Hey everyone..
so I decided I didnt like the sewing machine sound of my roller tip rockers. So I pulled the vlave covers to change them back to stock. only have maybe 3000 mi on them. I noticed that the top surface of the vlave is worn down or hammered down. Do you guys think I could put valve lash caps on and call it a day, or should I pull the heads? The photo shows the worst one. Of course if I put caps on I will re check the geometry with adj push rod... these valve tip were re surfaced when I rebuilt the engine.

 

Ok not to be mean but your valve adjustment might of not been right. Anyways I like to see pics of the rocker roller tips, what brand?

A lashcap might band-aid also used with a longer pushrod to get geometry back but if this happened in 3000 miles I'd be trying to figure out why and I don't think it's the roller rockers. I mean your valvetrain is loosing control and things are separating and hitting over n over. I've messed up some valvetrain stuff before and I'd bet something else is not lookin good either. Are you like shifting it at 7k every time? What brand are the valves? How is the oil psi and do you know you have good flow to the heads, not just some flow? I mean it could be guides sticking, weak springs, weak pushrods, bad/dirty lifters and so on.....

 

Hey BOOT77
no offense taken.... I rebuilt this engine in 2013 and dont remember specifics about the brand of rockers. I do know they were cheap. I doubt I paid over $100 for them. New springs, machined, ported orig heads and resurfaced orig valves. This engine is clean as can be. Oil comes out clean and for the most part dont drive it crazy. Just the occasional pedal to the floor, shifting around 5000 (slightly modded 305 tpi).. I think I didnt set them up properly and may not have given them enough preload after getting zero lash, or I didnt find zero lash properly. I figure if I go back to stock rockers with caps I should be ok, but i have never used caps so this is new territory for me.
I'm looking at the rollers and I'm noticing the when I grab the roller I can wobble it a bit. Not sure if that's normal for rollers. I really dont want to pull the heads. I drove my wife crazy on my recent t56 rebuild spending all my time (and money)in the garage, she would probably kill me if I started tearing into the engine now lol...

 

The rest of the tops are pretty decent. They have wear but not like this one... I think the rocker was loose... but, I dont have nearly as much experience with valve train as alot of others on this site.

 

That's a valve guide or similar problem. Coupled with soft as butter stock valves.

The valve wasn't spinning, even though the rocker was appropriately at an angle. Instinct tells me you'd have to use a hammer to get that valve out.

And of course those are cheap garbage stamped sheet-rubber rockers, with a "roller" to add some eye candy and take advantage of inexperience.

Get some better valves and actual roller rockers.

 

Before you take it apart, make sure you have an adequate supply of oil to lubricate the rockers.
Don't assume anything - actually remove the valve covers and watch it at idle.
I hope you didn't use Skip White "Guaranteed Made in USA" lifters! I made that mistake - ONCE!

 

My first guess would also be a lack of oil.

 

Yah I also don't like roller tip only rockers, except the ratio is prob closer for a set vs stock stamped. Still the real gain is roller at the stud/mount , just look at LS rockers.

 

I've certainly learned my lesson on the roller tip rockers! Full rollers definitely make more sense. For now it's back to stock.. I'm going to run the car with the covers off and adjust my lash that way. Then I can see the oil amount as well. Thanks for all the input!

 

A piece of cardboard along the exhaust side of the head is all you really need to keep the oil splash mostly controlled.

 

Update,
I compressed the valve spring on the worst vale tip to free up the valve. I can turn it and push it in and out with no problems.