Why do cam venders exclude 1966 440s from their ad listings. Seems like I remember something about the pushrods and/or lifters being different or?
The reason for my question is My brother is having problems with lifters rattling on his fresh 440.We've tried 3 different length pushrods and had no luck. Anyone have any ideas? thanks,Dave

The pushrods are tapered on the end that goes into the lifter, no one sells the '66 lifters that I know of. Just run '67 and up pushrods if you buy a cam and lifters.

Are the #4 cam journals grooved on the '66 engines?

Thanks for the re's guys.He got new pushrods when he bought the cam and they were about 3/16" shorter than the originials and the lifters refused to pump up-so in went the originials and still no luck.
So next we got an adjustable pushrod and did a measurment and that appears like the new pushrods may be 3/64s too long.Could this be tha problem? :shruggy;
The engine is a '66 440 non decked,+30 over 10-1s ,'78 400 heads,larger of the summitt hyd. cams,non adjusdable rockers-pretty basic except the duel 4s
any other suggestions? Thanks,Dave

On my 67 440 I used the 68 and newer pushrods AND the lifters.. You need to install them as a set.... Looked way different than my old lifters that came out, but work great......

The cam and lifters came as a set and the pushrods were new from the same vender(Summit)Maybe there's just a lifter or two that's bad ?

66-67 440's use a tapered push rod. No big deal. Order a set of lifters and push rods from Summit.

I installed that cam im my 66 440 years ago.Just add new PRs and go.It had the Felpro gaskets.We have Hughes in my kids 62 300 with Summiy PRs and my 516 heads amd the FelPro gaskets also.No problems.Look at the rockers also.I had some old ones that had elongated and were just worn out and had slop.Rocky

Rapid-if you mean did it rattle before the rebuild,unknown as the engine was on the ground and we didn't here it run before the purchace.
Swingin-Yes the lifters were in oil and pumped up before startup as well as the pump being pre-primed.Also the oil pressure is reading 60-80# on startup.
The head gaskets are fiber, not sure of the brand.It's looking like a new set of lifters are the next step and see what happens then.thanks,and I'll update when we find out what happens.Dave

I doubt all 16 lifters would be bad. I can see them being to tight, as in the heads were cut but too short? maybe you got 383-400 pushrods.

It's pretty easy to determine if the pushrods are too long/short; with the cylinder at TDC on the compression stroke observe the clearance between the lifter top disc and its retainer ring.

If the disc rests up against the retainer ring the pushrod is way too short, if it sits more than .080" below the retainer it's too long.

If the pushrod length is OK and the lifters won't pump up you might have a set of small block lifters.

Well it turns out that there were no lobes on the cam for the concave faced lifters to ride on creating the illusion of incorrect pushrod length because someone ignored my information about recent changes in oil formulas. I can talk to my brother till I'm blue in the face and he shines me on 'cause I'm just "little Brother"(I'm only 55 and he's 66)
Maybe He'll think that over while he rebuilds his "fresh" 440. Sad,but what's a guy to do? Anyway thanks for everyones suggestions,Dave