ive got a 70's 383 stroker motor that im converting to a hyd roller cam. got a couple questions on this subject. im getting my afr comp 210 heads in tomorrow and going to start assembling motor. i was wondering if anyone knew what size pushrod im gonna have to use i have 1.5 jesel shaft rockers with a .600 .600 lift cam. and one more thing in regards to the distributor. by talking to a couple guys locally they say they kinda made a slit in the distributor to let oil to the cam can someone elaborate on that please thankyou

The bottom of the distributor shaft has a channel cut all the way around it from the factory. The channel completes the oil path from the main oil galley to the pass. side lifter galley. Some people file a very very small groove down the side of the distributor shaft that will let oil dribble from this channel onto the distributor gear to increase lubrication to it. This is typically done with the edge of a triangular file. And you only want to allow oil to go DOWN, not up, so only the shaft BELOW the oil channel gets the groove, not above the channel.

We're talking SMALL. Certainly you should be able to catch your thumbnail in it, but not much more than that. It's pressurized oil in that channel so it doesn't take much. You want it to dribble, not gush through that groove you cut.

Also, that groove is typically cut in such a position that when the distributor is installed and in it's proper/final position (vacuum canister pointing the direction it normally would up on top) the groove is at about the 2:00-3:00 position (as seen when looking at the motor from the front). That way the oil that's dribbling down is quickly swept into the contact area between the distributor gear and cam gear.

Do a search on the internet- I'm sure Comp cams or MSD or somebody has more info (with pictures) on how to do this and under what circumstances.

ok will do thanks for the help

ive now realized that you cant just say i need this size pushrod so i started checking length yesterday with the pushrod length checker and light valve springs and my hydraulic roller lifters. before i start checking the geometry how to i set the pushrod up on the rocker. do i set it around the size i think it needs and just barely have it touch the rocker cup. i was told you cant do it with hyd roller lifters unless you have the light springs and i just want to make sure ive got it set up right so i dont end up doing it again thanks alot. i have shaft mount rockers if it matters

This is how I was told to do it back a couple of years.
1. let your lifter soak in oil.
2. install lifter, length checker, rocker arm..etc.
3. at tdc the rocker arm tip should be in the center of the valve stem and while opening the valve it should go away from the cam the same distance as it comes toward the cam. its hard to describe but the tip of the rocker arm will start in the center, work its way toward the outside, come back toward the inside and reverse as the valve is closing. It just needs to start in the center and go the same distance out as it does in.
4. adjust the length to get it correct.


Thats how I was taught but someone might have something better.

so what i want to make sure before i order them is when you put the pushrod in do u just adjust it for initial length by making it long enough to just touch the cup of the rocker?

http://www.compcams.com/information/Products/Pushrods/