Growing up doesn't have to suck

[Sam Harris]

So far, I've narrowed it down to the RPMSpeed Cathedral Port MAX EFFORT Rocker Arms w/NOFLEX Bolt kit.

My reasoning in a nutśack:

1) The factory bearing design has been very well proven

2) I'm not a fan of the bronze bushings due to the softer metal and need for retaining clips

3) I don't like those known as the "upgraded factory-style"- the needle bearing designs that use the trunnion as the inner race, retained by circlips

4) I don't want anything retained by circlips as they're extra parts with the potential to fail

5) The MAX EFFORT kit uses fully captured, caged roller bearings with inner and outer races, INA brand made in U.S.A., pressed into place with no need for extra hardware to retain them and are virtually impossible to come apart

You've talked me into these.. I already had ordered the SMITH BROTHERS TRUNNION UPGRADE KIT - BRONZE BUSHING from BTR, and have it here, but after reading the details you provided, I think these are a much better option. And, new rockers as well.. bonus!

 

[iamdub]

You've talked me into these.. I already had ordered the SMITH BROTHERS TRUNNION UPGRADE KIT - BRONZE BUSHING from BTR, and have it here, but after reading the details you provided, I think these are a much better option. And, new rockers as well.. bonus!

This wouldn't be the first time I've researched for someone else.

I really wanted to get them. But, I talked myself out of it due to cost and necessity. I'm glad I did cuz I might be buying another set of pushrods.

 

[Walchit]

Need some 7.375?
I got what you need!!

View attachment 366625

It's got Brawndo, Brawndo is what a LS needs!!

View attachment 366627

If they have electrolytes, I might have to get them anyway! I see you are a fellow man of culture...
The LS7 lifters are supposed to be .050 taller or something. I need to do a bunch of research and measuring before I will know. I've read the stock ones will work. But I'd rather get this as right as I can.
The machine shop never called me at the end of the week, I was pretty bummed. It would sure suck if I had to bore this thing out to a 5.7, lol

 

[Sam Harris]

This wouldn't be the first time I've researched for someone else.

I really wanted to get them. But, I talked myself out of it due to cost and necessity. I'm glad I did cuz I might be buying another set of pushrods.

I'm really hoping I can use stock length pushrods.. that's what I have.. I need to do this quickly, before the big move.

 

[Walchit]

Not sure

 

[iamdub]

I needed my Tahoe back on the road and kinda lost the last of my fcuks to give. So I put it back together as-is. I did measure all the zero lash points, though. I eyeballed 'em down to the 1/8 turns, so within ~.00625". Most were checked twice over the past week of doing this. Here are the results:

 

[iamdub]

Question: On the last three I did, which was the #6 intake rocker and both rockers of #8, those lifters would not compress. All the others, I was able to compress the lifter if I picked up too hard ón the rocker when checking for zero lash.

Ideas?

 

[iamdub]

There were a couple more positive points to all this in addition to getting accurate preload measurements. New rockers and valve cover grommets were installed:

 

[iamdub]

I took pics to document here in case someone wanted to know a relatively easy way to get them grommets on the bolt tubes.


Lube the grommet with a tiny bit of oil and stick it in the box end of a 12mm wrench:

Push the bolt tube into the grommet while rolling it in a circular motion. You might wanna use an 8mm socket on a 1/4" ratchet for easier/more comfortable handling. Held here with one hand so I could take the pic:

It'll eventually snap into place. Remove it from the wrench and push the grommet the rest of the way on:

Popping them into the valve cover is really easy. Just put the bolt all the way through the hole, grab the end and pull it while rotating in a circular motion until the inside/bottom side tip of the grommet is all the way in. I forgot to take a pic of this, but you can refer to yours before you remove it to see how it looks when fully seated.

 

[Just Fishing]

Question: On the last three I did, which was the #6 intake rocker and both rockers of #8, those lifters would not compress. All the others, I was able to compress the lifter if I picked up too hard ón the rocker when checking for zero lash.

Ideas?

I have had luck rotating the engine to get them to compress.

 

[iamdub]

I have had luck rotating the engine to get them to compress.

I tried this. Even used a stock push rod that would've applied ~.110" to the current locked position. I turned the crank until the valvespring was really compressed and when it felt like it was locked, I chickened out and stopped. Didn't force it past that point and turned the crank back the other way. Before I did that, I used a lightweight plastic-faced hammer to tap on the stock pushrod to try to rattle the plunger loose in case it was wedged. But then I saw the last three were like that.

I thought maybe all the turning of the crank when getting the previous 13 rockers on their base circles moved enough oil to pump them up. But, the rockers were off of the ones I hadn't measured, so that couldn't have happened. They had to be at the positions they were at when I shut it down last. But, staying "pumped/locked" for a week?

 

[Just Fishing]

I tried this. Even used a stock push rod that would've applied ~.110" to the current locked position. I turned the crank until the valvespring was really compressed and when it felt like it was locked, I chickened out and stopped. Didn't force it past that point and turned the crank back the other way. Before I did that, I used a lightweight plastic-faced hammer to tap on the stock pushrod to try to rattle the plunger loose in case it was wedged. But then I saw the last three were like that.

I thought maybe all the turning of the crank when getting the previous 13 rockers on their base circles moved enough oil to pump them up. But, the rockers were off of the ones I hadn't measured, so that couldn't have happened. They had to be at the positions they were at when I shut it down last. But, staying "pumped/locked" for a week?

You could try pushing down in the center of the lifter to let off of some of the pressure in in there.
There is a little plate right under the center nipple at the top of the lifter.

But the issue is going to be at the bottom of that lifter.
There is a little ball that holds oil to keep the center piece elevated...

in order to manually deflate the lifter, the ball must be pressed.
But to do that, the top needs to come off.
That would be possible, but a massive pita with the heads on.

Long magnetic tool, get that clip off, pull the top of the lifter with the magnet.
then poke something down in the middle to depress the ball while moving the slider down.

Just brainstorming here.


And this is something I learned when I disassembled my lifters for cleaning and checking.
Simple little things.

ETA: I can get pictures to explain what I'm talking about if needed.

 

[iamdub]

You could try pushing down in the center of the lifter to let off of some of the pressure in in there.
There is a little plate right under the center nipple at the top of the lifter.

But the issue is going to be at the bottom of that lifter.
There is a little ball that holds oil to keep the center piece elevated...

in order to manually deflate the lifter, the ball must be pressed.
But to do that, the top needs to come off.
That would be possible, but a massive pita with the heads on.

Long magnetic tool, get that clip off, pull the top of the lifter with the magnet.
then poke something down in the middle to depress the ball while moving the slider down.

Just brainstorming here.


And this is something I learned when I disassembled my lifters for cleaning and checking.
Simple little things.

Of course, the locked lifters were all on the back three of the passenger side head, so the most difficult to access. No way am I gonna play laparoscopic surgeon and take apart a lifter while inside the engine, and surely not while squeezing under the wiper cowl! Intriguing idea, though!

I put it back together yesterday and have put close to 100 miles on it since. It runs and sounds just as it did before I opened it up. If them lifters are actually locked at those positions, their preloads with the 7.350" rods are .08125", .06875" and .075". So, all within acceptable range.

ETA: I can get pictures to explain what I'm talking about if needed.

Thanks, but don't bother. I've taken a few apart when playing and to convert them to solid for use as tools for measuring zero lash. I'm familiar enough with them tiny bits inside to know that I'm not gonna manipulate them through a 12mm hole.

 

[swathdiver]

Of course, the locked lifters were all on the back three of the passenger side head, so the most difficult to access. No way am I gonna play laparoscopic surgeon and take apart a lifter while inside the engine, and surely not while squeezing under the wiper cowl! Intriguing idea, though!

I put it back together yesterday and have put close to 100 miles on it since. It runs and sounds just as it did before I opened it up. If them lifters are actually locked at those positions, their preloads with the 7.350" rods are .08125", .06875" and .075". So, all within acceptable range.




Thanks, but don't bother. I've taken a few apart when playing and to convert them to solid for use as tools for measuring zero lash. I'm familiar enough with them tiny bits inside to know that I'm not gonna manipulate them through a 12mm hole.

I think it's time for a couple of test runs at Capitol Raceway again, it's been about two years since you posted any timeslips!

 

[pwtr02ss]

Of course, the locked lifters were all on the back three of the passenger side head, so the most difficult to access. No way am I gonna play laparoscopic surgeon and take apart a lifter while inside the engine, and surely not while squeezing under the wiper cowl! Intriguing idea, though!

I put it back together yesterday and have put close to 100 miles on it since. It runs and sounds just as it did before I opened it up. If them lifters are actually locked at those positions, their preloads with the 7.350" rods are .08125", .06875" and .075". So, all within acceptable range.




Thanks, but don't bother. I've taken a few apart when playing and to convert them to solid for use as tools for measuring zero lash. I'm familiar enough with them tiny bits inside to know that I'm not gonna manipulate them through a 12mm hole.

Did the new rockers and rods calm everything down?

 

[iamdub]

I think it's time for a couple of test runs at Capitol Raceway again, it's been about two years since you posted any timeslips!

How time flies!

Actually, I'm already past the 2-year anniversary of my baseline runs (3/6/20) and beginning of teardown. My follow-up runs were on 1/18/21.

Those before and after runs were on 55° days. The next TNT will be on the 15th. I doubt it'll be anywhere near that cool. Also, I haven't made any modifications to test. I'd like to see what 90 or 89 octane does, but I need to monitor KR first.

 

[iamdub]

Did the new rockers and rods calm everything down?

The new rockers didn't do anything but replace the old ones, which seemed to be in like-new condition mechanically, just with 215K miles of oil staining. I didn't get new rods. Looking at all the preloads and after double-checking most, only two were at .100". The next highest was .09375", then a couple .0875", some .075" and down to four with the lowest at .06875". If anything, I could get two 7.325" rods to bring them two highest ones down to .075" preload. But, .100" seems to be fine so far, so I'm leaving everything as-is.

 

[iamdub]

Test fit my new spark plug wires that were delivered today.

They were a $42 Amazon Warehouse Deal, listed as new and in the original, but damaged box. The box looked to have taken a razor blade to one side and was crushed a little on the opposite side:

I closely inspected all the wires and boots and found no damage. The warranty paper and pouch of dielectric grease was unscathed as well:

Excited to have new OE wires that were blue, I went out to compare them and that's when I realized they were different:

The overall length is only slightly shorter. It looks like it's stretched tight in this pic, but it's really not. Honestly, I'd run 'em as-is. But, I'll at least investigate lowering the coil packs. If it's just a matter of drilling some holes in the brackets 1/2" or so higher, I'll likely do it. It'll force me to clean and paint the brackets and maybe even wipe the coils clean:

For a set of OE wires at half price, I'm happy. No, they're not 20mm, .0001 ohm, plutonium core "race" wires. Running the part number on the wire itself, they're stock for a C6 ZR1. If they'll light off a supercharged 6.2 to 6,500 RPM, they'll do fine on my timid POS.

 

[swathdiver]

Test fit my new spark plug wires that were delivered today.

They were a $42 Amazon Warehouse Deal, listed as new and in the original, but damaged box. The box looked to have taken a razor blade to one side and was crushed a little on the opposite side:

View attachment 368351




I closely inspected all the wires and boots and found no damage. The warranty paper and pouch of dielectric grease was unscathed as well:

View attachment 368352




Excited to have new OE wires that were blue, I went out to compare them and that's when I realized they were different:

View attachment 368353




The overall length is only slightly shorter. It looks like it's stretched tight in this pic, but it's really not. Honestly, I'd run 'em as-is. But, I'll at least investigate lowering the coil packs. If it's just a matter of drilling some holes in the brackets 1/2" or so higher, I'll likely do it. It'll force me to clean and paint the brackets and maybe even wipe the coils clean:

View attachment 368354




For a set of OE wires at half price, I'm happy. No, they're not 20mm, .0001 ohm, plutonium core "race" wires. Running the part number on the wire itself, they're stock for a C6 ZR1. If they'll light off a supercharged 6.2 to 6,500 RPM, they'll do fine on my timid POS.

Deja Vu? I've seen this before somewhere...

So when is the wire loom wrapping party in your engine bay? Mine needs doing too!

 

[iamdub]

Deja Vu? I've seen this before somewhere...

So when is the wire loom wrapping party in your engine bay? Mine needs doing too!

Yeah, I figured I'd copy it here to keep this thread somewhat alive.

I can't settle on what I wanna wrap it in! I could get the original style corrugated stuff. But, I'm kinda leaning towards matching that mesh I used on my Big 5 wire upgrade. Summit has some split mesh wrap that would probably match pretty well. I'm just not so sure about it in the bends. Being a more flexible split style, it tends to wrinkle. I don't wanna have a bunch of zip-ties all over it. Whatever I use, I only wanna do it once.