hemi rocker arm to retainer clearance.

What would be the minimum clearance between edge of valve spring retainer and the bottom side of rocker arm on a oem 426 hemi rocker ? Mine are touching in the closed position. Thinking of clearancing the rocker arms with a rotary file, but i dont know how much meat i can safely remove without compromising the strength of the arms. The arms are stock narrow pads that have been resurfaced by a well known builder. would .050 be enough ??

Have you checked the ratios? I would do that first, compare to your cam specs and then decide if they are worth grinding on. Mine were all over, wound up with StageV rollers and Dvorak stands that widen out the spread...Tim

The intakes were sent out and corrected, but are now touching the retainers. The exhaust arms are not even close. I might be able to save the intakes and have the exhaust arms sent out and fixed.

With stock rockers, I assume that the springs are not outrageously stiff. I've taken .040" But cutting anything at all weakens it, and increases the risk of failure.

There double springs, rated around 575lbs ......if i remember right.

Might want to look into some lash caps for the valves. I use them almost always on stock type hemi setups. just a thought.
Todd

I've got a set of wide pad that Tim Banning redid for me. 1.98/2.00 installed height with lash caps. My springs are 750 over the nose. I had to relieve a few for clearance. Clearance is .050/.060 if I remember right,(notes are in the garage). No problems.

Was just on his website and thats my first choice for rockers.

Are you using up retainers? Common to have .100 up retainers to gain install height. If you are, go to a standard, or down retainer. Obviously spring pressure will go up, and you'll need to check for bind, or retainer to guide clearance, but you can also usually cut the spring pocket deeper, and keep the same spring pressure with the retainer change. Lash caps, like mentioned can help your problem, but might make the geo, or starting position worse.

Your right, yes i did change retainers. my mistake. I will bust it dowm and recheck the install height. Thanks

My last go round I ended up having to use a -50 thou retainer to gain the needed clearence,,,,,then had to buy new springs to go with the new titanium retainers.
Thanks again Marsh Performance for your expert advise and quick delivery

Had to take off them purty polished springs

I used lash caps on mine when I mocked mine up for the first time and found the DLI roller rockers were hitting the titanium retainers. The caps got me the clearance I needed and have been in use since 2006 w/ no issues at all. I mention that b/c I've heard a lot of people question the durability of lash caps.

I think the issue of lash caps durability came from the days when ti valves didn't have steel tips, and you had to use them. They chewed on the valves pretty hard. I've never had issues with caps, on steel, or steel tip valves.

I would say JMO, if the geo is good without them, it's not worth the guide wear to crutch them off the retainer if your heads are already off, and apart. Assuming of course your valve train is in a fixed position.

If you geo is on target now, lash caps will ALWAYS make it worse.
If it's not on target now, they may make it better or worse.
Whatever you do to the lever's underside, blend the cut back into the body and polish it, leave no sharp edges.

o.k , problem solved. I had installed the wrong retainers . +.150 was the issue.