It is probably best to personally inspect what you are working on before you ask more questions.
Trying to diagnose something you are not able to check yourself is not ideal. Circumstances aside. Wait til you have time to properly address the problem or do you expect the guy 200 miles away to do it for you.
Like playing telephone in school. Tell something to someone ,who then tells that to someone else and you don't always get the same message. How about a complete history on what else there is to know except that the cam was put in 26 years ago... Lifters type/brand. Rockers type/brand and anything else that is not factory stock and new.
What engine and what was done to it ? Cam specs/type ? Decked ? heads shaved?... All can have an effect on the pushrod length, lifter clearances etc...
We are not there either and only know what you tell us.
My apologies...
The engine is a 440. The only paperwork
I have is a cam card. 300/300 adv 230/230
@.050 480/480 lift 109lsa (TRW-TP238).
I would assume the rockers and springs
are TRW also. This was a pretty common
cam back then, and with a 480 lift, I don't
believe exorbitant spring pressures are
the cause of failure.
I do have the machining sheet which shows
.030 overbore, welded crank journals, and
a .010 grind on it. No porting or decking
was done other than to square up the
heads and deck. I would also assume
the crank is forged as there's a ballance
process called out on the worksheet and
this is a 1968 block.
And, since this builder sourced TRW parts,
it's an assumption on my part that
2266F pistons were installed along w/
reconditioned rods. All-in-all, a fairly mild
build.
The guy who's helping with this is finishing
up the wiring harnesses. When that's done,
the truck sheet metal will be pulled off
the chassis, and we'll address the engine
issues. Thanks for your input and advice.