Me thinks me rocker shafts are upside down...

[HT413]

I've noticed that rocker shaft oiling hole orientation has come up from time to time. Well, while pulling my valve cover to get just a hair more clearance to change my header gasket, this is what I see...

Can anyone confirm if this is correct or incorrect?

 

[RustyRatRod]

Incorrect. They should be pointing DOWN and towards the valve springs or the outside of the engine.

 

[MikeStahl]

incorrect. need to point down

 

[RustyRatRod]

You caint just flip that 180* and get it right. If you do, the holes will be pointing down, but they will be pointing toward the intake. You're gonna need to flip it end to end then roll it 180*.

Oh and when you do, make sure your intake and exhaust rocker orientation remains correct. The two in the picture are right. The other pairs need to be the same. I am talking about the pushrod cup offset.

 

[HT413]

Just what I thought. Thanks, fellas. And thanks, Rusty, for the specifics. Between this and the trans coller lines, I'd love to know who built this motor so I can hip toss him out a damn window.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Somebody that didnt know MoPars. I had a very well known local machine shop assemble a 360 for me almost immediately after my work accident in 1999. I was literally bed ridden for two months. They assembled it with the rocker shafts upside down and all of the rockers reversed from their correct position. It's almost as if they tried to do it. Needless to say, that was the last thing I ever took there. I am thankful I did get to the point where I can at least assemble my own again. It's also rewarding to help others correct the same problem.

 

[Meep-Meep]

Incorrect. See repair solution above.

 

[HT413]

So i finally got around to reinstalling the rocker shafts and this is what I found - the oiling holes are just wrong on the shaft. There are oiling holes on top AND bottom of the shaft and they are smaller, right about 1/8" diameter rather than the correct 3/16" diameter. Also, they're directly inline with the bolt holes rather than the correct 15 degrees offset.

I happen to have a mechanical lifter setup I intend on using in the future for a solid cam and was able to compare. I noticed the chrome shaft on the solid setup is about 1/4" shorter overall but the bolt holes on both shafts align properly.

Seems clear I have the wrong shafts, correct? What could these shafts be off of? Notice the wear pattern on the bottom side of the shaft. I am thinking (correct me if I'm wrong) that the upper holes are relieving the oil pressure in the shafts and causing insufficient oiling of the rocker arm.

What would be the correct course of action here? I was thinking maybe buying some pushrods and mount my adjustable rockers on the hydraulic cam for now. Or should I just buy the correct rocker shafts and be done with it?

Thanks for looking.

Top side of shaft (as installed)

Bottom side of shaft (as installed). Notice the wear pattern on the bottom side of the shaft.

 

[62MAX]

If you're not ready for the adjustable yet,I'd buy a new set of "good" shafts,use them and when the time comes you can switch them to the adjustable and still have new shafts.My shaft's are hard chrome,20+ years old and still like new,came from RHS in Memphis Tenn.


www.racingheadservice.com/

 

[RustyRatRod]

Yeah those look strange. Remember though, there are SEVERAL configurations of rocker shafts. So there's no tellin what those are. Don't chunk um cause they might be worth somethin. I just got some hard chromed shafts from Mancini for my 383 for just under 100 bucks for the pair. They look good too.

 

[HT413]

Thanks fellas. I'm just glad i caught it. If it weren't for some recent conversations about this issue recently here on the forum, no way i pick that up in time. The wear pattern on the bottom of the rockers was not enough to catch a finger nail on, but i could feel it. Not good but after this summer with a few race weekends - may have been much worse.

Thanks rusty, now that i know those shafts are wrong, i'll probably just clean up and swap in the chrome shafts from the adjustable setup i have. Or maybe i pull the heads off, cc the heads, take some measurements and go for that solid cam i've wanted since i was probably 12. Here we go...

 

[MarPar]

Hot Damn!!! goin all out, HT??

don't forget....

:worthless_thread:

lol

 

[RustyRatRod]

Well hell, since you got the rocker train off.....might as well start diggin.

 

[HT413]

Hot Damn!!! goin all out, HT??

Sure looks like it. A while back i swapped in a better carter mech fuel pump and it stuck in the back of my mind how the fuel pump pushrod just hung right in there while i did the swap. Just thought, what the hell I got lucky. Just checked this morning and yep, cant pull it out at all so it appears to be mushroomed.

So she's comin apart fer sher.