1962 Bel Air Bubble Top 409 Project
- Thread starter CASHguzzler409
- Start date
Took the passenger head down today, they found a exhaust valve bent another pushrod bent, he said that the solid lifter was an old stock style made without a C-clip. Decided to buy new, lifters, pushrods, rockers, and have head valves fixed. They are thinking that the rings might not have seated properly, due to excessive fuel fixture washing down cylinders.
Phil, do you have to pull the cam out to check lobes? Silly question huh. I know you can see it in the valley, oh that sweet valley....
kinda lost it for a minute... sorry.
Phil, do you have to pull the cam out to check lobes? Silly question huh. I know you can see it in the valley, oh that sweet valley....
kinda lost it for a minute... sorry.If you're changing lifters on a flat tappet cam that's already broken in,change the cam as well.The cam and lifters must break in together or cam lobe failure can,and especially on a solid lifter cam likely will. Now's the time for a modern grind that will wake that engine up.
Any suggestions on the cam? Someone said I might have to pull the engine and have it re-honed and new rings?
The saying down here is " If Your Going To Jeff City Don't Get Off At Ashland" 
Hi Don, appreciate the help, tires are 235 x60R x15 , 3:73 rear end, 11:1, its a stock 409 bored .30over to fit Ross pistons, stock crank, 425 cam, 690 stock heads, stock exhaust. 2x4 stock carbs.
Stan,Do you want to stay with solid lifters or would you want hyd.lifters?If your reasoning for solids is the "sound",there's a thing called Rhodes lifters that will give you that sound at an idle,but once adjusted,you'll never have to touch them again.
Don, When I bought the engine I put it back with original thinking, I like the solid lifters, even the old rockers. I'll take a look at the Rhodes lifters, thanks....
Well since this is a street car,I'd suggest either an 0951 or maybe an 0954 hyd.with Rhodes V-Max lifters.Either will work with the stock rockers,and possibly pushrods.That 0954 might be just a little too "Rowdy",even with the lifters adjusted at .020 however.
Were they stock length? 
Hi skipxt4,
They were stock 3/8 pushrods, this was all my fault, got the engine way to hot, for to long. I've since have rebuilt the heads, it was a costly mistake, (1000.00) with new 3/8 molly pushrods etc. I doubt this will happen again.? Putting the heads, intake, etc, back on today. For those that like pic's.
Had all new seats, bought new lifters, rockers balls nuts, pushrods. 3 bent valve's , 1 broken pushrod, 2 bent pushrods
ONE "STUPID DRIVER"......
I have 1 short bolt next to the Long red one? not sure if this is right or not. 18 long 8 short + extra semi short?
They were stock 3/8 pushrods, this was all my fault, got the engine way to hot, for to long. I've since have rebuilt the heads, it was a costly mistake, (1000.00) with new 3/8 molly pushrods etc. I doubt this will happen again.? Putting the heads, intake, etc, back on today. For those that like pic's.
Had all new seats, bought new lifters, rockers balls nuts, pushrods. 3 bent valve's , 1 broken pushrod, 2 bent pushrods
ONE "STUPID DRIVER"......
I have 1 short bolt next to the Long red one? not sure if this is right or not. 18 long 8 short + extra semi short?
I was hoping he meant valve job.
What I really needed was a head job, or do they call those a frontal labobomy. I really like it when you guys throw in your thoughts, as a novice it really helps, just wished you were with me in the front seat, you could have said, shift stan, shift.... 
Phil, I'll double ck on that pressure ck today. I did put the heads on yesterday, tightened them up as the manual said, a little at a time, in sequence, racket tight, then 25, 40,60,70. I did have 3 bolts that at 60 would not go any more, so I left them alone, any suggestions.? All the rest are at 70. Going to set the valve lash today at 12 exhaust - 18 int , before installing intake manifold.
I set the #1 piston on TDC, so I think Im good to start.
Phil, I'll double ck on that pressure ck today. I did put the heads on yesterday, tightened them up as the manual said, a little at a time, in sequence, racket tight, then 25, 40,60,70. I did have 3 bolts that at 60 would not go any more, so I left them alone, any suggestions.? All the rest are at 70. Going to set the valve lash today at 12 exhaust - 18 int , before installing intake manifold.
I set the #1 piston on TDC, so I think Im good to start.
Were the female threads chased and the cap screws cleaned and lubed?
You did use thread sealant on the head bolts, didn't you Stan?
Hi, Iowa 409 guy,
I did clean the block threads with a thread chaser, also cleaned and wire wheeled the bolts, put sealer on bolts. Im not sure if I went far enough when chasing for cleaning block threads, wasn't really sure about how far to go. As far as the lube goes, I did only spray
the bolts with WD-40, then the white bolt sealer. When installing the solid lifters, it says to put a blob of cam lube on bottom of lifter, i've pre-oil them, how about the pushrods, do you pre-oil those also?. When installing pushrod to rockers and nuts, are you suppose
to use a special locking lube on the nuts?. Just questions? thanks for the help.
I did clean the block threads with a thread chaser, also cleaned and wire wheeled the bolts, put sealer on bolts. Im not sure if I went far enough when chasing for cleaning block threads, wasn't really sure about how far to go. As far as the lube goes, I did only spray
the bolts with WD-40, then the white bolt sealer. When installing the solid lifters, it says to put a blob of cam lube on bottom of lifter, i've pre-oil them, how about the pushrods, do you pre-oil those also?. When installing pushrod to rockers and nuts, are you suppose
to use a special locking lube on the nuts?. Just questions? thanks for the help.