Im just gonna remove my stock rockerarms and check my pushrods out to make sure everything is OK. I allready have the valvecover off on the driver side. I noticed each rocker arm has its own 8mm bolt so I guess I have to unbolt all 8 bolts. Is this just an unbolt and go operation or do I have to rotate the crank around so that each rockerarm is at zero lash before I unbolt it and is it the same for putting it back together. I think that the torque for these bolts are 22ft lbs. If I had a broke or worn out spring would it be obvious?

Thanks in advance

 

Just crack each one loose and take them out. Every so often your gonna get a rocker that pushes up from spring tension. No order to take them out. To tighten, just alternate rocker bolts. TQ to 22ft lbs. Rotate motor a few times and repeat. If you have a broken spring youll see it definitely. But a worn out spring you wont see. If they are worn out and pretty weak they can sometimes keep a lifter from pumping up.

 

Just unbolt each of them and keep them straight as to which rocker arm and push rod go with each valve (they all have unique wear patterns, although this isn't extremely critical). When reinstalling the arms, tighten all bolts to 22 pounds feet and rotate the crank 1/4 turn and re-tighten. repeat this tightening for two more quarter turns. That way, you will make sure that each rocker arm is tightened when the heel of each cam lobe is pushing against the valve lifter/pushrod/valve spring instead of the toe of the lobe. You can't really get the proper torque setting unless you rotate the crank several times.

All my best,

Steve

 

Also. Take some care when loosening the rocker bolts. Use both hands on your ratchet. If you give it hell with one hand on the ratchet your gonna bend or break the bolt. When you have the rockers off, check the outer edge. Make sure no needle bearings are slipping out.

 

Thanks everyone for all of your help, I will finish up tomorrow. When I rotate the crank, do I go clock wise or counter clock wise as Im looking at the fan from the front of the truck?

 

Clockwise silly! Don't even go the tiniest bit the wrong direction. If you miss a spot, go all the way around again.

By the way, the best "monkey proof" practice is to rotate the crank until just after the intake valve closes for the compression stroke and both valves are completely closed. Then, tighten the rocker nuts for that cylinder on both intake and exhaust. Knowing the firing order can help you know which cylinder will come up next on the compression stroke so that you can minimize the amount of crank turns to get all 8 cylinders done correctly.

 

Thanks, I turned the key before I loosened any of the rocker arms up today just enough to engage the starter so that I could see which way the fan turned and mine turned counter clockwise if you were standing in front of the truck? Any ways, I had to abort because when I went to loosen up the first rocker arm for piston number 1 I broke my 1/2 inch to 1/4 inch adapter for my 8mm socket it twisted right off! Luckily I had another adapter; my last one so I decided to abort due to the fact if I break this one I wont be able to go to the store untill wife gets home after dark, which means I will be working in the dark because I need truck for work tomorrow. I put it back together pending buying a better tool set, preferably one that has an 8mm 1/2 inch drive socket and me having two days off in a row. I then lost my 8mm socket while double checking the tightness of the valve cover bolts, it fell into the engine bay and fell on the frame. I went underneath to retrieve it, and when I touched it, it fell inside the frame!! Its probably right next to the nitrous jet I lost and never found.

 

Just remember, the fan isn't located on the crank, it's driven by the belt that twists around to make it go backwards.

 

I see it now, I am a menace to my own truck, I need to step away from the tool box before I kill it

 

Thats the same reason why I am buying a new transmission...