I have a comp cams 224/236 114 with 1.6 pro mag comp S/A roller rockers, I'm using the 987-16 dual coil comp valve springs and the stock 94 pushrods with new stock replacement hydraulic lifters, the tops are capped off with poly locks
The problem is I keep getting a loss of power after 600-1000 miles, I pull the valve covers and I always find that I have several pushrods sitting in the intake, the lifters are fine, sometimes the pushrods are bent sometimes their fine, I often find that a few of the poly locks have loosened up as well despite me cranking down the center bolt and then turning the whole nut a quarter turn.
This has happened 4 times in the last 6 months the car runs fine, valve lash is adjusted right and everything is quiet. Then I start having problems after a while. only to find this

Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can fix this on the long term?

 

Here's a TTT for ya...

 

Maybe you are not adjusting them properly.....if you have one side too loose then it will pop out at enough RPM's........Just my thought

 

what the hell!!! thats the oddest thing ive ever heard!! what year pushrods are you using? i have no clue what to say...are you using the right guideplates?

 

something is definitely not set correctly.. obviously. are you using guide plates with your RRs? the SA are generally less stable than NSA since they are guided by those tabs on the valve side of the rocker arm. how high are you spinning it? what procedure are you using to set the valve lash?

 

Ive been spinning it 6000 rpms, the car will seem funny and I'll pull the valve covers to check and I'll find a few out, the poly locks are still tight usually and everything seems in order, the push rods have just popped out. Two of the times it's happened one of the pushrods that has popped out have been severely bent, like at a 45 degree angle

Not using any guideplates as they are SA and aren't suppose to need any.
Using the general procedure described in the service manual and on the net, tighten it down until the pushrod doesn't turn anymore, tighten down the allen headed bolt in the poly lock and then between a 1/4 and 1/2 turn on the main bolt, the valve train is nice and quiet and everything seems fine.

As an added bonus I noticed the oil pressure being alittle low as I've been looking at everything for a cause, it never gets above 40 by the gauge in the car. the motor spun a bearing last week and I'm rebuilding it, could the low oil pressure been letting the lifter collapse at higher rpm and let the pushrods slip out?

 

^ is your exact problem. That is WAY too tight. You only tighten them until there is no up/down play, not until they dont turn.

 

well the way you are explaining rocker adjustment seems wrong to me, are you making sure the lifter is off the cam lobe before adjusting the rocker? You're not supposed to tighten till pushrod doesn't spin anymore, you're supposed to tighten them until you feel the slightest bit of resistance on the pushrod fromt he rocker, the pushrod still spins easy but you feel a tad bit of resitance, you go 1/4 turn past that. Make sure the lifter is off the lobe when adjusting it's rocker.


Also, yes if you had oil pressure issues it would limit the oil getting to the pushrod, anywhere around 40 is more then enough for the lifters aslong as you're using proper oil 10W30 or something that works.

With that XE cam I would recommend you use guideplates bud even if the rockers are SA.

Also, how does your car feel? Maybe you're getting valve float, piston hits the valve, bends the pushrod & it falls out? did you make sure the timing marks are aligned?

keep checking you'll find out whats wrong. Then again, you're rebuilding the thing

 

I see someone responded while I was typing up a storm

Also, check those valves, I bet you all that tightening kept the valves floating at high RPM & not fully closing in most cases, check the pistons to see if they got friendly with the valves.

 

Not to insult your intelligence, but are you sure they are SA? You could have been sent the wrong ones. If thats not the problem, it sounds like you are tightening the rockers way too much.

 

Also, make sure the fulcrum in the rocker arm is right side up, there is a difference. One side is machined flat for the polly lock nut to set properly, the other side is just round.

 

I was just following what the GM service manual says, it says to turn the crank to 12 oclock adjust valves ex1348 intk1257

Word for word, back of rocker arm nut until lash is felt in the pushrod assembly. Then tighten rocker arm nut until all lash is removed. Zero lash can be felt by rotating pushrod assembly between thumb and forfinger until there is no more movement
When all free play has been removed tighten rocker arm nut one additional turn (360 degrees)

The rocker arms were suppose to be the self aligning ones but I have no real way of knowing for sure

The valves look perfect as well as do the pistons, I was quite surprised with thier appearance actually.

The car acted amazing, it pulled hard right up to 6000rpms and never stopped, probably could have spun it higher before I started loosing power but something about that 6 grand mark makes me nervous, the only time I had problems was when a pushrod popped out, and I could feel it

 

Then the service manual is wrong. That's way too tight.

 

The service manual instructions will make you over tighten them.

But, I bet you have non SA rockers. They are supposed to have "ears" that keep the pushrods in place. I could easily see them sending you the wrong ones. I have never heard of anyone having the pushrods "pop out" from overtightening but I guess it could happen.

 

You should have them adjusted to 1/4 turn past 0 lash. Your using a manual that is telling you settings for stock parts, which you are not using.
As stated before, check to make sure the flat part of the roller is facing up to make contact with the bottom of the poly nut.
Sounds to me as though they are too tight, bending the pushrod when you rev it that high.

I'm not even sure if they make a S/A Pro Magnum rocker. I know mine weren't and I never specified.

-Shannon