First off, many thanks to Vigman ;worship who offered a number of useful tidbits during this installation.
Ok. Roller rockers are in. I wasn't totally happy with my eyeballing 90-degree intervals on the harmonic balancer so Vigman walked me through the engine-running lash adjustment. I mustn't have been very far off with my 90-degree measurements because I really didn't hear any clicking when I started the car, though I loosened a bunch and retightened them to make sure they weren't too tight. I was initially confused by clicks that are apparently coming from the fuel injectors (if I touch each injector, I can feel a tap synchronous with the click). All the arms are centered and should be loose enough to move but tight enough to not let the pushrod tap. Argh #1. The rocker arms are smaller in the center than the stock ones, and the nut they supplied was bigger than the stock one. However, the correct socket was TOO LARGE to fit into the space where the nut is. I've got a set of Craftsman tools, not Snap-on but not junk - they're not unduly thick-walled. So. The stock bolts fit anyway, and the smaller socket barely clears the passage. When the engine was running, it'd occasionally grab the wrench out of my hands but it worked.
Point of note - with a decent gasket, apparently the drip tabs DO clear these arms. However, I got around the problem by getting a set of Edelbrock chromed covers and installing them... sort of.
Argh #2. Apparently what I thought was a scratch in the passenger-side cover is actually a crack. This is why I was leaking oil onto the intake manifold... as I tighten down the cover, it cracks more. Great. OK, let's do the driver's side then.
Argh #3. My torque wrench is apparently *very* hard to use at lower values (such as the 120 INCH-lbs needed for the cover bolts). I miss the indicator and SNAP... break a bolt. Fortunately, they come out of the heads easily. Off to the parts store. They don't have identical bolts, but they do have chrome tall bolts and tabs (street-rod-ish). Ok, grab them and... hey.. this is a set of Edelbrock valve covers with all the breather holes and grommets for PCV and all. $40. Not bad. Buy them, get the driver's side installed (using the handle-bolts). It goes in easier than the stock one anyway.
Argh #4. Onward to the passenger side. Uh oh. Something's missing - like the oil cap hole! And this is the side with the cracked cover. It'll just have to stay cracked for now, I guess, but I have mismatched valve covers for the time being... I think Edelbrock makes what I need, I just need to find it.
Anyway, they're done.
[RICHR]
Ok. Roller rockers are in. I wasn't totally happy with my eyeballing 90-degree intervals on the harmonic balancer so Vigman walked me through the engine-running lash adjustment. I mustn't have been very far off with my 90-degree measurements because I really didn't hear any clicking when I started the car, though I loosened a bunch and retightened them to make sure they weren't too tight. I was initially confused by clicks that are apparently coming from the fuel injectors (if I touch each injector, I can feel a tap synchronous with the click). All the arms are centered and should be loose enough to move but tight enough to not let the pushrod tap. Argh #1. The rocker arms are smaller in the center than the stock ones, and the nut they supplied was bigger than the stock one. However, the correct socket was TOO LARGE to fit into the space where the nut is. I've got a set of Craftsman tools, not Snap-on but not junk - they're not unduly thick-walled. So. The stock bolts fit anyway, and the smaller socket barely clears the passage. When the engine was running, it'd occasionally grab the wrench out of my hands but it worked.
Point of note - with a decent gasket, apparently the drip tabs DO clear these arms. However, I got around the problem by getting a set of Edelbrock chromed covers and installing them... sort of.
Argh #2. Apparently what I thought was a scratch in the passenger-side cover is actually a crack. This is why I was leaking oil onto the intake manifold... as I tighten down the cover, it cracks more. Great. OK, let's do the driver's side then.
Argh #3. My torque wrench is apparently *very* hard to use at lower values (such as the 120 INCH-lbs needed for the cover bolts). I miss the indicator and SNAP... break a bolt. Fortunately, they come out of the heads easily. Off to the parts store. They don't have identical bolts, but they do have chrome tall bolts and tabs (street-rod-ish). Ok, grab them and... hey.. this is a set of Edelbrock valve covers with all the breather holes and grommets for PCV and all. $40. Not bad. Buy them, get the driver's side installed (using the handle-bolts). It goes in easier than the stock one anyway.
Argh #4. Onward to the passenger side. Uh oh. Something's missing - like the oil cap hole! And this is the side with the cracked cover. It'll just have to stay cracked for now, I guess, but I have mismatched valve covers for the time being... I think Edelbrock makes what I need, I just need to find it.
Anyway, they're done.
[RICHR]