Hi William,

It's not so much a geometry problem that I can see, as it is a pushrod clearance issue. I run into this often, especially with small blocks, because there isn't enough room in the tunnel for oversize pushrods, or aftermarket parts with varied dimensions.

I'm not fond of the factory iron rockers, and their designed geometry, but if you want to use them, I suggest running a thick wall 5/16" pushrod with a 5/16" ball and cup dimension. A pushrod with the larger 3/8" ball and cup will not fit the lifter or the adjuster properly, and could cause problems with durability and fitment. I'm not sure what the wall thickness is on the ProComp pushrods, but it is likely the standard performance .080" wall, which may not be enough for your spring pressures. A call to Smith Brothers, Manton, or Trend would be a good idea.

Also, picking pushrod length by a catalog listing of factory pushrods is not a good idea in a performance motor. If everything is purely stock dimensions, that will work, but machining and aftermarket parts take away that option. They need to be measured for the proper length. That usually results in a custom length pushrod being needed, which one of the previously mentioned companies can provide.

You will want to thoroughly inspect the cam lobes and lifters for damage. With the pushrods rubbing that hard, there is a possibility the lifter was not able to spin properly and started wiping lobes on the cam. You mentioned the lash being loose, and that could be a sign of lobe wear on the cam.

If you still have clearance issues with the smaller pushrods, you will have to remove the heads and grind the tunnels larger, or you will have failures again in the future.

If you decide to upgrade to a roller rocker in the future, contact me first so I can help you avoid many of the pitfalls that Mopar guys experience when doing so. It is a worthwhile upgrade, but the right parts need to be used, and they have to be set up correctly. If you need anything, don't hesitate to ask. Good Luck!

Regards,



Michael Beachel
B3 Racing Engines, LLC
717-497-6572