TheSamba.com :: View topic - Rocker Arm Geometry Bad...Do I have a Head/Rocker Mismatch?

Sun Jul 24, 2005 4:41 pm

Trying to bring an old 1600 DP buggy to life. When I adjust the valves, the valve adjusting screws dont quite align on cylinders 2 & 4... WTF?

I have no history on the motor, but it looks to have been rebuilt...

Do rocker arms need to match the type of head ? any other ideas?

Sun Jul 24, 2005 5:02 pm

The rocker arms should be ambidextrious (sp)

Are there washers installed under the rockers by any chance? That would screw up the geometry. There should be a very thin wavy washer under there and thats all.

If I remember correctly, the rockers are the same for all the engines but I could be mistaken on that. Can you post pictures?

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TC

Sun Jul 24, 2005 6:55 pm

By "don't quite align" do you mean the tip of the adjuster is not on the center of the valve stem but a little off to one side or the other?

As for valve train geometry, it is correct if the centerline of the valve is parallel to the centerline of the adjustingh screw at half-lift. I've never tried checking geometry with the engine installed, but I suppose it could be done.

BTW, chances of your valve train geometry being correct are slim, since most engine rebuild shops have no clue about this.

Mon Jul 25, 2005 3:59 pm

Thanks for confirmimg that it's not something stupid like I have the Rocker Arms switched... I'll need to dig in deeper to figure out what's happening....

Engine won't start, it's getting spark and gives me the occassional "pop" when I spray engine starting fluid down the carb.

I'm off to check the compression....

Mon Jul 25, 2005 11:43 pm

There is no washer that goes under the rockers. only in the case of storker, longer rods or hi lift arms. The wavy washer is a stock lock washer for the bolt (spring washer)

Tue Nov 25, 2008 6:26 pm

Hi,
I'm new to this forum thing and I think its wonderful!! I'm planning on building a 1644 motor and using 1.25 or maybe 1.40 rockers with a stock cam. So I've been reading up on installation of the rocker arms but I cannot find the "rocker arm geometry" "Sticky" that everyone is talking about. Can someone explain what a sticky is? Maybe the path to get to this reading item??
Thanks a million!!

Tue Nov 25, 2008 10:34 pm

temurphy3 wrote: Hi,
I'm new to this forum thing and I think its wonderful!! I'm planning on building a 1644 motor and using 1.25 or maybe 1.40 rockers with a stock cam. So I've been reading up on installation of the rocker arms but I cannot find the "rocker arm geometry" "Sticky" that everyone is talking about. Can someone explain what a sticky is? Maybe the path to get to this reading item??
Thanks a million!!

http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?t=167378

Wed Nov 26, 2008 12:54 am

You can check it in the car but it is a B*TCH.

I did mine when I added 1.25s to my 1914.

Then when I built the 2276 I did it on the stand and it was Soooooo much easier!

This is what you should be aiming for - at least I think it is (at half lift):

This shows a little off:

The setup I used:

You'll also need to know your cam's lift and the ratio of the rocker so you know what half lift actually is.

If you are not cutting push rods or adding shims under the rocker bases I am not sure there is anything for you to do other than verify how close it is.

My assumption is that with stock parts (All stock) the alignment is close enough per VW.

Most people doing this have an adjustable push rod tool and cut specific length push rods when they figure out what works best.