I am doing the Harland Rocker project. It's back together, but the doesn't run right, lopes like it's missing, like one cyl is not helping at all. Short facts to tell the story...

1- I installed a set of S70037 rockers.
2- I buggered installing one of them (please don't ask) and bent a push rod.
3- I replaced the rod, pulled all the new rockers again, verified all rods were fine, all new rockers were fine.
4- While rockers were out, I verified that all the valves were at the top, fully closed, so I doubt I buggered any of those (used a steel rule across the stem tops, trivial differences).
5- Checked that I didn't bugger any spark plug wires during all this.
6- I believe I have all the vacuum lines ok, but if not, I'd suspect just a high idle or something, not a 'single cyl' type issue.
7- There are no codes, and the fuel trim is at about -16%.

Thats it. I'm at a loss for why its running like crap.

Baring any redirection for your ideas here, what I plan to do next/tomorrow is pull the plugs to see if they isolate things to a single cyl that is missing.

 

spray the exhaust manifold with water while its cool and start it. You will definitely see which one is missing then I would pull the valve cover.

 

Adu... Thanks for the thoughts. I did crank it with the valve covers off, not run it, and all the rockers looked like they are doing the right thing. I'll try the water trick and see what happens, easier than pulling all the plugs. If that one valve that bent the push rod is also the cyl that has the wet exhaust, I think I may indeed have bent the valve or something.

I also read in the FSM that you can run it with the covers off and touch/press the rockers to assess if any are making noise. I'll decide that after the water test.

The FSM also said when installing the rocker arms to put the crank at a 'V8' position on the damper pulley. I didn't do that and wonder what difference that would make.

The last time I did any serious motor internal stuff was 50 yrs ago. I do a lot of custom stuff on my '93 Jeep (motor swap, Ford axle, etc.), but no engine internals.

 

I didn't put the damper pulley at the v8 mark when I did mine either.

 

I borrowed a cyl leak down tester and the cyl I messed up is leaking badly through the intake valve in question. I'll be pulling the heads, have a shop fix whats broken, and have them do full cleanup to erase the 110k miles on them. I did the intake fix a few months ago, so the overall job is not that daunting, just going down another layer adding the heads to the mix.

I've never done heads before. What do I need as side parts? I know new gaskets, do I need new head bolts? ... anything else?

 

At least you found the problem. I think you'll want to replace the head bolts too.

 

headbolts SHOULD be replaced when removed, but usually can be reused once, if it were me i would just replace them and be done

 

Heads went to the shop. Turns out they are both cracked. Shop is getting replacement castings. Apparently it's common enough that they make replacement castings.

[Tech Tip: those small plastic tubs you get at the deli counter, for potato salad and such, fit perfectly in the cyl holes. Keeps crap out when cleaning gaskets. Easy to shop vac out the crud after too.]

 

All fixed. Started on first key turn, runs great.

 

Good to hear