I have replaced a few sets of pushrods on my hydraulic flat tappet lifters in the past few years and while installing the rockers I had never had any issues with the pushrods moving out of the lifters while installing the rockers. I assume that the hydraulic flat tappet lifter had a deeper area for the pushrods to seat.

I just finished replacing my rockers while using solid lifters this time and I kept having a problem with the pushrods coming out of the solid lifters while installing the rockers. The pushrods coming out during the rocker assembly is a pain. I read last night about extending the adjusters while bolting down the rockers and this did help but I still had a few pushrods that kept getting hung up on the lifter and not giving me any slack to allow for the lash adjustment. I finally got them all installed and lashed but now after I am done I am curious if you have had this issue and how did you make the rocker install easier with solid lifters.

Note: I still had the intake on so this made it a little harder since I could not see the lifter seat.

Thanks!

Your block might not be clearanced for the push rod. Do not run it this way.

Do you have stock heads? my edelbrocks needed clearancing and were kicking the pushrods over a bit as i remember

There is clearance in the block as I am running 5/16" pushrods. I checked clearance seated and at full lift and no issues.

This is an assembly issue that I am curious if there is a better way for future reference.once I figured out what was going on, I was able to move the pushrods into the lifter seats while screwing down the adjuster until the slack was taken up. Then as I bolted down the rocker stands a little at a time, I also backed off the the adjusters a little at a time and this kept the pushrods seated.

Thanks for the replies.

I am not sure where you are going with this. Stock parts or mild performance should not need much as far as assembly. Common builds i have layed a brazing or welding rod on the top sides of the rocker stands for the push rods to lay against when putting the rocker assemblies on. What confuses me is the push rods coming out of the lifters.

I use a straighten oil dipstick to hold the pushrods away from the heads when installing adjustable rocker arms on all types of lifter, solid and hydraulic flat tappet and the same on both solid and hydraulic roller lifters. I lay it on the cast in rocker stand pedestals and watch and slowly tighten the rocker arm bolts down to make sure the pushrods cups are fitting into the adjusters balls correctly Pull it out when done, just like she said
A welding or brazing rod works well also

Good idea guys!!

Without the rod that you two were talking about, the pushrods were falling downward which seemed to allow the lower pushrod tip to come out of the lifter while I was trying to tighten down the rockers. So this is what I really meant by the pushrod moving out of the lifters. But what I am not sure of is what was the lower end of the pushrod sitting on if it was not in the lifter seat? Was it resting on the snap ring, or just on the edge of the lifter? Since the intake was on and the openings in the heads didn’t allow me to see down in there, I am not sure. But I was able to get the pushrods and the rockers assembled and lashed.

I was just curious as to a better way to make this process a little smoother for next time.



Thank you!!

I have always used a piece of welding rod that I kept hanging on the side of a toolbox but I like Cab's dipstick trick. I'll try that next time.