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The Wonton

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GWeakland620 said:
Perfect hot for teacher rhythm!

Man, I want one of my big blocks to sound like that someday.
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Camshaft and headers.

He hit the first 4 bolt on upgrades I usually recommend for a BBC.

headers, cam, intake + carb (or EFI tune)

The next step gets expensive because it involves cylinder heads and/or cranks and pistons so you get a lot of bang for your buck with those mods he did.
 
folkenheath said:
Camshaft and headers.

He hit the first 4 bolt on upgrades I usually recommend for a BBC.

headers, cam, intake + carb (or EFI tune)

The next step gets expensive because it involves cylinder heads and/or cranks and pistons so you get a lot of bang for your buck with those mods he did.
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I'm glad you approve, lol. I told him he needed that gen 6 and heads, and told him he needed that intake and cam. However, Jon did surprise me a with a double pumper. I assumed he would have went vacuum secondary. But Jon is a baller like that, lol.
 
folkenheath said:
Camshaft and headers.

He hit the first 4 bolt on upgrades I usually recommend for a BBC.

headers, cam, intake + carb (or EFI tune)

The next step gets expensive because it involves cylinder heads and/or cranks and pistons so you get a lot of bang for your buck with those mods he did.
Click to expand...
Yes I didn’t have the budget to go all out but I wanted to to at least cover the basics
 
USSkoval said:
I'm glad you approve, lol. I told him he needed that gen 6 and heads, and told him he needed that intake and cam. However, Jon did surprise me a with a double pumper. I assumed he would have went vacuum secondary. But Jon is a baller like that, lol.
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Maybe later down the line I’ll get fancy heads but for now this is pretty darn good for me :woot:
 
Check your intake bolt length.

When we had bent, fugged up pushrods on the wife's car recently, we found that an intake bolt was a bit too long, and just barely pushing on one of the rods. Which caused it to bend then break.
 
shady said:
Check your intake bolt length.

When we had bent, fugged up pushrods on the wife's car recently, we found that an intake bolt was a bit too long, and just barely pushing on one of the rods. Which caused it to bend then break.
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Nah... Jon is a victim of himself sometimes @Jonathan L

We are pretty sure it was a combo of a loose valve adjustment and 3/8" guide plates being used with 5/16" pushrods. Not positive, but nearly certain.
 
I don't think I've ever seen 5/16 pushrods on a big block. I typically recommend one piece chromemoly pushrods. But I can get factory type replacements with pressed or welded on ends.

Are you sure the stock length was good geometry? Any good ones left to check that before we get a replacement set?
 
folkenheath said:
I don't think I've ever seen 5/16 pushrods on a big block. I typically recommend one piece chromemoly pushrods. But I can get factory type replacements with pressed or welded on ends.

Are you sure the stock length was good geometry? Any good ones left to check that before we get a replacement set?
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We checked length yesterday and measurements are roughly 7 5/8” and 8 1/2”
 
folkenheath said:
I don't think I've ever seen 5/16 pushrods on a big block. I typically recommend one piece chromemoly pushrods. But I can get factory type replacements with pressed or welded on ends.

Are you sure the stock length was good geometry? Any good ones left to check that before we get a replacement set?
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Geometry seemed good, but we can double check. *Rough* measurements were 7 5/8" and 8 5/8"... whatever the stock length would be for a gen6. All my truck big blocks are/were 5/16" pushrods too. Seems ridiculous, imho. The '78 now has chromoly 3/8" pushrods after a failed timing sprocket incident in GA. The 3/8" was Jon's intent too (hence the 3/8" guide plates), he just forgot about them.
 
A set of stock replacement type Howards, (but thicker wall and hardened for guideplates are about $75), the chrome moly one piece are about $190 - $225 a set. I can check other brands just giving you a ballpark. They are about 7.600/8.600 to 7.700/7.800 in length depending on brand for the "recommended" length. Its best to measure for each application since you changed the cam but with the adjustable valvetrain many people get away with just using the standard length. Just make sure you check the geometry after you assembler to be sure it's good to go.

Since you had 5/16" pushrods in 3/8 guideplates make sure you aren't knocking a retainer loose or damaged some. I'd hate to see you put it back together and then drop a valve because of what happened before. So inspect all your valve tips, retainers, and locks to make sure they are all seated.

Let me know if you want me to get you a set.
 
@folkenheath the geometry looks ok to me. The rockers ride a little towards the outside of the stems, but mostly in the center.

20260803_190931.jpg20260803_193242.jpg

I got a more accurate measurement of the pushrods. Note I said "more". Not necessarily 'accurate', but really close at least. The measurements are written on the can of brake clean.
 
Comp has a set of 16 for about $190.

Pushrods, Magnum, Chromoly, Heat-Treated, 3/8 in. Diameter, 7.750/8.700in. Length

Or I can get Howards in sets of 8

Exhaust can be 7.600, 7.650, 7.700, or 7.750

Intake can be 8.600, 8.650, or 8.680 off the shelf.

Those are about $110 a set of 8, so $220 total.

Those are both 1 piece chrome moly .080 swedged end pushrods.

Or I can get you the 3 piece ball end models for about $75, 7.640"/8.600" Howards or 7.725"/8.684" Comp.

I always use the 1 piece, I feel its cheap insurance, but if you are using stock stamped rockers you already have that risk of splitting.

Make sure they don't bind up and the rocker slot is long enough, and be careful you don't use both self aligning rockers and guideplates at the same time or that will cause premature failure.

Let me know if you want any of these.
 
Ok, here's actual measurements finally. I bought 12" calipers finally, lol.

20260804_200329.jpg

The Comp pushrods should work just fine for Jon, correct? The slightly longer rods should keep the pattern basically where it is, I think. Or do you think the rockers ride too far outward on the stem? @folkenheath
 
I don't know without seeing it in person or a video or a metric crap ton of pictures at closed, mid lift and fully open. But fully open doesn't always work with hydraulic lifters and full springs. I usually use checking springs. Even then there is more than one way to set it up, max lift, minimum rocker travel, fastest off the seat, etc. I typically try for 90 at mid lift, but that isn't always the best depending on the rocker design.

I think at this point if you think its close enough with those lengths and you can adjust it correctly then just run the same length. .100" longer is quite a bit and depending on where it is in its travel it might move it out or bring it in, that's why I check the whole travel. Keep in mind depending on the brand, a 7.600 pushrod won't actually measure 7.600 with a hollow pushrod, it will be slightly shorter as that dimension is to the theoretical end of the ball, which isn't there when there is a chamfered hole on both ends. But it's still smaller than the next increment usually.

Then there is a side to side, which on a std BBC is adjusted with guideplate placement before you tighten the rocker stud. You have to move both rockers at the same time, I usually end up getting the dart 2 piece guideplates because then you can adjust each rocker individually to get it centered on the valve stem side to side.
 
folkenheath said:
I don't know without seeing it in person or a video or a metric crap ton of pictures at closed, mid lift and fully open. But fully open doesn't always work with hydraulic lifters and full springs. I usually use checking springs. Even then there is more than one way to set it up, max lift, minimum rocker travel, fastest off the seat, etc. I typically try for 90 at mid lift, but that isn't always the best depending on the rocker design.

I think at this point if you think its close enough with those lengths and you can adjust it correctly then just run the same length. .100" longer is quite a bit and depending on where it is in its travel it might move it out or bring it in, that's why I check the whole travel. Keep in mind depending on the brand, a 7.600 pushrod won't actually measure 7.600 with a hollow pushrod, it will be slightly shorter as that dimension is to the theoretical end of the ball, which isn't there when there is a chamfered hole on both ends. But it's still smaller than the next increment usually.

Then there is a side to side, which on a std BBC is adjusted with guideplate placement before you tighten the rocker stud. You have to move both rockers at the same time, I usually end up getting the dart 2 piece guideplates because then you can adjust each rocker individually to get it centered on the valve stem side to side.
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Yeah, I forgot to ask about that. If overall measured length was the actual length, or the theoretical length if there were no oiling holes. My measurements were actual length.

At any rate, they are stock length rods and the geometry seems plenty good enough for us non-racer folk. So whatever lengths you suggest to keep the geometry the same is likely what Jon will want.
 
USSkoval said:
Yeah, I forgot to ask about that. If overall measured length was the actual length, or the theoretical length if there were no oiling holes. My measurements were actual length.

At any rate, they are stock length rods and the geometry seems plenty good enough for us non-racer folk. So whatever lengths you suggest to keep the geometry the same is likely what Jon will want.
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Yep, it sounds like the comp kit should work just fine for what I need @folkenheath
 
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