws are in slightly different places (for and aft, up and down) from others, brand to brand.


I'm not sure what you mean by "spacers" & between what. But, I think you mean spacers under the rocker shafts.

I don't know if FABO member B3re is here but contact him over at FABO if need be because he has a rocker correcting geometry kit.

Between his kit and correct length pushrods, I think you'll be up and running in no time flat.