GM7203

Hi all. I'm hoping for some clarification on re-installing my rocker arms.

I took my head to a machine shop, and had it checked and new valve stem seals installed. I brought it home and mounted it to the block as outlined in the Haynes manual. My problem is, that once I installed the push rods, and started to tighten the rocker bolts to the perscribed 19ft lbs, I noticed that the torque wrench clicked before the fulcrum of the rocker was even flush to the head. (I could still see threads from the mounting bolt between the bottom of the rocker and the top of the head.) In my mind, the fulcrum should be flush against the head before the bolts are torqued.
Can anyone of you with experience changing a head gasket offer feed back on this issue?

Thank you
Greg

freegdr

lifters are not in up side down are they?

thunderwasp

are the threads nice and clean? Maybe wire brush them and make sure not to get anything in the motor( I usually shove clean shop towels in holes and drap a few more over the head). The rockers will be in different positions(angel) due to the cylinders being at dif. parts of stroke.Post a pic man!

freegdr

pics

GM7203

The lifters are facing the correct direction, and I have the #1 piston at TDC on the compression stroke. When I got the head back from the shop, they had the rockers bolted all the way down flush to the head, but of course they would have to be there to torque them. Without a pushrod and lifter pushing against it, there would be no tension until the bolt was flush and stretching against the threads.
The threads are all clean, and the bolts will thread all the way in by hand if the rocker isn't there.
I'll try to get a picture today yet. I may even pull the valve cover off my old motor and look in there for the answer. I called the machine shop, but they could not say for sure either.

Thanks for the replys
Greg

waltermitty

Are you using a shop manual? Are the lifters hydraulic or solids?

GM7203

I have a Haynes manual, and a Chiltons manual, but neither are really "Shop" manuals. The lifters are hydraulic.

freegdr

your tightening them down back and forth not one all the way then the other right

GM7203

Correct, 1 turn each, but then the valves and pushrods put such tension on the rocker that the torque wrench clicks indicating 19ft lbs. but I still have about 4 threads visible between the rocker fulcrum and the head.

waltermitty

My factory service manual (1998 XJ) lists the procedure you are using except the torque is listed at 21 foot pounds for the 4.0 L.

GM7203

Well as of Friday I got the rockers torqued. It seems some dumb guy (me) could not see the torque wrench well enough to know that it was inch pounds. So I took the 19 ft lbs the rockers required, and multiplied it by 12 to get to 228 in pounds, which is equal to 19 ft lbs. Problem solved. Now, where did I leave those damn reading glasses. LOL!