Lash caps

Posted By: drag440

Lash caps - 01/17/09 05:22 PM

When do you need lash caps? I have always used them on any engine with .650 lift and over. Lately I've had a lot engines come in my shop with .700+ lift with no lash caps and no problems. I used to see lash caps on engines all the time and now I hardly ever see them. Is it still good to use them anyways or just overkill?

Posted By: Bob_Coomer

Re: Lash caps - 01/17/09 05:25 PM

People use them to correct rocker geometry.
In some cases they are no way around not using them, like when the rocker arm hits the retainer in certain Hemi projects

Some people use them when the push rods are to short, no matter what it does for geometry cause, lash caps are $25 vs $100-$200 for push rods..

Posted By: Thumperdart

Re: Lash caps - 01/17/09 05:34 PM

I`ve used em for years ESPECIALLY on small blocks where the geometry is crazy wrong. I`ve also been using em on my big block for better sweep w/my rpm heads and harland-sharp rockers. No problems ever.

Posted By: MR_P_BODY

Re: Lash caps - 01/17/09 05:54 PM

Quote:

When do you need lash caps? I have always used them on any engine with .650 lift and over. Lately I've had a lot engines come in my shop with .700+ lift with no lash caps and no problems. I used to see lash caps on engines all the time and now I hardly ever see them. Is it still good to use them anyways or just overkill?

With .700+ lift your going to see roller rockers
so you wont see the wear like you would without the
rollers(people use to use them to protect the vavle
stems and/or correct for the mismatch geometry).
I have used them in the past BUT I prefer not to,
its just added weight to the valve

Posted By: DavidDean

Re: Lash caps - 01/17/09 06:21 PM

I currently use them on both my w-2 & w-5 motor but if every thing were right (geometry) I would pefer not to use them.If they come out you have a REAL problem.

Posted By: dartman366

Re: Lash caps - 01/17/09 09:57 PM

I just bought a set for my SB because when I ordered the new cam I had them make it with .050 smaller base circle, this made it so I did not have to buy new pushrod's and also helped the geometry and sweep pattern on the tip.

Posted By: drag440

Re: Lash caps - 01/17/09 10:11 PM

20 to 30 years ago when everyone was running them, including me, very few people were running roller rockers and I was told big cams were hard on guides if you didn't run lash caps. Now with all the high tech rockers I guess you don't need them unless you have a geometry problem.

Posted By: dartman366

Re: Lash caps - 01/17/09 10:15 PM

Quote:

20 to 30 years ago when everyone was running them, including me, very few people were running roller rockers and I was told big cams were hard on guides if you didn't run lash caps. Now with all the high tech rockers I guess you don't need them unless you have a geometry problem.

That would be my opinion.

Posted By: polyspheric

Re: Lash caps - 01/18/09 07:05 PM

new cam I had them make it with .050 smaller base circle, this made it so I did not have to buy new pushrod's

If the base circle is reduced, the pushrod is now too short.
To correct this the valve must be shorter, not longer.
If this improved it, the geo was bad before but in the other direction.

Posted By: dartman366

Re: Lash caps - 01/18/09 07:18 PM

Quote:

new cam I had them make it with .050 smaller base circle, this made it so I did not have to buy new pushrod's

If the base circle is reduced, the pushrod is now too short.
To correct this the valve must be shorter, not longer.
If this improved it, the geo was bad before but in the other direction.

the rocker stand's were a little high before and I did not mill them, by doing it this way I rolled the rocker inward with the smaller base circle/shorter pushrod's(because of the smaller BS) and added the cap's to take up the change and made the valve longer as the result of that change, which in reality helped correct the problem.