So, the '87-up self-aligning rocker arms: do they all have the same slot length? I just put a fresh .466-lift cam in, and some of the rockers seem to dislike more than a half turn of the nut past feeling drag while spinning the push rod. Watching the push-rod cups of the lifters shows they're all moving off the snap ring a little bit, but some of them will, when on their base circle opposite the lobe, will let me push down with my thumb on the push rod cup of the rocker, and some will not. I'm afraid those that will not are going to need swapped before reinstalling the intake manifold and valve covers?

 

sounds normal to me. you should be good as long as the slot doesn't hit the stud before full lift..

 

The lifters have just bled down, as they will do with no oil pressue. They'll come up hard against the snap rings again once the engine is running.

 

It's the other end of the slot that I'm worried about. One of my friends called one of his friends, and I now have 8 more rockers to try. I'll measure the lengths of the slots and report back.

 

I found 3 differences of appearance, so I checked 2 of each. They all checked between 0.6195" and 0.6205". So I buttoned it up, here's hoping I don't bend any push rods.