I have a high end FE build that I've been putting off for this verry reason, I'm glad that others are spending the time and effort to make thies engines the best they can be.
Great video ! The attention to detail is important on such a high end build and you are doing a great job on it....cant wait for the next segment on it 😀
Back before you were born, I helped a friend rebuild a 428 Super Cobra Jet for his ‘71 Merc Cougar. There wasn’t the same level of aftermarket support back then so there was a lot of work to get things just right. But you are doing such a better job than we ever did. Should be a great motor.
Really wished I had watched this video again before I purchased these rockers from Harland Sharp! I have the same bad angle and when I shim the stands the roller lines up to the center of the valve and get a much better angle!
You're doing some very nice work, taking you time & researching the build. Awesome job on the shims. Must have made you feel proud when they were installed. Good work Omar.
Just Great Omar. Good work. Very informative. Im starting my 445 FE thos winter and ive built many engines but really like what you are doing. Thanks Man.
Nice ! been waiting for an update on that sweet galaxie since been watching all your vids I have been falling in love with 64 Ford Galaxie can't wait to see her finished...she is going to be gorgeous !!
definitely would've cut the stands to fit around the stud instead of raise it with a thick washer. "people tend to bolt them on" because they're probably running stock and it's designed to work. your after market parts often need to be modded.
Don't forget stock rocker assemblies don't have end supports to interfere with the head fasteners. Might want to massage the end of this rocker support vs spacers because the taller you make it the more leverage you apply to the rocker arms and fasteners.
Yes, I think it’s give and take with this. I could’ve gone with bolts but wanted the studs. I did contact Harland sharp and they really did not like the idea of machining the end stands. I think I got the geometry dialed in though
First of all, excellent video. I notice that you had the push rods made to the actual length you measured without adding .050. Did I miss something? Thanks!
Those shims look great. Although I'm not sure why Harland Sharp can't make the support stands longer to fit an average engine build like this. I've seen quite a few people have to shim those on some FE groups and I'm not sure why they don't have at least .150" built into the support stands so if one does need to shim them it won't be quite so thick. The T&D rockers we used on my dad's 445 bolted right on with perfect geometry right out of the box with no shims required of any kind. That engine has something like a 10.180" pushrod length if I remember right, it's solid flat tappet with the hollow shell lifters.
Yeah I guess it all depends on the type of build. But I have heard of those T&D rockers being a bit better. Some people machine longer support stands as well.
I thought we werent supposed to use pushrod checkers to test valve stem tip wear patterns? Supposedly, theyre not strong enough for the "stock" springs?
What are you going to do about the oil feed tothe rockers ?Check out DOVE Manufacturing they make most of the parts and they know what you need to do it right the first time . Ithink he still makes Tunnel Port heads and Cammer parts .
Thanks for posting about your CJ build. I have just about the exact same setup as you on the build I'm doing. Currently at the installing pushrods stage. I have the same heads and rockers that you have. I would think the pushrod length will be the same as yours. I've tried searching for the ones you ordered but have had no luck locating at all. Any suggestions? Thanks in adavance and again, great videos!
I would strongly measure your own pushrods, the ones I got were custom ordered. Even when I ordered them, they were a tad short (miscommunication with the manufacturer). But I was still able to use them
Did you modify the hydraulic lifter in any way when checking geometry at mid lift? I heard lykins say that he would use a solid (or tack weld a hydraulic lifter) to avoid the hydraulic plunger collapsing under the spring pressure. If you did just use the hydraulic as is did it work out good for you? Trying to figure out how I'm going to do it. Great videos btw
Where did you get the idea for the rocker shims? Is that the typical way they are done by everyone? I am concerned about the oil return. Did you consider making a single shim for each pedestal? I could see being concerned that they might rotate being held down by a single stud but you could have made one that bridged two pedestals and not bridged the oil return. I'm not trying to be a negative Nelly. I just tend to overthink stuff.
No worries. I got the idea from Brent lykins, he sells similar long shims but they are made for trickflow heads. I did consider making them just all singular but figured this would be a lot stronger. I could’ve made them in doubles as well but was also thinking about the aluminum expanding with heat. Since it’s all one rocker shaft, it can perhaps warp it if the shim isn’t one piece. I still have a lot of questions as well haha but I think the 1 piece should be ok. We will see haha
Omar did you give yourself enough clearance between the shim and the springs those springs like to move around. With all the work you are putting into it wouldn't want to see a spring hit a shim under any load... ...just my two cents. What does Brent Lykin and other say about that? The build does look great and you have your hands full all the time.
Hi senia, I clearanced it pretty good, Maybe the video doesn’t show it that well. But I might take them off and shave some more off. I haven’t talked with Brent, he’s a pretty busy guy but I did talk to Scott foxwell and he was the one who suggested the shims but to make sure the geometry was correct at mid lift. I think it came out really good
Nice video and fantastic job on the shims!! Are you oiling through the pushrods or heads? I'm doing a build on a 390/445 and thinking of oiling through the heads only. Any drawbacks to that?
Thanks! I’m oiling like the factory set up through the head. I don’t think there’s drawbacks especially if you do the oiling modifications. Brent lykins has some great videos on oiling with the FE
Omar, did you talk to Harland Sharp about your head bolt interference? I just did the same setup on Edelbrock FE heads and did not have this issue. Of course, there can be a hundred reasons why our setups are different, just curious.
Yes, they really didn’t want me machining the end stands. Did you use studs with your build? I could’ve gone with bolts but really wanted the studs with the aluminum head.
@@OmarRamirezGalaxie - I purchased the 428 engine as a long block with Edelbrock heads with ARP head bolts and Harland Sharp rockers but not stands or spacers. I bought center stands, a spacer kit and end stands (406BEK) in June of 2022. The end stands have notches in them for head bolt clearance as received from Harland Sharp. No clearance issues and run the stock oil drip trays modified to clear the back side of the rockers. Check your Facebook messenger for a picture. Sorry, I couldn't figure out how to put a picture here.
I would say use flat washers to check your geometry at mid lift. Once you see the correct 90 degrees at midlift from center of rocker to valve you are good to go. Some people machine the end stand, as long your geometry is correct, it’s fine. And you don’t have to use a long shim, Scott foxwell did singular shims on each stand.I just wanted to make the shim one long piece, I think it looks awesome.
@@OmarRamirezGalaxie Your shims look really nice! I was going to send my Harland Sharp back and get a set from T&D but I don’t know if I will have the same problem so I will be at the metal shop in the morning 😂…….🍻🍻🍻
Harland sharp really does not want you to machine the end stands. They will not back their product. It will work I guess, but didn’t want to go that route
Was thinking of going with blue thunder valve covers. I do have the original thunderbird Galaxie covers which I might use with spacers but haven’t decided yet
Think you have the wrong set of rockers. In 45 years I never had to jack up the rocker stands you might got tne wrong. Stand height the TFS. Heads has the pad up .300. Over. OEM. Height you could of got tne rocker arm set for the TFS heads then ended up around .300 short using a standerd. Head rocker pad height
This is what I was told by Scott foxwell as long as I correct the geometry it should be fine. But I guess we’ll see how it works out. Don’t have anyone to refer to just building this engine on the research I do.