Gotta do pushrod tube seals, any gotchas? Options

[underthetire]

Well, my little drip turned in to aunt flow after installing the header. I'm sure I must have moved a tube or two by my careful installation (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smash.gif) .

looks pretty easy to change these. Any gotchas ? And what sealant if any is the preferred.

[Dave_Darling]

Make sure you have each cylinder at TDC when you put its rocker arms and rocker shaft back on. If not, the valve springs will not even let the rocker shaft seat against the head when you get to the 10 lb-ft torque spec for the rocker shaft retaining nuts.

Getting the pushrods seated correctly in the lifter cups was always a bit of a pain. I have been known to stick the short arm of an L-shaped Allen wrench down the tube so I can lever up the inner end of the pushrod. A dab of grease on the end of the rod can help it stay put in the lifter cup, but make sure to use an oil-soluble grease (most break-in lubes are fine) so you don't clog up the hole through the pushrod.

Make sure the bores where the seals go are clean and smooth.

No sealer needed, just lube the seals.

And yes, make sure you get the bent wire that retains the tubes seated correctly. The inner parts of it should sit against the shoulders of the tubes, pushing them inward toward the cam. If the inner bends of the wire stick down the tube instead, you'll wind up with notched pushrods and lovely aluminum shavings in your sump and/or filter.

--DD