Pushrod Wear Acceptable?

[Snoww_]

Hey,

Just install my motor last month, I really took my time and dialed everything in to make sure that my first motor install went as smooth as possible. Naturally I forgot the oil slinger washer and oil was spraying everywhere so after 18 miles of driving trying to figure out why the valve covers were leaking so bad and doing a lot of Samba research we came to that conclusion.

SO... just pulled the engine back out and split the case yesterday and I noticed the pushrods had some wear marks where they were hitting the pushrod tubes I assume. I'm not sure if the is normal or acceptable or if I need some new parts, I'll take any advice I can get because I really don't want to have to pull the engine again

I don't feel any step or gouging on the surface, just the change in the finish. But this is after just a few miles, not sure how this will affect things thousands of miles down the road.

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1991 Tiico Vanagon Carat
1961 Baja Bug

[evanfrucht]

I would say you can MAYBE clean them up and still run them but NO that is not acceptable.

What side of the pushrods is the damage on, towards the case or towards the rockers? You most likely need to clearance the lip of the PR tube and fix the interference before you run the engine again.

I'd basically Install everything together and leave the valve cover off and have you or someone turn over the engine slowly while you watch the push rods move back and forth to see where they are hitting or getting very close.
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1967 Bug ( the daily rod )
1964 Fury Wagon ( the pavement shredder )

[Dan Ruddock]

Stock style 1.25 rockers?

[Snoww_]

The damage is rocker side, Scat 1.25 rockers.

That makes sense to me. What do you recommend for clearancing the pushrod tubes? Bending the lip with everything installed? Cutting them down shorter before installation?

Thanks.
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1991 Tiico Vanagon Carat
1961 Baja Bug

[Dan Ruddock]

Where is the adjuster? At valve or at pushrod?

[Ohio Tom]

Scat 125's....
There is your problem.
the Scat (and other) brands that look like stock rockers: All have the cup machined closer to the rocker shaft, thus making them 1.25 ratio.
The problem is that it moves the pushrods up and rub pushrod tubes like that.

It's the single biggest reason I don't like that style 1.25 rockers.
They always rub.

Sure you can shim things and tweak to make them work, but why?
For .030" more lift?

I recommend: going back to stock rockers, or buy some real 1.25 (or even Pautuer 1.3 ratio) rockers.

I never plan a motor to use 1.25's anymore.
I either keep it stock rocker,... or 1.4's.

Choose the cam accordingly.
FK-7 is nice with 1.4's. Quite and still good lift to make a set of Panchito's work nicely. Been doing this on alot of builds lately.

[Snoww_]

Adjuster is at the valve stem.

I'll probably see if I can adjust these and make them work before I try buying something new but I appreciate the input. I got this engine as someone else's project and it had a w130 with 1.4s and hardly ran. We switched to web218 and 1.25s since it's a baja and I wanted a lower power band.

If all else fails I'll find some 1.1 rockers and try them.
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1991 Tiico Vanagon Carat
1961 Baja Bug

[Dan Ruddock]

[Dan Ruddock]

Web 218, run stock rockers.

[Snoww_]

[74 Thing]

Just get the 1.1s from Tabari since they are already clearanced and ready to run:

https://www.thesamba.com/vw/classifieds/detail.php?id=1925154

What kind of pushrods are those and what kind of pushrod tubes are you running?

[Snoww_]

[bugguy1967]

Guessing they hit the roofs of the tubes because your adjusters are pushing the rockers out farther than they want to be. So at the valve closed position, the rocker cups swing too high.
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"A petrol engine can start readily, run smoothly and give every appearance of being in good order, without necessarily being in good tune." - Colin Campbell, "The Sportscar Engine"

[QRP]

[Dan Ruddock]

Your PR tubes look like Jaycee's. They are in backwards and will have more pushrod clearance if you reverse them. The parts I sell in my ads are all stuff I use myself.

Dan

[Snoww_]

Thanks for all the input.

Sounds like 1.1 rockers and reverse my pushrod tubes is the way to go to fix this.

What's the difference between the Tabari rocker arms and the VW ones from scat?
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1991 Tiico Vanagon Carat
1961 Baja Bug

[74 Thing]

Read the Tabari ad.

He clearances the rocker properly so you can use the swivel adjusters. He can provide you with CB's and probably other manufacturers if you have a preference. He also sell side play shims so you can adjust your rocker side play properly.

As Dan suggested, I would first reverse those pushrod tubes so the big end is at the head. See if that clears your existing set up. You can clean up the existing scuffs on your pushrods or use dychem or a sharpie marker to see if they rub again after flipping your tubes.

I would post a photo of your existing rocker set up as well as Tabari suggested since if your current rockers are not clearanced that could be part of your problem.

[mark tucker]

I would put the much better sliper foot rocker with the adjuster on the pushrod end. no shims, probably will need the rocker blocks lowered by 1mm(.040") use lash caps too. they will save the valve guides. the oe style are real valve guide killers. just look at all the heads that have dead guides and used the oe style rockers..

[nsracing]

Somebody forgot to read the instructions on installation of pushrod tubes?

Almost destroyed a perfectly good set of pushrods.

[SixTwo]

If you're going to use Scat ratio rockers, you're going to want to use their pushrod tubes. They're the gold anodized, spring-loaded aluminum ones. The head-side of the tube is very low profile to prevent rod scratching like you see.

If you're willing to improvise, trim back the end of the pushrod tube to be totally flush or just a little behind the gasket lip where it meets the head. I've gotten away 1.4 rockers by trimming stock tubes this way, but wouldn't recommend it long term.