Ford valve-train issues.

I noticed this too... Looks like a case of missing hardware.

 

Did the "Engine Builder" Install harden seats or new guides in there heads? I noticed there is no shim stock under the springs? So set up of spring height wasn't done. What camshaft is in this motor? Is the retainer coming down and hitting the top of the guide? There can be many problems in the geometry of the heads.

 

That would make the push rods look too short.

 

High spring rate. Pulling the studs out of the heads

 

The heads shown are positive stop the nuts should tightened untill the hit the sholder on the stud. On the adjustable studs the threads and the stud are the same diameter. I think he's collapsed the lifters try removeing the washers and tighten the nuts until they hit the stud sholders and see what happens.

 

Sounds to me that all the lifters are collapsed. Do you have good oil pressure at the lifter oil passages ? All the plugs in the passages ? I worked on a engine that had a plug come out in the front of the engine block behind the timing chain. The oil presser was just ok . It did not provide enough oil presser to ajust the lifters. The lifters collapes and that makes it look like the push rods are shot.
Just something that I have seen before .
Good luck.
Toxic Waste

 

I,ve seen 3 types. Bolts that are torgued to a spec( my '81 302), roller rockers and studs that the nuts are tightened all the way down(clearance set at factory)

 

Any progress ?

 

Thats an adjustable vlave traing. Back everything off, being that the lifters are not pumped up adjust the rocker down untill you just touch the lifter, taking all the verticle travel out of the pushrod. Coat the valvestem tip with a marker beforehand. After intitial adjustment turn the engine ove few times and "rear" where the tip is ridding. You are after the narrowest pattern in the CENTER of the valve. Too wide towards the stud, too long, towards the outside, too short. If things have been decked and such you will need to measure and go from there.

had to edit..be sure to do one cylinder at a time on the compression stroke so both valves are closed

 

Yep! Those look like the newer '82 heads on a older block... The newer heads have a modified pedestal mount for the 5/16 rocker arm bolts... Are those screw in studs on those heads???

 

The small block Ford engines of that era have rocker nuts torqued to 25 ft. lbs. Ford shop manuals will confirm that.
Ditto, check with a GOOD parts person, and get the correct pushrods.

4TTRUK

 

Correct! I have all the pieces except for the pushrods to get that thing goin' again....