My rockers have a groove worn in them where they ride on the valve stems - the valve stems look fine. This makes them kind of a pain to set the lash, lol. I know the best solution is to just replace them but in the semi near future I am building a new Y for my truck and pulling this one to build for another project. What about filing them back smooth for the time being? I'll be buying the higher ratio ones for the both new builds so this won't be a permanent fix anyway. Odometer read about 59,000 in the donor I pulled it from but who knows if it's the second go round, condition of the donor estimated it could be actual or not.

1964 F 100 LWB Roller 5.0 & T-5

2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ

2009 Harley FXSTB Night Train



"I still have a Y block - it's just not in anything yet."

greg heres a video that shows them being refaced.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7ZjObWyRJU

Kenny  Onalaska, Texas

You can have them refaced. 

I wouldn't worry much about it since you're planning a rebuild.  The lash is pretty forgiving so long as you don't get it too tight or too loose.  While you have the rockers off, meausure them to get an idea how deep the groove is and use fealer gauge that is an equal amount thinner.  I ran one like this for 10k+ miles with no valve train issues.  Make sure the worn part is sitting squarely over the valve stems.

Oh, hey Greg, I found a T5 for you.  It's in your GT!

Lawrenceville, GA

Greg:

From the T-Bird site, adjust the valves by the 1/4 turn method.  With the engine stopped, get the lifter on the heel of the cam, tighten the adjuster screw slowly while shaking and twisting the pushrod.  You will be able to tell when all the clearance is gone, it won't shake and will twist a little harder.  Then back the adjuster off 1/4 turn.  That equals .020, and automatically compensates for the rocker arm tip wear.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

Hey John,

That's a pretty good way to do it, I've adjusted a lot of hydrolic cams in sort of that fashion but I never thought of it for solids. Makes sense though.  I think I'll still use a feeler gauge on rockers in good shape.  

   God Bless.   Tim                           http://yblockguy.com/

350ci Y-Block FED "Elwood", 301ci Y-Block Unibody LSR "Jake", 312ci Y-Block '58 F-100, 338ci Y-Block powered Model A Tudor

tim@yblockguy.com  Visalia, California    Just west of the Sequoias

will wire type feeler works?

Yes.  But don’t set the valves with the engine running when using wire feeler gauges.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Hi Greg,

You can "resurface"  the rockers with an angle grinder and a little patiance and I have done it on two old Y's. Use the wear groove as a guide for the grinding and procede slowly. Stop grinding on each rocker tip when you start to see scratches appear on the wear groove.  The rockers are probably too hard to file.  I didn't even disassemble the rocker shafts but I did wash them off with solvent afterwards.  I wouldn't do this for a new engine but in your case, for a year or two more life out of an engine that will not see too high revs, it can be done.  Then  you can use a blade type feeler gauge, although the method recommended by John F will also quiet a noisy engine.

Before the purests jump all over the idea, an engine with this much wear in the rockers will likely need a lot of other work to bring it up to really a good standard, but having it quiet and smooth running will be a lot more satisfying ride.

Doug T

The Highlands, Louisville, Ky.

Thanks guys, I actually thought my Dremel would be best for the job. You got my thoughts just right, just want it to run well while I build the new mill for the Uni. I have other things I need to attend to on the truck before I get to a new engine for it so I am trying to get by for awhile. It should actually be doing less revs in the near future - T-5 swap is next on the list.

1964 F 100 LWB Roller 5.0 & T-5

2001 Jeep Cherokee XJ

2009 Harley FXSTB Night Train



"I still have a Y block - it's just not in anything yet."

Actually I like a belt sander for the job. You can use lighter sand paper if you want. Just keep the contour constant. Dosn't have to be perfect if pits are removed and the curve is still there. I'm not sure how deep the hardening goes on the rocker tips though. Anybody? Chuck in NH

Y's guys rule!
Looking for McCullouch VS57 brackets and parts. Also looking for 28 Chrysler series 72 parts. And early Hemi parts.

MoonShadow, 292 w/McCulloch, 28 Chrysler Roadster, 354 Hemi)
Manchester, New Hampshire