So I thought I had everything to do the 1.7 rocker arm conversion on my 2.0. However, it looks like I may need to change out to shorter rods. Is this the case?

I went and used the stock rockers instead as I will need these for the 1.8 I am going to build anyway. I just want to know if my thinking is right here.

Is there anything wrong with using Chromoly push-rods with the stock rockers?

Were the Rocker already milled to accept the swivel foot adjusters?

Yes they were. However, when installed the swivel foot adjusters were all the way up and there was no adjustment available. Stock rockers where just fine.

You need to add some shims under the rocker shaft bearings (PN 021 109 427).
You may also need to use longer studs or pull the old ones out a bit if possible or else you will not be able to fit the nuts over the shaft.

.060" is the starting point. You may need to take more. I personally would suggest doing a valve train geometry setup to make sure everything is correct.

Yeah, that's the problem, I can't even get them out to .003. There is no adjustment. Use a shim? That doesn't sound right to me.

I guess I really don't need to worry about it until I build the 1.8 at which point I will be measuring everything properly. I was just surprised as when I ordered them I was told it was an easy swap and all I needed was those and the 911 adjusters.

Complements of Mr. Raby, I would suggest using the info in this tech article to familiarize yourself with the valve geometry. I'm not sure about chrome moly tubes with stock rockers, although it seems to be appropriate since CM tubes work with stock lifters. I used a cutoff wheel to get a rough cut and then fine tuned with a grinding bit in a drill press and a jig that held the tube perpindicular to the grinding bit. I then used a block of oak to set the tubes on and another piece of oak and a big ass hammer to pound them in. I would recommend the Raby method of two old lifters, as the oak splitered and wedged up in the oil passages of the tips, and luckily none entered the tubes or I would have had to start over...

http://forums.aircooledtechnology.com/showthread.php?t=25

I had the same issue about needing to shim up the rockers as I found that with the proper tube length the swivels were close to binding. If you need the thin spring washers that go under the nut on the roker stud let me know, I bought a box of 100, I can mail out a set. The thin stock type washers will allow more of the stud threads into the nut since you will be shimming the rocker higher.

by the way, with CM tubes I found posts where Raby suggests zero valve lash, and FAT performance suggested .002" for an occasional use car and .004" for a daily driver ( I haven't figured that one out yet ) I set them at .002" and the valves are slightly noisy cold and quiet down nicely after warmup. Leakdown was in the 3 to 4 percent range on a warm engine, so I'm happy with the setting....I'm sure others here will have additional experience to help with final settings, this is my first experience with this engine.

Is it possable to use the shorter push rods that are for hydraulic lifters to gain the clearance needed?

It's all guessing until you do your valve train geometry. Do it right or put it back to the original adjusters.

If you change the rockers and adjusters, the valve train geometry must be set. I had to shim mine .060. All my pushrods were custom cut to length.

i'm useing the stock pushrods and just shimmed mine. piece of cake. i also countersunk the rocker hole to give the swivel foot a little more room to rock back and forth. and if you want to get trick, you can cut the extra thread off the adjuster and cut a new screw slot in it. every gram you lose helps. especially on that side of the rocker fulcrum.

shims are your friend. Mr. Raby has made this article available for all of us so that we can make our engines last longer. you CAN do it right. it only takes one rebuild on a set of heads to knock the valve geometry off whack.
take the time to set geometry and your engine will be more quiet, smoother and last longer
http://forums.aircooledtechnology.com/showthread.php?t=25

if you change any valve train components... you really have to measure and reset the length of the push rods.