I just had the rockershaft assemblys out of my 56 to clear the oil feed holes.I reinstalled one without the trays simply because it was easier than trying to line up the holes in the trays.I understand they were discontinued after 56.Do I need to put them back in?.I reset the the valve adjustment which I was doing anyway and it works fine.Were the pushrods a different length when used with the trays?

  

If they were required Ford wouldn't of stopped using them. No change in pushrods. Some will tell you not needed if you use PC valve seals, many will say you only need seals on intake valves. It ends up being your choice. I have had some say they don't like PC seals because they keep too much oil from valve stem. I'm sure someone else will jump in here- choice is still yours.

I don't like the old umbrells, they get hard and crumble, plugging the oil returns.

Ol'ford nutCentral Iowa

56 Vic w/292 & 4 spd.

Any suggestions on how to convert a 1955 4bbl oil bath air cleaner with 57carb & intake to dry filter element?  I don't know how to post yet!!  Thanks, Gary   

Gary

Gary: If you click on the second box at top left where it says "ädd topic" and follow instructions by loging in with your email and password you can start a new topic of your own.Same way you add to an existing discussion.

  

Hi Mark,  The oil trays that go under the rocker stands were most likely discontinued as a cost-cutting move.  The '54-55 engines came with them and also had a longer pushrod.  If you order for a '55 you'll get a pushrod that's approx. 8.297", for a later engine they should be approx. 8.188".  The trays are not necessary but they will reduce oil consumption in many cases.  My '57 312 always left a puff of smoke when I let off of the gas, shifted gears, and then got back on it.  So I got a set of the trays, and installed them with the longer '55 pushrods.  Problem solved.  The trays reduce the oil that is sprayed onto the valve stems.  This was with a fresh engine and new valve guides, and with the umbrella oil seals.  To answer your question, no you don't need to put them back in, but the next time you open it up to adjust the valves I would put them back.  And you may want to measure a few pushrods to see which length you have.  Could be anything after 50 years.  Good luck, Nick Brann - K.C., MO

Hello Nick! Now the pushrods in mine are 8 1/8 not the longer 8 1/4.In my 55-56 Ford parts book the length for 55 is shown as 8 1/4 and 56 and later as the 8 1/8 (8.13 actually).Now I put one side back without the baffles and readjusted the valves.Works fine although i think I will put the baffles back in next time. So now my question is-do I have the wrong pushrods in mine?I am looking for a new set of pushrods becuse the cups are starting to crack.I would think that with the baffles the longer pushrod is required .Am I correct in saying the ones I have now are incorrect?When I had a look at my parts catalogue printed in 1957 to cover 55-56-57 the only pushrod listed is the shorter one even though the baffles are still listed as a service part#.Did they simply use the shorter one to cover all years of y-block?Anyone know the correct answer?

  

Hi Mark,  There was an excellent article a couple of years ago in Y-Block Magazine re. this subject.  It was written by Ted Eaton and the subject was correct rocker arm geometry and pushrod length for Y-blocks.  Sorry but I can't find my issue, so I can't tell you exactly which one to order.  Hopefully someone will chime in here.  Anyway there are several factors, including if the heads have ever been milled.  What to look for- where are your rocker adjusting screws once you have your valves adjusted?  If they are almost all the way down (so that most of the screw is sticking out of the bottom of the rocker) then your pushrods are too short.  That was the case with my 312.  Once the valves were adjusted, the hex part of the adjusting screw (at the top) was almost hitting the top of the rocker arm.  I could barely adjust the valves without the screws bottoming out on the top of the rockers.  I believe the adjusting screws should be about in the middle of their travel, see Ted's article.  If yours are almost all the way down, then your pushrods are too short.  I believe John Mummert also sells the aluminum rocker stands in different heights to compensate for a geometry problem.  And he sells the pushrods in both the long and short versions.  Some vendors probably show one pushrod fits all, but that is not a proper answer.  Good luck- Nick Brann, K.C., MO

Issues # 70 & 71. Terrific articles/invaluable data.

6 VOLTS/POS. GRD. NW INDIANA

Thanks for your input guys!I have ordered a set of the 8 1/4 longer rods from my local parts store.He does list the 2 different lengths.My motor is stock with the exception of the later manifold,distributor and 390 Holley.By the way this combination is a vast improvement over the stock Teapot setup for anyone who is still fighting with the loadomatic and stock carb and would like a reliable fun to drive setup.It looks like someone put the shorter rods in sometime in the distant past OR it was an error originally because the car is a 56 built in Nov 55 using up 55 parts.Maybe they ran out of the longer rods and put the deflectors and short rods in.

  

Mark & all; Thank you for this thread- I decided to go w/ the drip trays in this motor, but was unaware they required the use of '55 only pushrods. I just got off the horn w/ Egge, and my new set of longer pushrods is on it's way- sure would of been a lot of fun trying to set the lash for my first ever attempt w/ short pushrods.... -Thanks again- /Duck

BOO- YA!!!