Help Me Order The Correct Pushrods...

[threewood]

Hi all, I finally got my headgaskets so the heads are torqued down and I got around to measuring for my pushrods. But before I order, I need some clarification on what I need.

440 motor, Hughes EDM solid lifters, solid lifter cam with .558" lift at 238/242. I am using Crane ductile rocker arms. I set everything up on the base circle and spun it a few times to make sure it repeated. There is one thread showing under the rocker arm on the ball stud. I adjusted my cold lash on the intake at .006" as per the cam card.

O.A.L. (tip of ball to top of cup) is 9.156" or roughly 9 5/32". Stock solid lifter pushrods are 9.25"

My question concerns the ball and cup sizes. The ball on the rocker arm is .310", the cup on the lifter is .375". Is this standard? My adjustable pushrod was set up with large ball / smaller cup.

Also, what size pushrod do I need...3/8" or 5/16"?

 

[khryslerkid]

Not being a smart *** but call Smith Brothers and tell them exactly what you posted here (what you have) and the lenth that you came up with from where, to where.

They are great at knowing what you have and they'll take all of the guess work out of it. Tell them what heads you're useing too for the right diameter pushrod.

They are the best and sell a great part!

 

[Zeppelin264]

1 thread showing on the rocker arms is a little short. I like to see 2 full threads under the arm for proper rocker geometry!

And yes, call Smith Brothers, 5/16 should be plenty big.

And if those are Stealth heads be ready to start cutting them up! Pushrod channels(not sure if that is what it's called) are too tall and hit the pushrod.

 

[threewood]

Not being a smart *** but call Smith Brothers and tell them exactly what you posted here (what you have) and the lenth that you came up with from where, to where.

They are great at knowing what you have and they'll take all of the guess work out of it. Tell them what heads you're useing too for the right diameter pushrod.

They are the best and sell a great part!

I did call them lol! They told me to call Hughes but they are closed. But Smith Bros. did tell me that they are either 5/16" or 3/8" and no oil through so that narrows it down. After looking at the lifter some more it seems as if it is probably cupped for 5/16" so I ground down my adjustable pushrod ball end and the measurement was about the same.

 

[threewood]

1 thread showing on the rocker arms is a little short. I like to see 2 full threads under the arm for proper rocker geometry!

And yes, call Smith Brothers, 5/16 should be plenty big.

And if those are Stealth heads be ready to start cutting them up! Pushrod channels(not sure if that is what it's called) are too tall and hit the pushrod.

Ok, I will go re-measure with an extra thread on the rocker. I already enlarged the pushrod channels up top to get the adjustable pushrod to fit.

 

[khryslerkid]

I have the same rockers and they made me the 3/8 rod and I'm thinking 3/8 on both ends. I just told them what I had.

 

[khryslerkid]

Smith Brothers told you to call Hughes?

 

[threewood]

Smith Brothers told you to call Hughes?

I know right? I was hoping someone else used the edm lifters.... Extra thread, ready to measure...

 

[khryslerkid]

I'm thinking you can use either size in these newer lifters. My hydraulic lifters were hard to tell. I would give you the exact measurements but they're all assembled with preload.

 

[threewood]

I have the same rockers and they made me the 3/8 rod and I'm thinking 3/8 on both ends. I just told them what I had.
View attachment 412604
View attachment 412607

The ball stud is definitely not 3/8", 5/16" on mine. The flippin lifter cup size is my issue. Dang if a 5/16 doesn't fit well though.....

 

[threewood]

I'm thinking you can use either size in these newer lifters. My hydraulic lifters were hard to tell. I would give you the exact measurements but they're all assembled with preload.
View attachment 412609

If that is a 3/8" rod, that ball has to be 5/16"

 

[khryslerkid]

I was thinking the same thing on the 5/16 ball. I believe he gave me a choice and I thought the 5/16 would fit a little deeper.

I remember doing this when I received them, to check what kind of contact the ball left.

 

[threewood]

I'm going to check a few more, but 9.031" seems spot on with .006" lash.

 

[Zeppelin264]

Here's how I set up my rockers. Just barely into the 2nd thread.

 

[Zeppelin264]

Soon your engine will look like this! Sexy!!

 

[threewood]

Soon your engine will look like this! Sexy!!

Looks great! I have already had the intake sitting on mine to see what it looks like! Any issues with your pushrods? What are the specs on yours? How much, if any, did you have to open the pushrod channels?

 

[Zeppelin264]

Looks great! I have already had the intake sitting on mine to see what it looks like! Any issues with your pushrods? What are the specs on yours? How much, if any, did you have to open the pushrod channels?

I had to pretty much take a carbite bit and DIG the channels out. Wasnt very happy about that.

So far the 5/16" Smith Brothers have had zero issues. I'm also running a Hydralic cam so I had preload blah blah into my setup. Every 1/4 turn on these = .010 of preload/movement if you ever wondered. So like 1/8" turn should get your lash just about right.

The stock valve springs on the other hand.... If you are running Stealths please please please change those springs/lock/retainers out before you run the engine.

 

[IQ52]

I have the same rockers and they made me the 3/8 rod and I'm thinking 3/8 on both ends. I just told them what I had.
View attachment 412604
View attachment 412607

Those are non-oiling 3/8" diameter, 4130 chromemoly heat treated pushrods with a .049 wall thickness. They have a 5/16 ball on one end and a 5/16 cup on the other. They have an effective length (inside the cup to the outside of the ball) of 8.900".

 

[Zeppelin264]

Another note to double check and maybe you already know this but the bars that the rockers slide onto. Make sure the oiling holes are point DOWN and OUT(away from intake), if these are not correct you wont get oil to those rockers.

Just thinking out loud.

 

[Bobo]